Maria Ramos, group chief executive of transport parastatal Transnet has scooped another prestigious award — this time, the highly coveted business leader of the year for 2005.
The award, given by the Sunday Times, South Africa’s largest newspaper
in terms of readers and copies sold, is based on votes by the chief executive officers of 100 top JSE-listed companies. The election is the outcome of a shortlist drawn up by an expert panel convened by the newspaper’s respected business title, Business Times.
Ramos is the first woman executive in South Africa to win the award since the top 100 companies’ inception some 40 years ago. This is also the first time in the award’s history that the CEOs have chosen someone from the public sector.
“This [award] is vindication of our support and confidence in her leadership. We are heartened that her peers have decided to name her as the worthy candidate for the title this year,” said Transnet chairperson Fred Phaswana.
“Given where we are at Transnet, the election by other CEOs amounts to an endorsement of the direction the company is taking as well as a clear recognition of the progress she — as CE of the company — has made in her very short time at its helm in turning the company around. This shows that 100 captains of industry are seeing that our transformation is beginning to bear fruits.
“This should strengthen our resolve to press ahead with the company’s transformation and create a solid platform for economic growth,” Phaswana added. – I-Net Bridge