CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Of the 1364 companies listed on the 24 African stock exchanges, we screened for those companies with revenue of $100 million or more, or a market cap of $150 million or more, which yielded a list of 581 companies. The public websites of these 581 companies were reviewed to identify female C-suite executives. Our team of researchers then examined the list of these women to determine those who have a title of chief executive officer or managing director or president AND have bottom line profit and loss responsibility. This resulted in the final list of 35 women CEOs.

Natascha Viljoen
CEO
Anglo American Platinum


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$30.9 billion USD RevenueÂ
Metals & Mining
South Africa


Nompumelelo Thembekile (Mpumi) Madisa
CEO / Executive Director
Bidvest Group


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$5.8 billion USD RevenueÂ
Retail
South Africa


Bertina Engelbrecht
CEO
Clicks Group


$2.5 billion USD Revenue
Pharmaceuticals
South Africa


Lynette Francis Saltzman
Managing Director
Dis-Chem Pharmacies


$1.9 billion USD Revenue
Pharamceuticals
South Africa


Lizé Lambrechts
CEO
Santam


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$1.8 billion USD Revenue
Insurance
South Africa


Rosemary Oduor
Managing Director / CEO
Kenya Power & Lighting Ltd


Nairobi Stock Exchange
$1.3 billion USD RevenueÂ
Energy
Kenya


Miriam Olusanya
Managing Director
Guaranty Trust Bank Limited


Nigeria Stock Exchange
$1.2 billion USD RevenueÂ
Finance
Nigeria


Albertinah Kekana
CEO
Royal Bafokeng Holdings


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$818 million USD Revenue
Finance
South Africa


Jane Karuku
Group Managing Director / CEO
East African Breweries Limited


Nairobi Stock Exchange
$791 million USD RevenueÂ
Beverage
Kenya


Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe
Managing Director / CEO
Fidelity Bank


Nigerian Stock Exchange
$600 million USD RevenueÂ
Financial
Nigeria


Nathalie Alquier
CEO
Centrale Danone


Casablanca Stock Exchange
$478 million USD RevenueÂ
Food Products
Morocco


Ruth Zaipuna
CEO
NMB Bank


$451 million USD Revenue
Finance
Tanzania


Rebecca Miano
Managing Director / CEO
Kenya Electricity Generating Company


Nairobi Stock Exchange
$422 million USD Revenue
Energy
Kenya


Nasim Devji
Group CEO / Managing Director
Diamond Trust Bank


Nairobi Stock Exchange
$349 million USD Revenue
Finance
Kenya


Mercia Geises
CEO
SBN Holdings Ltd.


Namibian Stock Exchange
$297 million USD Revenue
Finance
Namibia


Zanele Matlala
CEO
Merafe Resources Ltd.


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$292 million USD Revenue
Mining
South Africa


Catherine Lesetedi
Group Chief Executive Officer
Botswana Insurance Holdings (BIHL Group)


Botswana Stock Exchange
$287 million USD Revenue
Insurance
Botswana


Anne Juuko
CEO
Stanbic Bank Holdings


Uganda Securities Exchange
$238 million USD Revenue
Finance
Uganda


Mansa Nettey
Chief Executive
Standard Chartered Bank


Ghana Stock Exchange
$208 million USD Revenue
Finance
Ghana


Owen Omogiafo
President / CEO
Transnational Corp of Nigeria


Lagos Stock Exchange
$198 million USD Revenue
Energy / Hospitality
Nigeria


Jalila Mezni
CEO
Societe d'Articles Hygeniques


Bourse de Tunis
$191 million USD Revenue
Personal Products
Tunisia


Diane Karusisi
CEO
BK Group PLC


Rwanda Stock Exchange
$184 million USD Revenue
Finance
Rwanda


Jackie van Niekerk
CEO
Attacq Ltd.


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$180 million USD Revenue
Real Estate
South Africa


Lamia Tazi
CEO
Sothema


Casablanca Stock Exchange
$178 million USD Revenue
Pharmaceuticals
Morocco


Keabetswe Pheko-Moshagane
Managing Director
Absa Bank Botswana Ltd


Botswana Stock Exchange
$173 million USD Revenue
Finance
Botswana


Mukwandi Chibesakunda
CEO
Zambia National Commercial Bank


Lusaka Stock Exchange
$170 million USD Revenue
Finance
Zambia


Mitwa Ng'ambi
CEO
MTN Rwanda


Rwanda Stock Exchange
$157 million USD Revenue
Telecommunications
Rwanda


Godrey Ogbechie
Group Executive Director
RainOil Ltd


Lagos Stock Exchange
$154 million USD Revenue
Oil & Gas
Nigeria


Miriem Bensalah-Chaqroun
Vice President / Managing Director
Oulmès


Casablanca Stock Exchange
$152 million USD Revenue
Beverages
Morocco


Leila Fourie
CEO
Johannesburg Stock Exchange


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$150 million USD Revenue
Capital Markets
South Africa


Njilan Senghore
Managing Director
Trust Bank


Accra Stock Exchange
$128 million USD Revenue
Finance
The Gambia


Oluwatomi Somefun
Managing Director / CEO
Unity Bank


Lagos Stock Exchange
$112 million USD Revenue
Finance
Nigeria


Mama Tajmouati
President
YNNA Holding


Casablanca Stock Exchange
$97 million USD Revenue
Construction
Morocco


Amelia Beattie
CEO
Liberty Two Degrees


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$58 million USD Revenue
Real Estate
South Africa


Faith Mabu Nteta
Managing Director
Sechaba Breweries


Botswana Stock Exchange
$19 million USD Revenue
Beverages
Botswana

DIVISION HEADS
The methodology for this group is identical to the methodology for Group 1, except that the entities evaluated were the divisions of the 581 companies, such that the divisions themselves have standalone revenue of $100 million or more, or a market cap of $150 million or more. The women running these divisions must have a title that clearly demonstrates that they are the chief executive with profit and loss responsibility for the division. This analysis yielded 25 women CEOs.

Mpumi Zikalala
CEO, Kumba Iron Ore
Anglo American


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$31 billion USD Revenue
Mining
South Africa


Kerrin Land
Managing Director / Personal Finance and Wealth Management
Old Mutual


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$8.7 billion USD Revenue
Insurance
South Africa


Prabashini Moodley
CEO, Sanlam Corporate
Old Mutual


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$8.7 billion USD Revenue
Insurance
South Africa


Kanyisa Mkhize
CEO, Sanlam Corporate
Sanlam


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$8.1 billion USD Revenue
Insurance
South Africa


Abena Osei-Poku
Managing Director, Absa Bank Ghana
Absa Group


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$7.8 billion USD Revenue
Finance
Ghana


Mizinga Melu
CEO / Managing Director Absa Zambia
Absa Group


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$7.8 billion USD Revenue
Finance
Zambia


Vivien McMenamin
CEO, South Africa
Mondi South Africa


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$7.6 billion USD Revenue
Paper & Forest products
South Africa


Mariam Cassim
Group CEO, Financial and Digital Services
Vodacom


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$6.0 billion USD Revenue
Telecoms
South Africa


Hannah Sadiki
CEO, Financial Services
Bidvest Bank / Bidvest Group


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$5.8 billion USD Revenue
Finance
South Africa


Kerry Cassel
CEO, Financial Services Sector
Motus Holdings


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$5.7 billion USD Revenue
Retail
South Africa


Zyda Rylands
CEO, Woolworths Food
Woolworths Holdings


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$5.1 billion USD Revenue
Retail
South Africa


Fhulu Badugela
CEO, MultiChoice Africa Holdings
The MultiChoice Group


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$3.3 billion USD Revenue
Media
South Africa


Yolisa Phahle
CEO, General Entertainment and Connected Video
The MultiChoice Group


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$3.3 billion USD Revenue
Media
South Africa


Nevine Wefky
President, Corporate Credit and Investment
Commercial International Bank


Egyptian Stock Exchange
$2.9 billion USD Revenue
Finance
Egypt


Richelle Crots
Regional CEO, SA Commercial
Aspen Pharmacare Holdings


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$2.5 billion USD Revenue
Pharmaceuticals
South Africa


Ramatoulaye Diallo Shagaya
Managing Director, Orange Finances Mobile Services
Sonatel



Bourse Regionale des Valeurs Mobilieres
$2.1 billion USD Revenue
Telecoms
Senegal


Aminata Kane Ndiaye
CEO, Orange Sierra Leone
Sonatel



Bourse Regionale des Valeurs Mobilieres
$2.1 billion USD Revenue
Telecoms
Senegal


Kate Rycroft
Managing Director, Distell International
Distell Group


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$1.8 billion USD Revenue
Beverages
South Africa


Abiola Bawuah
Regional CEO, West Africa
UBA Bank


Lagos Stock Exchange
$1.6 billion USD Revenue
Finance
Nigeria


Sally-Anne Jackson
Managing Director, Miladys
Mr Price Group


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$1.3 billion USD Revenue
Retail
South Africa


Elize Rogers
Managing Director, Arxo Logistics
Tharisa


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$596 million USD Revenue
Industrial / Mining
South Africa


Hélène Echevin
CEO, CIEL Healthcare
CIEL


Mauritius Stock Exchange
$446 million USD Revenue
Health Care
Mauritius


Anet Ahern
CEO, PSG Asset Management
PSG Konsult


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$311 million USD Revenue
Finance
South Africa


Helene Weesie
Managing Director, Ghana Breweries
Diageo


Accra Stock Exchange
$190 million USD Revenue
Beverages
Ghana


Nanees Adel
CSH Managing Director
Cleopatra Hospital


Egyptian Stock Exchange
$126 million USD Revenue
Health Care
Egypt

MULTINATIONAL REGIONAL HEADS
The methodology for this group started with an analysis of global corporations with revenue over $10 billion who who have operations in one or more countries on the African continent. The regional heads of these companies were analyzed to identify women chief executives for an Africa region or an African country, with profit and loss responsibility for the country or region. This analysis yielded 14 women CEOs. Women in this group are ranking by prioritizing those women who run the Africa region ahead of those who run a single African country.

Nunu Ntshingila
Regional Director Africa


NASDAQ Stock Exchange
$132.5 billion USD Revenue
Technology
South Africa


Yvonne Ike
MD, Head Sub-Saharan Africa (ex-RSA)
Bank of America


New York Stock Exchange
$93.7 billion USD Revenue
Finance
Nigeria


Cathy (Prim) Smith
Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa
SAP


Frankfurt Stock Exchange
$31.2 billion USD Revenue
Technology
South Africa


Aida Diarra
Senior Vice President / Head of Sub-Saharan Africa
VISA Inc.


New York Stock Exchange
$25.5 billion USD Revenue
Financial Services/Technology
South Africa


Teju Ajani
Managing Director, Nigeria
Apple


NASDAQ Stock Exchange
$378.3 billion USD Revenue
Technology
Nigeria


Juliet Ehimuan
Director West Africa
Google (Alphabet Inc.)


NASDAQ Stock Exchange
$257.6 billion USD Revenue
Technology
Nigeria


Taelo Mojapelo
Chief Executive Officer
bp Southern Africa


London Stock Exchange
$211.2 billion USD Revenue
Energy
South Africa


Mariam Kane-Garcia
Managing Director, South Africa
TotalEnergies


Euronext Stock Exchange
$207.5 billion USD Revenue
Energy
South Africa


Kendi Ntwiga-Nderitu
Country Lead, Kenya
Microsoft


NASDAQ Stock Exchange
$184.9 billion USD Revenue
Technology
Kenya


Lillian Barnard
CEO, South Africa
Microsoft


NASDAQ Stock Exchange
$184.9 billion USD Revenue
Technology
South Africa


Ireti Samuel-Ogbu
CEO, Nigeria and Ghana
Citibank


New York Stock Exchange
$75 billion USD Revenue
Finance
Nigeria


Brenda Mbathi
President, GE East Africa
General Electric


New York Stock Exchange
$74.2 billion USD Revenue
Energy
Kenya


Patricia Obo-Nai
CEO, Vodafone Ghana
Vodafone Group


London Stock Exchange
$59.7 billion USD Revenue
Telecoms
Ghana


Yolanda Cuba
Vice President, SEA Region
MTN


Johannesburg Stock Exchange
$11.9 billion USD Revenue
Telecommunications
South Africa
