Eight South African leaders made the Choiseul 100 Africa index, which ranks young Africans who will play a major role in the development of Africa in the near future.
The Institut Choiseul identified only eight South African leaders under the age of 40, in a list that includes growing business leaders, successful entrepreneurs and investors that embody the dynamism and renewal of a whole continent and carry the hopes of an entire generation.
Ranked the highest was Absa Capital CEO Nomkhita Nqweni, who came in at number six and was the highest ranked woman.
Cape Town angel fund entrepreneur Justin Stanford was South Africa’s second top leader, ranked 28.
Others include Ndalo Media CEO Khanyi Dhlomo (44), Transnet Property GM Raisibe Lepule, Namibian Stock Exchange CEO Tiaan Bazuin (77), Alan Knott-Craig Jr (89), Gyft GM Vinny Lingham (91) and Pioneer Foods chief financial officer Cindy Hess.
“Capital flows towards Africa reached US$80bn (R1 trillion),” said Institut Choiseul chairperson Pascal Lorot. “The figure should rise up to $100bn (R1,3 trillion) in 2015.
“This remarkable dynamic is linked to the emergence of both a group of young economic leaders, well trained, open to the world and connected to major economic and informal flows worldwide, grown out of globalisation.”
Established in 1997, the Institut Choiseul is an independent and non-partisan Think Tank, whose scope covers Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa.
Beyond those eight laureates, other young South Africans leaders appear in the Choiseul 200 are: Yolanda Cuba (Vodacom), Mpumi Madisa (Bidvest South Africa), Hanneli Ruppert (Okapi), Bridgette Gasa (The Elilox Group), Lindiwe Mthimunye-Bakoro (PetroSA), Sibongile Sambo (SRS Aviation) and Babalwa Ngonyama (Sinayo Investment Holdings).
Finance, ICT and the service sector were among the most represented sectors, while the energy, transport and construction sectors were down compared to their potential. — Fin24