Having served as HR director for Beiersdorf in both Southern Africa and later in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Aneesa Khan’s career has taken her to exotic locations. Through working across multiple countries and cultures, she’s been able to explore her interest in human complexity in ways she never imagined.
Even during one of her first jobs working at Woolworths as a pay point controller, Aneesa, now head of people and organisational development at Beiersdorf Consumer Products: South Africa, enjoyed working with people the most. “It was always something that interested me and people were drawn to me in terms of my ability to connect with them on a deeper level,” she says.
Aneesa soon started working in HR, which encouraged her to simultaneously continue her studies in the field. She later continued her self-development journey through attending various HR courses, whilst building her career.
Working across industries
Aneesa has worked in HR across very different industries, including finance, retail, warehousing and distribution, and FMCG. “In all these settings, what was really interesting was the different people and the fact that you learn something every time you enter a new industry,” she says.
Starting her career in the warehousing and distribution space, Aneesa spent over 10 years dealing with issues around unions, as well as cultural sensitivities related to the HIV/Aids pandemic at the time.
After later working in a financial institution, Aneesa was contacted about a role at Beiersdorf, a multinational company that manufactures personal-care products including well-known skincare brand Nivea. Fifteen years later, she’s still with the company. “I was able to take something out from every single one of these different roles I’ve had in different industries,” she says. “They shaped me and brought me to where I am today.”
Before officially joining Beiersdorf, she was flown in from Singapore for her final interview. “Before my flight back I got a call to say you have the role, this was a really exciting moment.” In her initial role, she oversaw HR in Southern, Central, Eastern and Western Africa. She was later appointed HR Director for MENA, and in 2016, together with her family, she moved to Dubai for three years.
“It was a life changing experience,” she says. “I learnt so much about different people, nationalities and religions, and it was an amazing opportunity for me to immerse myself in topics around diversity and inclusion.”
During that time, she also supported putting up an affiliate in Pakistan and in Egypt – and was also responsible for the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. As a result, she travelled extensively. “Immersing myself in those cultures was a real highlight of my HR career,” she says. After her contract ended, she returned home and took a three-month break.
Then, at the end of 2019, she returned to Beiersdorf’s South African branch, where she has been ever since.
Getting a seat at the table
HR is not just about people, says Aneesa, but also about immersing oneself in understanding the business so that one can become a true partner. Nonetheless, as a woman of colour and particularly one working in HR, getting a seat at the table early on in her career was not always easy, she admits.
“In the early days you were still considered the one who ensures that people get paid and that there are no employee relations issues. It was a struggle to get your foot in the door and get your voice heard. But this has changed. When I look at where we are now, we have 50 percent female and 50 percent male representation at executive level.”
To achieve such gender parity, an organisation must commit to making a change in the country in which it is operating, she says. “Early on, we decided as an organisation that we would be part of the transformation journey of South Africa. This meant fighting to secure diverse talent and being deliberate about ensuring that our succession planning aligned to our transformation goals.”
In the current corporate climate, Aneesa continues, there is a war to retain top talent. “In South Africa, everybody is looking for the same talent. What really plays to our advantage is that we are multinational – talent is looking for an organisation that will give them the opportunity to sometimes spread their wings outside of just the South African business. In the last three years, we have moved 24 of our employees into international roles, both physically and remotely, as people are at different life stages and are not always mobile.”
Young talent is also attracted to the company’s hybrid working model, she adds. “We try to give employees responsibility very early in their careers – you can be in the organisation for 18 months and already be up for a promotion because you’ve been able to prove yourself,” says Aneesa.
Managing a heritage brand in the personal care sector means that everyone from 15 to 70 and beyond encounters Beiersdorf products, which is also a drawcard for industry talent, Aneesa says. Promoting brands that people trust also creates a special feeling of the organisation, she adds. “Our core values are key: trust, simplicity and courage and care. It's not only caring about our employees, but care for our brands, for our society, and for our customers and consumers. This element of caring, whether it’s for employees or for our products – which we are also passionate about – resonates with all of us.”
A Durban girl, born and bred, Aneesa feels fortunate to still have both her parents, who continue to give her grounding and advice in all she does. She’s also blessed to still have her 96-year-old grandmother who is always actively involved with the family.
Aneesa is married with three children, two girls and a boy, whom she says are her light and the reason she keeps striving. While she admits to feeling a healthy dose of mom guilt, especially with her frequent business travel, she says the pride her kids exude when talking about her career makes it all worthwhile.
She also enjoys travelling for pleasure and is thrilled to sometimes be joined by her 22-year-old daughter. Aneesa’s favourite travel destinations are Morocco, Egypt and Turkey. With a trip to Spain on the horizon, she’s excited to continue spreading her wings.
