Celebrating women’s month: honouring trailblazing women

Jasmeena Patel Shiba is a trailblazer. In the annals of Royal Tyres’ 84-year history, she has emerged as its first female director.

Hailing from Durban, Jasmeena made a name for herself as an information analyst in the United Kingdom.

Her father recognised her potential at a young age and urged her and her sister to spend school breaks at the family enterprise. Little did she grasp that these initial stints as ‘real-life receptionists’ would sow the seeds of her forthcoming career trajectory.

She commends her mother as a role model. Women’s capacity to seamlessly inhabit varied roles within society and family serves as her inspiration.

In both life and business, Jasmeena abides by her cherished maxim from Ben Franci – “Plunge wholly or retreat completely. A middle ground does not exist”.

This motivates her to wholeheartedly embrace her mantle as a business owner, spouse and mother, all while preserving equilibrium. She acknowledges the pivotal role of a robust support network, encompassing her partner and family, in effectively managing the demands of her multifaceted life.

Vishal Premlall, national director of the Tyre, Equipment, Parts Association (TEPA), a proud constituent of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation, expresses his delight at the increasing influx of women into the sector. He affirms that, in Jasmeena’s case, she traversed from an IT analyst to an automotive business proprietor.

Since joining the family enterprise in 2011, Jasmeena was confronted with a formidable learning curve.  Her unwavering aspiration to thrive, mentorship from her father, reliance on seasoned professionals and the RMI and TEPA, along with cultivating alliances to surmount challenges, laid the cornerstone of her advancement within the industry. Premlall asserts, “Her odyssey underscores the significance of perpetual learning and evolution”.

Jasmeena holds that women in the automotive sector inject a novel perspective and problem-solving skills. Innately adept at multitasking, they make decisions and manage obligations with finesse and poise. Nonetheless, she concedes the journey to progress remains ongoing, urging women to have faith in themselves, advocate for their cause, and push against the confines of convention.

Premlall concludes, “Jasmeena’s voyage underscores women’s remarkable potential and their invaluable contributions to the automotive sphere.”

Source: Cathy Findley PR