Interview

Discovery’s Steven Teasdale is a lifelong student of leadership

Steven realised at an early age that there wasn’t a much better feeling in the world than helping people grow.

Standard Bank chief people officer Sharon Taylor on belonging

Sharon says belonging is about being able to bring your true self to work and thrive.

EPPF head of HR Shyless Nkuna says servant leadership is paramount

If the global financial crisis was the mock exam, Covid-19 presented the real test for HR leaders, says Shyless.

Laura James to champion D&I as chair of renewable energy gender diversity group

The Globeleq senior HR manager believes there is synchronicity between renewable energy and D&I.

McDonald’s SA's Brigitte Da Gama says their culture is what gets them through tough times

It is also why Brigitte won awards for Transformation & Empowerment and Talent Management at the 2020 CHRO Awards.

Nestle's Athol Swanepoel's career began with a role as an overqualified letter sorter

Athol is fresh into his role as the HR director for East and Southern Africa at Nestlé.

Tiger Brands CHRO S'ne Magagula on finding new ways to unlock potential

In her two years at the FMCG giant, S'ne and her team have transformed Tiger's people agenda and talent development approach.

Autoboys CHRO Kyle Chetty has been working 16 hours a day for as long as he can remember

The 2020 Young CHRO of The Year tells the story of what one can achieve if they’re willing to work hard.

Weir Minerals’ Tshidi Anya is clear about what she wants from her career

Tshidi Anya has just joined Weir Minerals as the regional HR director: Africa and Middle East.

Nando’s SA chief people officer Lucia McMullan says their culture is their secret sauce

Lucia says their employer brand is, in some ways, not dissimilar from the company’s witty consumer brand.

Nametsegang Maruping on her role as group executive: human capital for Altron

CHRO SA caught up with her to find out more about her vision for the role.

Disebo Ramonyalioa “still in shock” at how the world of work has changed

Ntiyiso Consulting Group’s HC director took an eight-month sabbatical before joining the firm.

Tshepo Yvonne Mosadi describes Heineken SA as her first love

Now its HR director, she joined the beer maker before it was registered in South Africa.

Dimension Data CHRO Michaela Voller on why offices are here to stay

Michaela says there are very real benefits to the physical office that simply cannot be overlooked.

Former divisional executive Darryl Feldman shares his experience from Edcon’s collapse

After a rough few months, Darryl chooses not to wallow, but rather to find purpose in assisting others.

Derivco's Tracey Rowe shares her life-long passion for equestrian sport

Tracey says that in riding, as well as with HR, relationships are golden.

Mondelēz International’s Cebile Xulu remains a steadfast champion of D&I

Cebile is the co-chair of the Mondelez International sub-Sahara African D&I Council, which was instituted in October.

Standard Chartered Bank's Millicent Clarke on the need to lead the leaders

The Regional Head of HR for Africa Middle East (AME) says it's all about the 3 Cs.

Elsie Pule on driving Eskom's performance culture

Elsie has been with Eskom since 1995 bar a three-year stint at SARS.

Barloworld's Tantaswa Fubu talks about her journey with depression

Tantaswa's experiences led to her becoming the poster girl for mental wellness within the organisation

Lucky HR Indaba Network launch day winners announced!

Clement O’Reilly appointed chief people officer in Multichoice executive reshuffle

Former chief people officer Fhulufhelo Badugela is to become the regional director of MultiChoice Africa: Southern Region.

Derivco HR director Tracey Rowe’s voyage to discovering a global perspective

Tracey’s career has given her and her family the opportunity to discover the world.

Servest's Lungile Langa on HR’s role in driving ethical leadership

Lungile says HR can drive ethical behaviour by protecting whistleblowers.

Mars Africa’s Nerisha Charlton is never demoralised by adversity

Nerisha says she has always found the strength to overcome even the most strenuous of life’s challenges.

Google HR Cluster Head for SSA Avanthi Maharaj on leading with compassion

Avanthi says joining Google was a dream come true.

Jaguar Land Rover SA's Tanya Ramlagan's career has been a pursuit of purpose and balance

It was only after 18 years into her career that Tanya took her first HR role.

EOH's Malisha Awunor on how to help employees acclimate to remote working

Malisha says employees have adjusted to remote working far better than was expected.

KFC's Cheryl Whitaker says Covid-19 has enabled a mindset shift

Cheryl says the pandemic has impacted their head office differently from their restaurants.

Altron's Dolores Mashishi on building the workplace of the future

In an upcoming webinar, Dolores will explain why implementing Workday is key to continuing Altron's remarkable turnaround strategy.

JSE HR director Donald Khumalo explains new gender-neutral parental leave policy

This move represents yet another step towards a more progressive JSE, says Donald.

MTN CHRO Paul Norman shares lessons from his 26 years at the company

The 2019 CHRO of the Year talks about how he's been able to stay at the top of his game for such a long time without ever feeling the need to switch companies.

Igniting human potential is everything to Tiger Brands CHRO S'ne Magagula

"In my view, human resources is about connecting the art of possibility, individual and team potential with organisational performance. It is how innovation comes to life and that's what inspires me the most about leading change in an organisation like Tiger," says S'ne.

PPC's Phindokuhle Mohlala says their Change Ambassadors have been a godsend

Phindo introduced Change Ambassadors to ease turbulence in times of transition and uncertainty.

Samela Holdings CEO Bongani Hlophe was drawn to HR by its political wonder

Bongani pivoted from a career in law when his political heart strings were pulled.

Leading HR in a law firm is no child's play, says Webber Wentzel HR director Rachel Masuku

Rachel says credibility is the most important trait that one needs to have in a law firm.  

Jade Peter's HR journey came full circle upon joining Belgotex as the executive HR director 

Jade's first HR job was at Belgotex where she now sits on the executive committee.

A little vulnerability can go a long way, says Unilever's global employer brand manager Hyren Peterson

Hyren's LinkedIn post, in which he admits to making many mistakes in his career, went viral. 

Netstar head of human capital Pamela Xaba's career has been a serendipitous journey of self-discovery

Like so many of her peers, Pamela found herself in the profession as if it was driven by fate.

Aurecon chief people officer Dean Naidoo sees the silver lining behind lockdown

Dean reflects on lockdown in the context of former president Nelson Mandela's imprisonment. 

How Decision Inc's Tarryn Swemmer was plunged into the deep-end of HR leadership

Tarryn had a Masters in Chemistry and zero HR experience when she became an HR leader.

Standard Bank head of human capital Sharon Taylor has mastered introverted leadership

Sharon's 29-year stint means she has shaped the people philosophies that define the bank today.

Unilever's Mechell Chetty on setting big, hairy, audacious goals

The story behind Mechell's decision to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. 

Verna Robson's rise from Eldos to Sun International

HR boss Verna Robson's determination and solution-oriented approach to life got her to where she is. 

5 career-building tips from Standard Bank's Sharon Taylor

Here's some advice for graduates from one of the top winners at last year's inaugural CHRO Awards.

Servest HR director Lungile Langa reached many of life's milestones sooner than most

Some would say she sped through life but, for her, it was all pretty normal.

McDonald's SA's Brigitte Da Gama is driven by her yearning to see people grow

She has a profound sense of responsibility to help people realise their full potential.

Nestlé's Tania Hector is a huge champion of flexible working 

She crafted the flexibility policy for Nestlé's South Africa office five years ago.

Mondelez International HR director Cebile Xulu coaches unemployed grads in her spare time

She started a work-readiness programme with three strangers that she met on Twitter.

From classroom to boardroom:  Meet Tamara Parker, CEO of Mercer South Africa

Never one to shy away from making bold changes, Tamara welcomes new adventures.

Discovery SA's Trevor Kunda on the current state and future of L&D

Trevor says South Africa's entire learning and development ecosystem is outdated.

Talking motorbikes and tattoos with Mercedes Benz SA's Abey Kgotle and his wife Nthabe

Following Abey's experience at Lonmin, the pair found healing on a pair of Harley Davidsons.

Shirley Zinn and Ndivhu Nepfumbada on leading your CEO

They share experiences on what it takes to lead the leader of your organisation.

Hellmann's Marlize Kriel's lessons from a 10-year journey through the Middle East

Wherever she went, Marlize's motto was always to 'add value, make a difference and leave a legacy.'

Discovery SA's Tswelo Kodisang on the parallels between running and being an HR leader

Tswelo runs marathons as a way to explore new cities around the world.

Estée Lauder South Africa HR Director Devni Naidoo on perfecting people practices in the beauty industry

Devni took a step into the new world of prestige beauty after 20 years in the banking industry.

Deborah Fuller on making Nedbank's high-performance culture more agile

Having calculated every move in her career, she is now focussed on implementing the banking group's People 2020 strategy.

Donald Khumalo on transformation, the power of competition and 'The JSE Way'

Donald was mentored by some of the country's foremost business leaders.

ABSA's Sthembiso Phakathi on making line managers take ownership of people practices

He says changing mindsets was the toughest challenge after shifting to Workday

ENSafrica's Lebitso Mokgatle on finding the HR sweet spot 

She says society's culture of immediate gratification has had negative consequences on human behaviour.

SA sitting on a skills bomb, says Syspro CHRO Terence Moolman

Terence began his working life as a till operator at Woolworths.

Investec's Lesley-Anne Gatter reveals rationale behind new flexible leave and dress code policy

Investec staff can take flexible leave days and choose how to dress.

Unilever Africa's Mechell Chetty on the pursuit and power of purpose

For her, it is the key to unlocking human potential in order to drive meaningful business success.

Mercedes Benz SA's Abey Kgotle on the experiences that shaped his career

From his first HR job at Naschem to a tumultuous period at Lonmin's Marikana mine, Abey reflects on the roles that moulded him.

TransUnion's Ndivhu Nepfumbada says building relationships with business leaders is key

It has been a mantra that has held her in good stead throughout her career.

Aurecon's People Leader Dean Naidoo found his purpose in Africa

Strong business acumen widens the influence and impact HR leaders can make, says Dean.

You need to have your CEO's ear, says Pioneer Foods group HR executive Nandipha Ngumbela

Nandi says this is crucial to aligning the people agenda with the organisational strategy.

Engagement is a vehicle for driving culture, says Cell C's Juliet Mhango

But there is no one-size-fits-all approach to employee engagement.

Sasol Executive Charlotte Mokoena on leading through service to others

As a former teacher and nurse, service to others has been a common thread throughout her career.

Without trust you have nothing, says Virgin Mobile's Michelle Ribeiro

Michelle tried some interesting tactics to win the trust of employees. 

Pearson's Alice Bhebhe says teaching runs in her blood

Alice was involved in driving L&D for SA's first democratically elected parliamentarians.

BAT's Candice Watson on the underrepresentation of females in leadership

Candice's doctoral thesis will explore the ongoing lack of females in decision-making positions.

Don't just listen, act on feedback from employees, says Oracle's Queen Mokonoto

A lot of Queen's success has come from understanding that employee engagement impacts business performance.

Q& A with Paramount Group HR Director Martie Baumgardt

Martie's career journey has been tough, but at the centre of it all is empathy.

Q&A with Takeda HR Director Shirley Joscelyne

We speak to Shirley about why she made the change from marketing to HR so late in her career.

Engen's Chwayita Mareka on role models and the gift of feedback

The oil giant's General Manager for HR tells the story of how she found her passion.

Samsung's Africa head of HR Bess Skosana has a talent for turning things around  

Throughout her career, Bess been involved in massive HR projects that were crucial to the success of the businesses she represented.

Mondelez International's Cebile Xulu tells the truth about transformation

The company's HR Director for South & Central East Africa gives an account of why she believes SA still has a long way to go before achieving true transformation. 

Pernod Ricard's Andre Muller led a charmed life before joining the company

Andre lived on a Kibbutz and ran the affairs of celebrity singer/songwriter Sting's private home.

Old Mutual's Celiwe Ross on the importance of focusing on adding value 

It's an approach that has held her in good stead since the very beginning of her professional career.

Pernod Ricard's Shireen Maharaj says young professionals need to be more deliberate in their actions if they are to succeed

Shireen says young professionals need to be willing to constantly reassess their ambitions and capabilities to keep pace with the constant change in the workplace.

Clicks Group's HR director Bertina Engelbrecht on how they got their ESOP right

The company's employee share ownership programme has transformed its talent attraction and retention efforts.

Media24's Shelagh Goodwin on challenging the status quo

She says making tough calls, courage, and creativity are key to changing a broken system.

Take a chance on people, says Alexander Forbes Group CHRO Christian Schaub

One year into his new role, Christian shares his thoughts on his move from the US to South Africa and a more daring approach to talent management.

Sappi's Fergus Marupen comes from humble beginnings 

Like Sappi itself, the story of its HR group head Fergus Marupen is one of deep roots, local seedlings and a steady progression to international success.

TFG's Senta Morley on the value of early engagement

She says that, as soon as people have been engaged, they start talking to each other and preparing for change.

Adams and Adams HR director Marge Mantjie on rolling out HR in Africa

There's no magic pill that you can give to people to make them adopt any given corporate culture, says Marge. 

BAT's Leslie Rance on leveraging global scale and technology

Leslie talks about the latest evolution of their HR model, the implementation of the company's integrated systems platform on SAP and the impact on their businesses.

Dimension Data's Michaela Voller on bots and other applications of HR tech

She says the HR profession is going through a tech-based evolution similar to what happened in the sales industry years ago.

It's about having connected employees, says Deloitte's Andre Vermeulen

Andre explains that there are different applications of HR tech depending on industry and employee profile.

Get to know your people on a personal level, says Four Seasons HR Director Nokuthula Kamwendo

Nokuthula explains the importance of connecting with employees emotionally.

Put people first, says Capitec CHRO Nathan Motjuwadi

Nathan feels fortunate to have worked in companies that place high value on their people.

Discovery's Trevor Kunda on grooming the leaders of the future 

Trevor believes more effort should be put into developing leaders capable of weathering these trying and uncertain times.

Our role is to facilitate partnerships for mutual growth and value, says Clientele's Tshepisho Tabane

Tshepisho's varied experience has held her in good stead and is what she believes has given her an edge as an HR professional.

Sun International's Verna Robson says best practice HR models aren't always applicable

She says HR must find solutions that are specifically effective for the business and industry that it operates in.

Q & A with Grand Parade Investments Limited's Ebrahim Hendricks

After 33 years working in HR, Ebrahim still relishes being able to change people's lives

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr's Aadil Patel says race and gender discrimination in the workplace can no longer be ignored

He says the best way to combat legal faux pas related to such matters is to make sure that all parties are well-informed.

Unilever CHRO Leena Nair on how to ignite the Human Spark

It's all about purpose, well-being, empathy and finding the best way to get your message across to fellow executives.

HEINEKEN SA's HR Director Njabulo Mashigo is a stickler for the basics

She sees the modern HR function as strategic, and herself as an enabling partner to business.

AngloGold Ashanti's Tirelo Sibisi on doing business with a conscience

  Tirelo can't stress enough the importance of making a meaningful impact

The career evolution of Saint-Gobain's Mhlo Ntshangase

Mhlo attributes his success to an extremely challenging introduction to working in the HR profession

Q & A with AECI Group's Khosi Matshitse

Khosi says her consulting background has held her in good stead as an HR executive.

Deloitte's Trevor Page on how to build strong teams

Get the strongest talent you can find and let them do their thing, says Trevor

Tiger Brands' Tswelo Kodisang believes in attracting the right talent from the onset

Even if that means hiring much younger candidates who can be groomed into leaders

Q & A with ABSA's Sungeetha Sewpersad

Outdated notions of a woman's place being in the kitchen are still a stumbling block in the world of work today, says Sungeetha

Paying it forward: The value of mentoring

BHBW's Malisha Awunor shares her passion for mentoring as a tool to drive talent development and employee engagement in the workplace.

Sthembiso Phakathi has a unique approach to organisational effectiveness

He believes his job is to make his own role obsolete

Lonmin's Khaya Ngcwembe on fostering a team spirit

Executives have to find a way to sing from the same hymn book even if their roles seem to have competing demands.

Clarkhouse Human Capital's Roy Clark on diversity

Roy says there is still too much of a compliance-based approach

Ericsson's Blair Mackenzie on localisation

How the Swedish telecommunications company reduced its reliance on expats in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sheila Motsepe's advice to young professionals with executive aspirations

T-Systems South Africa Vice President of Human Resources says it's about grabbing your opportunities

NOVA director Debbie Victor speaks on the role of HR in a digitised future

"When we engage with a client, we look at business realities, the global environment, and changes in technology."

MTN's Paul Norman on the importance of making a difference

It's important to have a culture of caring about others without compromising on performance.

Lessons from abroad: a chat with Orica's Rhona Moodly

Interim Head of HR for Africa at Orica Mining Services talks about her return to South Africa after seven years in the Middle East.

Meet Didi Sehume

CHRO's executive manager has been involved in every step of the burgeoning HR community.

Milicom's Yvette Mujinga on managing HR during a takeover

Implementing HR strategies during a company's sale can be problematic

Q&A with Deloitte's Anneke Andrews

Anneke Andrews, Human Capital Director at Deloitte, has been leading the company's talent solutions division for over 10 years.