The Top 35-under-35 competition is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. To celebrate this milestone in style, this year we will be profiling some of the first 2014 finalists. Please join us as we look at their career journeys so far. We hope this feature will inspire our young #Differencemakers and future finalists to continuously impact their businesses and communities. In this issue, we profile Wikus Lategan and Shiluba Mawela.
Hard work and persistence −
Wikus Lategan CA(SA), CEO at Calgro
Wikus has been with Calgro for the past 15 years and he is a proof that hard work and persistence really pay off. He started off as a financial director, then became the managing director, today he is serving the same company as a CEO since 2017.
What are some of your career highlights since you were a finalist?
I become Group CEO in 2017 when the company was going through an exceptionally difficult patch. With a great team, hard work, and lots of prayers the company today is in a really good position.
What did it mean to you to be a finalist?
It’s a great form of recognition that one is on the right track and that indirectly motivate oneself to even work harder to make a difference.
What tips will you give to the next group of finalists?
Work hard, harder, hardest. One doesn’t need to be the smartest but if you are prepared to work harder than anyone around you with a clear dedication you will reach higher goals that want you would have ever imagined. Also never run out of plans and creativity and if that start to run out, please make sure that you don’t run out of wine, as with enough wine the plans will just keep pouring back in.
What are some of the things you do to stay fit and mentally healthy?
For me training hard in the morning keeps my mind focused and on the right track. And as you will expect, if I feel down a nice glass of wine, always put a smile on my face.
Your one piece of advice to young CAs(SA) about being a CA(SA)?
Never, never, ever, ever give up. If you have got this far, you have proved that you have what it takes to achieve your dreams, no matter what obstacles or sometimes mountains are in your way. Put your head down and keep going.
Continuing to grow and challenging herself –
Shiluba Mawela CA(SA), Managing Partner at Tshiamo Impact Partners
Shiluba entered the competition while with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange as CFO and was a director at Transitions Foundation. She has since moved to Tshiamo Impact Partners, a company she founded where she is the Managing Partner.
In founding Tshiamo Impact Partners, Shiluba has and continues to carve her own entrepreneurial journey by pursuing a passion of empowering women-led businesses.
What are some of your career highlights since you were a finalist?
There have been two, mainly growing Tshiamo Impact Partners, an impact advisory and boutique asset management firm currently fundraising for a gender lens impact fund. Secondly, I was the co-convenor on UCT’s Impact Investing in Africa course − the only executive short course of its kind on the continent − and was honoured to design and lecture on the programme.
How did being a finalist change your career?
It gave incredible visibility to some of the work I was doing.
How are you continuing to make a difference in your industry?
Women face significant challenges accessing financing. The World Bank estimates that since 2013, only 3% of funding went to all-women funded teams. We at Tshiamo Impact Partners seek to change this. We currently manage allocations from two women angel groupings comprising 50 black women and would like to leverage this experience and performance into a gender lens private equity impact fund.
The fund would be South Africa focused and predominantly investing in women-led and -managed businesses in the country, with the aim of expanding access to capital for entrepreneurs. This leads to business growth and creates sustainable jobs whilst promoting gender equality.
We believe that our expertise, pipeline and track record would ensure attractive risk-adjusted returns and substantial social impact. We therefore believe the work we do at Tshiamo makes us #Differencemakers.
