Johannesburg, 10 Aug 2011
On 24 May 1994, former president Nelson Mandela said in his groundbreaking speech: “Freedom cannot be achieved unless the women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression. All of us take this on board that the objectives of the Reconstruction and Development Programme will not have been realised unless we see in visible, practical terms that the conditions of women in our country have radically changed for the better, and that they have been empowered to intervene in all aspects of life as equals with any other member of society.”
In light of this and in celebrating women's month, Business Connexion is pleased to announce that Vanessa Olver, Shared Services' Group Executive and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), was among the semi-finalists of the CEO magazine's South Africa's Most Influential Woman in Business for 2011.
Nominees were expected to submit an adequate motivation to exhibit their strengths and competencies. “I was humbled by the nomination and am honoured to have been shortlisted among the great women that were nominated. Having been in the ICT industry for two years, this is a great reward to me and many women in the industry, which I believe amplifies the government's strategy and drive towards the empowerment of women in this country,” says Olver.
Olver joined Business Connexion and was appointed to the board of directors in August 2009. She qualified as a Chartered Accountant after completing her articles at Deloitte & Touche, in Durban. Olver worked in Chicago and the UK, where she held financial management positions with various companies before she returned to South Africa. She is responsible for Human Resources, Finance, Commercial and Corporate Information Systems at Business Connexion.
“Over and above Olver's education and work experience,” says Ben Mophatlane, CEO at Business Connexion, “she is a highly driven, passionate and people-orientated individual with a strong analytical mind and she thrives on new challenges. Her role involves continuous leadership, setting and executing financial and operational strategies, as well as building a high performing team in a challenging and dynamic environment.”
Olver adds that she is committed to the development of the youth and the unemployed, and will be embarking on the implementation of the next Internship programme in partnership with the Information Systems, Electronics and Telecommunication at Business Connexion to empower young women.
Mophatlane concludes: “As Business Connexion, we are very committed to playing our part in empowering women in South Africa. Intelligent and hard-working women like Vanessa make it very easy for us, as a business, to celebrate the contribution that women make, not only in the business environment, but in the country as a whole.”
For media queries, please contact:
1. Miranda Lusiba - Group Manager: Communication, Marketing & Communications @ Business Connexion; Tel: 0112909112/ 0832128624; Email: Miranda.Lusiba@bcx.co.za
2. Vernicia Pillay - Communications Assistant @ Business Connexion; Tel: 0112909101; Email: Vernicia.Pillay@businessconnexion.co.za
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