22nd Women in Business Conference

General Manager | MARS

Helen Joubert is the General Manager at Mars Multisales Africa, a division of Mars Incorporated, a global family-owned business that employs over 100 000 associates around the world, well known for producing global brands such as M&M’s®, Snickers®, Pedigree®, Whiskas®, Royal Canin®, Orbit® & Airwaves® gum, Royco® and many more. As General Manager, she is responsible for the performance of the Southern African unit across all the major dimensions. She is accountable for every line of the unit’s P&L and how the unit makes a difference to people and planet through performance. Prior to joining Mars, Joubert worked for Kimberly Clark, Gillette/P&G, Kellogg’s, EMI Music and Danone. She holds a Diploma in Medical Technology from Wits University as well as a Diploma in Sales and Marketing from the Graduate School of Marketing (IMM). Over the years, she has been nominated for or won many industry awards including the Standard Bank Rising Star Award, various Sales and Industry Awards, and was also nominated for the Standard Bank Woman in Business of the Year 2014 award for demonstrating her commitment to excellence.

South Africa CEO | Naspers

Before joining Naspers as South Africa CEO in July 2019, Phuthi Mahanyele-Dabengwa was the co-founder and Executive Chairperson of Sigma Capital, an investment holding company formed in 2015. Previous roles include CEO at Shanduka Group and the Head of the Project Finance South Africa business unit at the Development Bank of Southern Africa. Early in her career, she worked in New York at Fieldstone, an international firm specialising in the financing of infrastructure assets. She later transferred to the South African office, where she served as a Vice President. She is involved in various youth development initiatives, including supporting students and mentoring young professionals. She is part of the “Dignity Day” programme led by Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum which is focused on empowering youth to articulate their ambitions and gain respect through dignity. She has been awarded several accolades such as CNBC Africa’s All Africa Business Leaders “Woman of the Year Award” in 2019 and the Forbes Woman Africa “Businesswoman of the Year” Award in 2014. In 2020, Phuthi ranked number 42 in Fortune’s Most Powerful Women International list. Mahanyele-Dabengwa holds a BA Economics from Rutgers University, USA, an MBA from De Montfort University in the UK, and she sits on the board of the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation.

Group Chief Risk Officer | Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE)

Nicola Comninos is the Group Chief Risk Officer of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). She chairs the JSE Pension Fund Board and CFA SA Society Risk, Governance & Audit Committee. She also participates in various industry committees, including World Federation of Exchanges Risk Working Group, SARB Financial Sector Contingency Forum and IRMSA Risk Intelligence Committee. With over 15 years’ experience in financial markets, her previous roles include MD of Nautilus Group, a Hedge Fund Platform; and head of various functions within the JSE including Group Strategy, Sustainability, Equities and Equity Derivatives and Business Intelligence. Previous industry roles include Investment Consulting and Life Investment Product Development. Comninos’ is a CFA Charterholder and her qualifications include BCom Honours and BCom Investment Management degrees (both Cum Laude). She is IRMSA 2020 Risk Manager of the year and co-head of Women in ETFs South Africa chapter.