Lucie Barry-Tannous - CEO: Nissan Côte d’Ivoire ATC

Date of birth: 5 July, Germany

Education: I went to university in Morocco where I did the first of my two master’s degrees in Economic Development and went to work for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Mali. I went back to university in France afterwards and completed a master’s degree in commercial law before beginning my corporate career.

Management style: I lead by example, but equally I believe in articulating your dream. If you can sell your vision well, the people in your team can buy into it and make it happen. I have a team with me, it’s like ballet; we grow together, we achieve together. Together we learn, we make mistakes, we grow, we succeed and we go forward and do better with humility.

Personal best achievement: Becoming chief executive of ATC Comafrique at a very challenging time for the company and being able to create a team to turn it around and this year be crowned the best Nissan dealership in Africa at the annual Ignition Awards held in Egypt. There are 180 people in the Comafrique Nissan team and this award showed them that we hadn’t just made a difference in the market, we had made a difference on the continent.

Person you would most like to meet: I would love to meet Queen Elisabeth II. I admire her great resilience.

Philosophy of life: Leadership is taken, not given. You have to be prepared to put in the time, take the risks,
be prepared to fail and then rise again to succeed. It’s not just about getting there, it’s about what you do when you get there.

Message for other women leaders in the South African business community: Among the challenges women face is the fear of rejection, which fosters a fear of taking risks. As leaders, we need to create a safe space in our organisations where young people, especially women, can feel safe to work, to share their opinions and to be ambitious, learning how to be assertive without being aggressive. A major problem for ambitious women is the dual danger of stagnation in positions mid-career as well as the societal pressure to attend to family responsibilities. Younger women must be prepared to take risks and get out of their comfort zones, to trust themselves but only if they have done their homework and make the effort to get the knowledge they need.

Florence Sempebwa Makada - Managing director of Nissan Uganda Motorcare Ltd

Date of birth: 28 August in the Moroto district in the north of Uganda

Education: My mother was determined that I would get the best education possible, since she had been denied one herself. She enrolled me in a co-educational boarding school for my primary education, before sending me to Gayaza High School in Kampala, the best girls’ school in the country. I was then handpicked to participate in the East African University exchange, graduating with a BSc in computer science with statistics from Dar-es-Salaam University in Tanzania. Later, I studied for a BSc in applied accounting from Oxford Brookes University in the UK, becoming a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Accountants in the UK afterwards.

Management style: I have always led by example, and I have always made sure that I learn wherever I am, so that I know what I am talking about before I say anything. I am a firm believer in meticulous preparation. Instead of saying ‘do this’ and then doing the opposite, I walk the talk. I do not ask anyone to do anything that I am not prepared to do myself. The same applies for setting standards: I am always the first person at the office in the morning and invariably the last to leave. That is how I earn the respect of my peers and my subordinates.

Personal best achievement: Over and above being able to combine being a professional in a male dominated world, a wife and a mother, my best achievement to date would be in becoming the first woman in the country to reach the highest level of the Ugandan automotive industry. Person you would most like to meet: Michelle Obama

Philosophy of life: My philosophy was inspired by the sacrifices made and the example given to me by my mother. We must take the opportunities we are given and make the most of them, but as we do so, we must make a positive impact and leave an empowering legacy in our wake.

Message for other women leaders in the South African business community: As women in leadership, let us coach/mentor our fellow women at workplaces to enable them to reach their full potential. And as mothers, this mentorship should start at home; encouraging the girl child to always aim the highest without forgetting their inherent values as wives and mothers. Women can do anything that men can do, the days of women not being in the boardroom are fading away. We are dependable and very focussed, we have to be because we have had to juggle our professional and personal lives, office and home, from the very start. But none of this will be handed to us on a plate; we must use every opportunity to be knowledgeable, to be prepared to help and always be prepared to learn.

Natasha Naidoo - Contact Centre Manager for Nissan South Africa

Date of birth: 3 August, Richards Bay

Education: I hold a Diploma in Human Resources and I am currently pursuing my Marketing Management Degree.

Main activity of function within company: Customer service is a part of my expertise as a contact centre manager. My primary focus relates to making sure that Nissan clients receive the highest standard of customer support. During my 13 years at Nissan, I have had the privilege of serving in various roles. These range from being a consultant, team leader, supervisor, pricing analyst and the latest assignment has me leading the Nissan South Africa Contact Centre team as the manager.

Management style: As a leader, I believe it is important to provide guidance, enable and empower team members. A good leader is inspiring and motivating and I keep this in mind at all times. Through employing a transformational management style, I am confident that the team would have the information required to overcome any challenges that they may face during the day.

Personal best achievement: Being recognised in the Leadership category of the Nedbank Annual Industry Awards as well as being one of the Top 40 Finalists for the 2021 Woman of the Year in Motoring Award.

Person you would most like to meet: I would be honoured to meet Oprah Winfrey one day. Her life story, character and journey to success resonates with me. Philosophy of life: I believe hard work equals success.

Message for other women leaders in the South African business community: Never stop trying to drive continuous improvement in all spheres of your life. Pay it forward by also being a mentor to the next generation of women leaders.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions about women working in the motoring industry? Being a woman in the automotive sector, it is simple to act like a man since you are surrounded by men. One of the most crucial lessons I was given when I assumed my role was to lead as a woman would. I drive this by leading with heart and mind in order to nurture an inclusive work environment.

What drew you to the auto-manufacturing industry? I liked the pace of the environment since there was always something to figure out and it’s dynamic. This also fulfilled my urge for diversity effectively.

What are some of the main challenges for women working in manufacturing today? Although strides have been made towards inclusion, there is still a gap in terms of representation in leadership positions. To support the younger women who will enter this space in the future, it’s important that leaders, men and women in executive positions, advocate for making more seats available at the table.

Zama Luwanda Ndlovu Sales Executive at Motus Nissan Zululand

Date of birth: 29 June, Vryheid

Education: Bachelor’s degree in marketing management, currently completing my last year in Supply Chain and Operations Management.

Management style: A good manager provides consistent, clear direction and is constantly ready to offer assistance and counsel - but doesn’t take over. Therefore, I try to act in this way. Making sure that co-workers can realise their full potential is equally vital in my opinion. I arrange regular meetings to go over each team member’s career objectives. It’s an opportunity to give them direction and raise their spirits because I occasionally discover new things about my team that can help us collectively grow.

Personal best achievement: Awarded the Nissan Private Champs accolade in recognition of exceptional sales in 2021, Nissan South Africa Exceptional Sales award 2022 as well as 2nd Runner Up for Navara Double Cab Sales 2022 in South Africa.

Person you would most like to meet: Oprah Winfrey

Philosophy of life: I believe that you should strive to invest 100% in everything you do, and in that process, don’t forget God.

Message for other women leaders in the South African business community: We are the flag carriers for young women looking in, therefore as long as we are driven by ambition and determined to succeed, we should remain steadfast
in our work and keep doing what we do best in each of our specialised sectors.