CHRO South Africa caught up with Jeanett Modise, Absa’s group chief human capital officer, fresh off her triple sweep at the recent 2025 CHRO Awards. In addition to taking top honours, Jeanett also took home the Talent Management and Learning & Development awards.
Still caught in the moment her name echoed through the Polo Room, Inanda Club, Jeanett reflected on her gratitude and what the recognition means to her.
Q: What does the recognition as 2025's CHRO of the Year mean to you personally and professionally?
This recognition is deeply meaningful because it reflects the collective work of the entire human capital community across Absa.
Personally, it solidifies my passion and commitment to serve by building environments where people can grow, lead and thrive. It affirms that our commitment to a purpose-led, human-centred culture resonates not only internally but across our industries.
This award is not mine alone. It honours the work of dedicated colleagues, leaders and teams who show up every day to make Absa the home of Africa’s top talent.
Q: What was the first thought that crossed your mind when you heard your name announced?
My first thought was gratitude – to God, and to the teams who trust me and partner with me through this journey. I lead with and through others, so I immediately thought of the incredible people behind the work we do: our emerging leaders, our women in leadership, our talent and learning teams, and every colleague who believes in what we are building.
I felt humbled and deeply aware of the responsibility that comes with this recognition – a renewed assignment to continue serving our people in Absa and beyond.
Q: You also won the Talent Management and the Learning & Development awards. What has been your secret to ensuring that talent management and learning remain aligned with the organisation’s goals?
There is no secret, only clarity of purpose and disciplined execution. Our approach is rooted in three principles:
- Future-fit capabilities aligned to business priorities, especially in digital, leadership and Pan-African growth.
- Democratising growth opportunities so development is accessible, inclusive and meaningful for colleagues at all levels.
- Positioning talent as a strategic engine by embedding succession, leadership development and capability-building at the heart of business performance.
We have been intentional in building a culture where learning is continuous and where talent decisions are grounded in data, humanity and long-term value.
Q: If you could sum up your HR journey to this point in a single phrase, what would it be?
“Leading with vision, grounded in humanity, invested in people.”
This phrase reflects a journey defined by purpose, elevated by collective brilliance and strengthened by a commitment to creating environments where people can grow, lead and thrive.
It captures the balance between strategic foresight and deeply human leadership that has guided every step of my career.
Q: How do you plan to build on this recognition and continue shaping the future of people and culture? And what's next on your HR agenda for the upcoming year?
This moment strengthens my resolve to accelerate the work underway in building a high-performance, human-centred organisation. My focus will be on:
- Scaling leadership capability that is courageous, compassionate and future-ready.
- Deepening our employee value proposition and culture so it is lived across all markets.
- Embedding diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging as strategic levers for performance and innovation.
- Driving skills transformation, particularly digital and data capabilities that will define the next decade of African leadership.
I envision Absa as a workplace where leading talent thrives, purpose is experienced, and colleagues feel a deep sense of belonging.
Our agenda remains bold and focused on creating value by driving a unified Absa culture across all markets, grounded in purpose, performance and wellbeing, while accelerating women’s representation in senior roles; enhancing colleague experience through digitally enabled people practices and integrated people solutions; deepening critical capabilities and enabling leaders for a digital, customer-centric, Pan-African bank; and strengthening talent mobility to create a fluid, skills-based organisation.
Next year is about deepening and embedding what matters most.
Q: What’s your go-to celebration song for moments like this?
Way Maker by Sinach. It reminds me that nothing is impossible with God. It captures the strength, joy and collective spirit of the people who have walked this journey with me.
Q: What do you hope the CHRO of the Year award will remind you of every time you see it on your shelf?
It will remind me that leadership is a privilege and that every decision we make has an impact on someone’s growth, confidence and sense of belonging.
It will also remind me of the power of teams, and the extraordinary results that emerge when people are trusted, empowered and seen.
To the organisations and leaders I’ve worked with over three decades, thank you for trusting me and giving me the opportunity to lead and contribute – you are the reason this recognition is possible.
Also read: 2025 CHRO Awards: HR leaders reaffirm their vital role
