PRESS RELEASE WOMEN LEADERS PUSH FOR MORE SPACE ON THE CORPORATE LADDER
Posted Tue, 25 Oct 2005

According to the South African Women in Corporate Leadership Census 2005 study conducted by the Businesswomen�s Association, South Africa has seen an increase in the number of women taking up managerial positions from 11 in 2004 to 15 in 2005, but they still feel that they still have a long way to climb before they are equitably represented in the top echelons of business.

Even with the change in fortunes experienced by Africa over the past couple of years, which produced new challenges and opportunities; these are yet to translate into favourable prospects for Africa�s women

Dr Kedibone Letlaka-Rennert, Chairperson of US based Phambili Strategies says �Women have always possessed the requisite skills to lead and run businesses, but these skills are found in unconventional places. To raise children and run households require the same skills needed to run a company or run for political office�.

Dr Letlaka-Rennert is one of the leading speakers for the Eskom African Business Leaders Forum 2005 titled Leadership for Transformation. The forum now in its third successive year is aimed at addressing the crucial need for the emergence of African and global leadership practice in an effort to speed up the continent�s much needed economic and social transformation. The forum will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre from 1-2 November 2005 and is expected to host approximately 400 high-profile delegates from at least 25 countries and have at least 32 high-level keynote speakers.

Some of the key issues that will be discussed during the Women in Leadership sessions will be on Networking - the unwritten rule of business every woman needs to know; changing roles as well as work/life balance - the power of focus.

Speakers at the forum will include some of Africa�s successful women in business such as Dr. Namane Magau, president of the Businesswomen�s Association of South Africa, who will speak on honouring female excellence in business: Leadership tips for women; Evelyn Mungai, All Africa Business Women�s Association in Kenya, on the topic of Women and Emotional Intelligence (EQ); Ms Helen Nicholson, Director of the HIRS Women�s Development Consultancy, as well as Dr Mamphela Ramphela, Chair of a newly formed black empowerment company, Circle Capital Ventures, who will speak on Change Leadership � How Leaders drive Organisational Change.

This session aims to bring together a diverse group of women under one roof, to engage in a debate on issues ranging from training the next generation of women leaders, learning the how-to of effective networking as well as on honouring female excellence in business, to many others.

Other topics that will be addressed at the conference include; leading through entrepreneurship and practical leadership workshops, where speakers such as Nick Binedell, Director of the Gordon Institute of Business Science, Futhi Mtoba, Chairman of Deloitte, Charles Kebuchi of Kenya�s Reinsurance Corporation as well as CEO of Commonwealth Telecommunications organisation�s, Ambassador Ekwow Spio Garbrah will be hosted.

Ends

For further information, or should you wish to register on line, kindly visit the website www.businessinafrica.net or contact:

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www.businessinafrica.net

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