By Cristie Leondis
From the continent of Africa comes much greatness, from business, tech, finance to fashion, entertainment and agriculture. Check out the following list of 10 women in these industries from the continent and the diaspora who truly define excellence in their fields.
Leymah Gbowee is a Liberian peace activist who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. She helped run the Liberian Mass Action for Peace which includes both Christian and Muslim women. Gbowee also started her own organization, which empowers African women to live peaceful lives. She has won several awards; she became an Oxfam Global Ambassador and a “Distinguished Fellow” at Columbia University. Her efforts also contributed to Liberia being the first of all the African nations to elect a female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, in 2005.
Tara Fela-Durotoye (Image: File)
Tara Fela-Durotoye is a Nigerian makeup artist, lawyer, and entrepreneur. In 2013, she was elected a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. Fela-Durotoye also established the House of Tara, Nigeria’s prime cosmetic company, which has also created African-themed merchandise. Fela-Durotoye established the first beauty academy in Nigeria and was awarded the Entrepreneur Award in South America.
Adiat Disu is a young Nigerian powerhouse whose mission is to raise awareness about the value of African fashion and how it makes a positive contribution internationally. In February she had an interview with Black Enterprise magazine, during which she spoke about the impact of social media and how it helped to generate buzz about her clothing. She also shared tips for those who want to make a difference in Africa without traveling there. Disu told BlackEnterprise.com: “We’re focusing on rebranding Africa as a destination for luxury brands, and have taken exclusive brands from Africa and placed them on nationally esteemed and recognizable stages via media placements, including CNN International, the LA Times, Destiny Magazine, Elle (South Africa and Bulgaria), Black Enterprise, Washington Post, and Huffington Post. They’re exploring emerging luxury brands from Africa.”
Check out more African female leaders on the next page …
Claire Akamanzi is the chief operating officer of Rwandan Development Board. RDB is a government establishment designed to speed up the time it takes to grow and develop companies in Rawanda and thereby facilitate private sector growth. Before running RDB, Akamanzi worked as a commercial diplomat in London and as a trade negotiator in Geneva.
Vera Songwe is known for her work at the World Bank, serving as the Country Director in Senegal. In 1998, Songwe began her career at the bank; she has also worked in other countries including Morocco, Malaysia, Tunisia, Mongolia, and Cambodia.
Isabel Dos Santos, Africa’s richest woman, is the daughter of the president of Angola, Jose Eduardo Dos Santos. An investor who owns multiple holding companies, she is one of the most powerful women on the continent. Dos Santos also partnered with Portugal’s largest retailer to open five food markets in Angola this year.
Juliana Rotich is a co-founder of Ushahidi, a technology company based in Nairobi, Kenya. Ushahidi creates free software that pulls together live interactive maps and crisis data. Rotich was named one of the “Top 100 Women” by Guardian newspaper and “Top 2 Women” in technology.
Mimi Alemayehou is executive vice president of OPIC, or Overseas Private Investment Corp. President Barack Obama personally elected Alemayehou to help the U.S. government’s finance in 2010. Today, she manages OPIC’s $16 billion war chest. She is extremely powerful and funds different investment opportunities.
Sibongile Sambo is not only the founder of SRS Aviation, she is also its CEO and managing director. SRS Aviation is the first black female-owned aviation company in South America. The company offers services to international clients and VIP charter and helicopter services.
Monica Musonda is CEO and founder of Java Foods, a Zambia-based food processing company. Java Foods manufactures the eeZee brand of instant noodles. Musonda also worked with Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man to date, and managed corporate affairs at the Dangote Group. She also built a cement plant in Zambia. Musonda chairs the Kwacha Pension Trust Fund, Zambia’s largest single employer pension fund. Finally, she was named a 2013 Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.