Shireen Chengadu, executive director of the Centre for Leadership and Dialogue at Gibs has been nominated as a finalist in the Top Businesswoman of the Year Award category at the 11th Annual Standard Bank Top Women Awards.
Luleka Mtongana from Gibs said this year’s entries proved to be extremely competitive across all categories with strong individuals and organisations entering the awards from across South Africa.
“The Top Women Awards is a prestigious event in which inspirational female leaders are celebrated for outstanding performance in the world of business and government,” explained Mtongana.
Chengadu heads the Centre for Leadership and Dialogue which aims to create a new generation of leaders, armed with the capacity and insights to lead their businesses, public institutions and social enterprises.
Her areas of special interest include the development of women in business and leadership, gender equality, and job creation. She also works with entrepreneurs, especially female entrepreneurs in South Africa; the development of future managers and leaders starting with grade 11 and 12 pupils at school level; best practice in management education; and understanding how women lead.
Chengadu also provides mentorship and coaching to many women across the country and consults several corporates on their women in leadership development agendas. Chengadu’s coaching is also on formal corporate mentorship programmes intended to recruit, develop and retain talent.
Mtongana said she is also a dynamic individual who is very passionate about her work and she has a strong understanding of issues that impact the competitiveness of nations and the shifting dynamics of local and international social, political and economic landscape.
Her most recent participation at the United Nations (New York) Gender Equality and Job creation sessions, has made her even more determined to see the development of women repositioned as a core business strategy. She hopes to achieve this through the establishment of a Women in Leadership Centre at Gibs.
