Herstory

Fifi Ekanem Ejindu, CEO, Starcrest Group

2019-10-23T10:49:33Z

Princess Fifi Ekanem Ejindu

Offiong Ekanem Ejindu is the CEO of Building Supports Systems and Principal partner of the Starcrest Group of Companies. She is also the Founder of The African Arts and Fashion initiative and has been severally acclaimed as one of the leading female architects in Nigeria. She is popularly known as ‘Princess Fifi Ekanem EJindu’, deriving from her name Offiong and her royal ancestry. Princess Fifi holds the title of Her Royal Highness Obongawan King James, a title inherited from her mother.

Ejindu graduated with a B.Arch degree in 1983 from Pratt Institute, a private design college in Brooklyn, New York; one of the first African women to be awarded a Bachelor in Architecture from the Institution. Upon graduation, she enrolled at Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she took some courses before taking a job at Grant Associates in New York City. She later returned to Pratt Institute for her Masters in Urban Planning before relocating to Nigeria.

Hungry for something indigenously innovative, she went on to start the Starcrest Group of Companies made up of Starcrest Investment Limited, Starcrest Associates Limited, and Starcrest Industries Limited. These subsidiaries engage in real estate management, construction, building and designing, oil and gas, project management, youth empowerment, and investment opportunities. Under her leadership, the Starcrest Investment limited sought and secured the support of former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in influencing fifty prominent business owners from the United Arab Emirates to invest in different sectors of the Nigerian economy – a move that created job opportunities for Nigerians and increased the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Her excellent architectural designs have been a point of reference among elite circles and earned her recommendations to handle high-profile building projects. Her career success is a clear illustration of the saying that ‘there is no hiding place for a golden fish’.

“Be diligent in your craft” she says, “You have no idea how far it will travel”.

She launched The African Arts and Fashion Initiative in August 2013, at The Dorchester Hotel, London, as a means of showcasing and promoting the rich African culture and talent, and empowering her youths. The initiative organizes exhibitions and dialogues to advertise and promote the African arts and antiques, African fashion style, African music and all other things made in Africa.

Princess Ejindu served on the 11-man technical committee set up by the government of Akwa Ibom state to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) to the state, and is also a current member of the Nigerian National Heritage Council. She has several accolades and awards including the “Honorary Patron Membership” of the elite Dubai Icons Club, the “Diaspora Excellence Award” in 2015, as well as the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the African Achievers Awards in 2013. She was pronounced winner of “The Nigerian Golden Book Professional Icon Award” in 2015, winner of the 2014 African Child Nobel Prize, and was enlisted into the Global Women Leaders Hall of Fame – African Chapter. Ejindu’s career achievements gained her recognition as one of the Top Twenty Inspirational Women in 2015 by the African Diaspora Professional Women in Europe (ADIPWE).

She is a strong promoter of empowerment programmes for the poor, poverty eradication and bridging the gap for sustainable development and economic empowerment, in line with her mantra; “A system that cannot rescue its poor cannot save its rich on the day of reckoning.”

According to her, women can be the star whatever path they choose to take. In her words, “the three Ds for the African Woman to thrive are – Desire, Drive and Determination”, all of which she has modeled with her life’s achievements. She is the Herstory Woman of the Week.

References

Princess Fifi Ejindu – Biography And Net Worth Of CEO Of Building Support Systems. https://www.entrepreneurs.ng/fifi-ejindu/ Accessed on 22 August 2019.
Princess Fifi Ekanem Ejindu. https://celdng.org/princess-fifi-ekanem-ejindu/ Accessed on 22 August 2019.

Sola David-Borha, CEO, Standard Bank Group

2019-10-23T09:14:07Z

Sola David-Borha receiving the Business Woman of the Year Award, for Africa 2016

Sola David-Borha is the Chief Executive Officer (Africa Regions) of the Standard Bank Group. Prior to this, she was the Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc. – a full-service financial services group with holdings in Commercial Banking, Investment Banking, Pension and Non-Pension Asset Management and Stockbroking. She also currently serves as the Vice-Chairman of the board of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

She started out her banking career at the NAL Merchant Bank (now known as Sterling Bank), where she worked in the Credit and Marketing Department from 1984 to 1989, before joining Investment Banking and Trust Company (IBTC), which later merged with two commercial banks to become IBTC Chartered. When the Standard Bank Group acquired IBTC in 2007, she was appointed to serve as Deputy Chief Executive of the Bank and Head of IB Coverage Africa, and she rose to become CEO of Stanbic IBTC Bank in 2011 and CEO of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc. in 2012.

Her outstanding achievements in these executive roles earned her the ‘Business Woman of the Year’ award for the West Africa Region, and the ‘Business Woman of the Year for Africa’, both from the All Africa Business Leaders Awards in 2016. Shortly after receiving these awards, she resigned from her position as CEO of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc. to assume her current position. She leads the Stanbic Group’s African financial operations, executing duties that range from governance to risk control and expansion.

Sola holds a first degree in Economics from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and an MBA from the Manchester Business School. She also attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and the Global CEO Program jointly offered by Wharton (US), IESE (Spain) and CEIBS (Shanghai), all of which equipped her with the executive skills required to excel in her roles.

Sola is the Chairman, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Ltd. She also serves on the Board of various firms including Coca-Cola, CRC Credit Bureau Ltd., Fate Foundation, and the University of Ibadan Business School, among others.

Asked about the challenges of pursuing a successful banking career as a woman, she said; “Every career has its challenges. The important thing is not allowing those challenges to distract you; whether it’s your gender, your race, or your religion, you must remain focused on how you can improve your skills and your knowledge base. Remain professional no matter what circumstances you find yourself, and conduct yourself with integrity. Invariably, the promotions will come.”

Her advice to young women professionals: “You’ve got to conduct yourself in a way that is above board, even if this is to your own cost. You can’t control all the variables, so don’t worry about the things you can’t control, but the variables that you can control, and your own behaviour, stay focused on these. The others will sort themselves out.”

Sola David-Borha is an embodiment of feminine grit and determination, manifested in creativity and hard work that have seen her to the top of her career. She is the Herstory Woman of the Week.

References

Meet Standard Bank’s new African Regions boss, Sola David-Borha https://cfo.co.za/article/interview-standard-bank-african-regions-boss-sola-david-borha accessed 15 October 15, 2019.
Sola David Borha, husband and biography. https://www.legit.ng/1149918-sola-david-borha-husband-biography.html. Accessed 15 October, 2019.
Business Leaders; Olusola Adejoke David-Borha. https://www.marketscreener.com/business-leaders/Olusola-David-Borha-09KFFB-E/biography/ . Accessed 15 October, 2019.

Ilhan Omar, American Lawmaker

2019-10-09T10:47:00Z

Ilhan Omar is a Somali-born American lawmaker who currently serves as a member of the United States’ House of Representative for Minnesota’s District 5, having been elected in 2018. In 2016, she served as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 60B district, where she became the first naturalized African, and one of the first two Muslim women to occupy the position.

She started her career in 2006 as a Community Nutrition Educator with the University of Minnesota for three years before moving on to the Minnesota Department of Education as the Coordinator for child nutrition campaign. At about the same time, she made a bold dabble into politics, working with Kari Dziedzic as Campaign Manager for his senatorial re-election. In 2015, she fully launched into advocacy, working as the Director of Policy Initiatives of the Women Organizing Women Network, through which she advocated the inclusion of East African women in political leadership.

She went into elective politics in 2016, when she contested and won the Minnesota House of Representatives election under the platform of Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL). Her tenure in the state legislature was defined by the spearheading and enactment of different bills, particularly for advancing the standard of living in the state. Her achievements delivered her political victory when she went a step further to contest a seat in the US House of Representatives in 2018. Since then, she has continued to promote people-friendly laws including the free tuition for indigent college students, access sound health care for all, and cancelation of students’ meal debts incurred by low low-income earning families in the US.

She also advocates the promotion of human rights in the crisis-torn Yemen through her public criticisms of Saudi-Arabia’s intervention in the state. She is a world-class advocate with leadership that demonstrates clear concerns for better welfare for humanity; Ilhan Omar is our woman of the week.

Sources

O’Grady, Siobhán (2018). Trump demonized Somali refugees in Minnesota. One of them just won a seat in Congress. The Washington Post. https://web.archive.org/web/20190313005712/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2018/11/07/trump-demonized-somali-refugees-minnesota-one-them-just-won-seat-congress/?utm_term=.9bb3be948c54
Armin Rosen. (2018). https://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/263826/as-keith-ellison-leaves-congress-one-likely-replacement-faces-criticism-for-anti-israel-views
Ilhan’s Story (n.d.). https://web.archive.org/web/20161106032533/https://www.ilhanomar.com/bio
Ryan Faircloth. (2016). Debate spotlights veteran, newcomers. Minnesota Day. https://www.mndaily.cOm/article/2016/08/debate-spotlights-veteran-newcomers
Ola Salem (2018). Saudi Arabia Declares War on America’s Muslim Congresswomen. Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/12/11/saudi-arabia-declares-war-on-americas-muslim-congresswomen/

Marina Schuster, German Human Rights Activist and Politician

2019-10-02T11:46:10Z

Marina Schuster is a human rights activist and politician who served as the member of the German Bundestag, the lower chamber of the country’s parliament, for two consecutive terms, having assumed office in 2005. While in the parliament, she was the spokesperson for Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid Group, steering debates to condemn human rights abuses in different parts of Europe and the Middle-East, notably Belarus, Russia, and Iran. She was also one of German’s advocate that facilitated political and military support for the African Union in building sustainable architecture for peace and security on the continent.

Schuster started her professional career as an academic, before making a switch into the financial industry. She first ventured into mainstream politics in 2005 when she contested and won a seat at the German Bundestag representing Roth constituency under the umbrella of the Free Democratic Party. No sooner had she assumed office that she was delegated with the responsibility to deputizing the head of the Consumer Protection and Home Affairs’ Committee. She made a clear stand with United Nations policies that promotes the supply of humanitarian aids to some crises-infested states in Africa, including Somalia and Dafur in 2007 and 2008, and Sudan in 2009.

Without any hassle, she secured a return to the house in the 2009 elections, and served in different positions in the same year. She was the spokeswoman for the Committee on Human Right and Humanitarian Aids, as well as the German delegate to the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly, and as member of Committee on Foreign Relations as a member. As human rights advocate, she co-initiated an open letter to the authoritarian regime of Dmitry Medvedev to forestall his abuses of human rights in Russia, criticized illegitimate arrest of political oppositions in Europe, represented the Council of Europe to observe the 2011 Tunisian elections; and raised awareness in Africa on human’s inalienable rights. She also served as General Rapporteur on the abolition of death penalty, and was a vibrant campaigner for United Nations supports for peace-keeping mission in South Sudan in 2012, and Mali in 2013.

Schuster has a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Regensburg. She belongs to the Justice for Sergei Magnitsky Interparliamentary Group, an international network of politicians committed to the promotion of human rights. She is well known for her contributions to the promotion of human rights, international conflict resolutions, and peace and security in Africa. Marina Schuster is our woman of the week.

Sources

Marina Schuster. Wayback Machine Council of Europe.
Aid, political and economic ties focus of German minister’s Africa visit. Ethiopian Review.
Text of letter to President Medveved. Financial Times
Abgeordnete 16. Wahlperiode: Schuster Marin. Deutscher Bundestag.

Pinky Lilani, Founder, Spice Magic Limited.

2019-09-25T11:42:40Z

Appointed in 2015 as the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), Mrs. Pinky Lilani is an Indian food specialist and advocate for women, Founder of Spice Magic Limited, a London-based company with business portfolio in restaurant and catering services. Pinky is the Founder and Chairman of Women of the Future Awards, the Asian Women of Achievement Awards, the Ambassadors’ programme, the Inspirational Women’s Network, the Women of the Future Summit, and Kindness & Leadership – 50 Leading Lights. As a cookery specialist, she provides consultancy services to corporations across Europe on Indian delicacies and has authored several books to help people improve their culinary skills. Sharwoods, Sainsburys, and Safeway among others, are some of the prominent companies that have enjoyed her services in producing mouth-watering Indian food products to satisfy customers’ taste.

Lilian made formal her interest in a cooking career when she moved to the United Kingdom in 1978 to burnish her culinary skills through self-training. By the sheer force of passion, she was able to arrange her insightful thoughts on recipes, and communicate how culture and geography could combine to influence food habits. After years of a successful career in London, she went on to establish the Asian Women of Achievements Awards in 1999 to celebrate the Asian females who have blazed the trails in their respective careers. Subsequently she founded Spice Magic Limited in London to provide quality services in cookery and catering, taking the name from her first published cookbook in 2001, ‘Spice Magic: An Indian Culinary Adventure’.

In 2006, she initiated another award, ‘Women of the Future Awards’ to encourage young women in business in the UK and build a formidable mentorship platform that would transform the food industry. The following year, she established the ‘Women of the Future Network’ to bring together women, both experienced and inexperienced, for business connections. ‘The Future Awards’ in South East Asia after a decade. Lilani has, through her several award presentations, stimulated UK and international business ecosystem for women’s participation, and assisted restaurants to improve profitability.

She is an alumnus of Calcutta University where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Education and English in 1974 and holds a Graduate Diploma in Social Communication Media and Management Studies from the University of Bombay, India, and the Council of National Academic Awards, UK.

Lilani stands out from the crowd due to her strong advocacy in women empowerment, mentorship to young females, and her business advice that have transformed growth in the food industry. Pinky Lilani is our woman of the week.

Sources

Spice Magic, Discovery through Food. www.spicemagic.com

Woman’s Hour. Pinky Lilani. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/g1f5Hn25f6wrdRQyLNR4tP/pinky-lilani-obe/

Pinky Lilany CBE DL. https://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/about-us/people/pinky-lilani-cbe-dl/

The Edge. Pinky Lilali. https://www.theedge-uk.com/view/pinky-lilani/

Womanthology. Pinky Lilani. http://www.womanthology.co.uk/celebrating-15th-asian-women-achievement-awards-nominations-awards-co-founder-pinky-lilani-obe/

Jendayi Frazer, Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs

2019-09-18T09:05:25Z

An acclaimed professor of African Affairs and International Security, Jendayi Frazer served as the United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs between 2005 and 2009. She had previously held prominent political offices, including a brief stint as U.S Ambassador to South Africa, the first female to stake a claim to the position, having been appointed by President George Bush in 2004. In this role she ensured peace in the region and superintended the U.S humanitarian programme, providing directions for the administration of U.S HIV/AIDs prevention, care, and awareness project within South Africa.

Frazer’s foray into politics began in 2001, when she was appointed by the George Bush Administration to serve as the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council. This was after her six years as a lecturer and Assistant Professor at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, U.S. As Special Assistant, Frazer played critical roles in providing solutions to the diverse problems in Southern Africa. She developed strategies that guided U.S in combating poverty and hunger in Zimbabwe, managing conflicts in the war-torn Liberia, and fighting the increasing trend of HIV/AIDs in the region for 3 years.

These contributions earned her a spot in 2004 as Ambassador of U.S to South Africa, where she scaled the country’s operations in South Africa. She only served a year in this office, but her achievements were remarkable. Frazer struck a bilateral agreement with the government of South African for the African Contingency Operations Training Assistant program (ACOTA), an initiative that facilitated peace in the region. Her ability to steer Bush’s leadership positively, culminated in her selection as the United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs in 2005. Passionately, Frazer delivered on the job, designing the roadmap to boost Africa’s security architecture. Her policies helped to manage the then existing crises in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Congo DR. Through her conflict-mediation skills, she was instrumental to resolving the post-electoral violence that engulfed Kenya in 2007.

A Distinguished Public Service Professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College and Department of Social and Decision Sciences, whose leadership in African peace and security, and renowned policies have fostered friendly relations among states, Jendayi Frazer is our woman of the week.

Sources

BlackPast. Jendayi E. Frazer. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/jendayi-e-frazer-1961/

Berggruen Institute. Jendayi Frazer, Biography. https://www.berggruen.org/people/jendayi-frazer/

The White House. President George W. Bush: Ask the White House. http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/government/frazer-bio.html/

All GOV: Everything Our Government Really Does. http://www.allgov.com/officials/frazer-jendayi?officialid=28461

Fatma Samoura, FIFA Secretary-General

2019-09-11T14:30:10Z

Ranked by Forbes as the most powerful woman in international sports in 2018, Fatma Samoura is a Senegalese who currently serves as the Secretary-General for the FIFA, the international highest governing authority in football. She became the first woman to occupy the position, having been appointed in 2016 by Gianni Infantino, the President of the governing body. She had served at the United Nations, holding different senior portfolios, notably as the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator (DHC) for eastern Chad in 2007, where she managed her teams to provide adequate supports for the victims of conflicts in the region.

Samoura’s diplomatic acumen was first brought to fore in 1995 when she joined the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) as the Country Director in Djibouti and Cameroon, and later transferred to the organization’s headquarters in Rome, Italy. In this role, she had stellar achievements, developing formidable mechanisms in the management of emergencies in crises infested areas such as Sierra-Leone, Liberia, Kosovo, Nicaragua and East Timor.

The remarkable impacts she made won her recognition from the former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, who based on the recommendation of John Holmes, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, appointed her as the Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Eastern Chad in 2007. Based in Abéché, a Chadian town that borders the conflict-ridden Darfur, Samoura was proactive in her job providing guidance to about seven United Nations agencies and 40 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with an international outlook. Through her coordination, some of the 180,000 displaced Chadians were sheltered and had their hopes restored for new lives. This was the last position she served before her recent appointment to the management of FIFA.

In 2018, she was listed by BBC as one of the ‘100 most influential and inspirational women in the 21^st Century. For her elegant contributions towards humanitarian assistance in Africa and the international level and her leadership attributes in the world of men, Fatma Samoura is our woman of the week.

Sources:

BBC (2018). BBC 100 Women 2018: Who is on the list? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-46225037/. Accessed on 9 September 2019.

Forbes (2018). https://www.forbes.com/pictures/5aabea644bbe6f0fa82880d6/no-1-fatma-samba-diouf-sa/#4d533d9d3c26 Accessed on 9 September 2019.

AIPS. Testing times ahead at FIFA as Samoura makes an official start. African Internationale de la Presse Sportive. http://www.aipsmedia.com/index.html?page=artdetail&oldart=18972 Accessed on 9 September 2019.

Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

2019-09-04T11:29:10Z

Known as the most powerful woman in the United States, Nancy Pelosi is the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the first woman to ever clinch the position in the country’s history. She had previously served in several leadership capacities for the government, including her eight-year stint as the House Minority Leader between 2011 and 2019; Leader of the House Democratic Caucus in 2003; and House Minority Whip between 2002 and 2003.

Pelosi’s interest in politics first revealed itself, when in 1969 she started the Democratic Party Club in her home as a full-time housewife. She went further to become the Chair of the California Democratic Party and rose fast to join the league of White House leaders. Her devotion to family, however, refrained her from venturing into elective offices until her youngest child was rounding off high school. Then, she contested and won as a member of the House of Representative, first for District 5 of California between 1987 and 1993, second for District 8 of the same constituency from 1993 to 2013, and third for district twelve of California from 2013 to present. Following her effective performance in the House, her colleagues elected her as House Democratic Whip in 2001 and House Democratic Leader in 2002, making her the first woman to hold both positions.

In her position as the House Speaker from 2007 to 2011, she fought to promote the politics of inclusion in US, superintending processes that ushered in the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, the law that entrench the freedom of women and all workers to fight against pay discrimination; spearheading the signing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, an act that reduced the cost in health care delivery; leading the Congress to pass the strong Wall Street reforms. During her tenure as the Speaker, the 111^th Congress was dubbed ‘one of the most productive Congress in history’, leading the enactment of several laws that promoted the economic development of the state, in the form of investment, empowerment of small and medium enterprises, and innovations.

Pelosi has been described by the U.S. News as ‘a formidable force within the Democratic Party’, as she has raised more money for the party as a party leader than any other Congressional Democrat–about $100 million.

An Alumnus of Trinity College, Washington where she studied Political Science, Pelosi holds an honorary Doctorate of Law degree from Mount Holyoke College in 2018. She has a number of awards to her profile including the Foremother Award she received from the National Center for Health Research in 2016, and the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2010, she made it to Forbes list as the 11^th most powerful woman in the world.

Singled out for her daring leadership traits, her boldness and ability to speak for the voiceless, Nancy Pelosi is our Woman of the Week.

Sources:

Walt Hickey (2019). The Stunning Life and Career of Nancy Pelosi. Business Insider. https://www.pulse.ng/bi/politics/the-stunning-life-and-career-of-nancy-pelosi/lsqg07g Accessed 02 September 2019.

National Women Hall of Fame. Nancy Pelosi. https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/nancy-pelosi/ Accessed 02 September 2019.

Stolberg, Sheryl Gay (2019). Nancy Pelosi, Icon of Female Power, Will Reclaim Role as Speaker and Seal a Place in History”. The New York Times. Accessed 02 September, 2019.

Nancy Pelosi Fast Facts”. CNN. March 21, 2019. Accessed 02 September 2019.

U.S. News (2006). “10 facts about Nancy Pelosi” Accessed 02 September 2019. https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2006/11/07/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-nancy-pelosi

Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Prime Minister of Namibia

2019-08-28T11:17:05Z

Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila is the fourth prime minister of Namibia, the first woman to serve in this position. She first came into the political scene at the young age of 27 years when in 1995 she was appointed the Director-General of the National Planning Commission of Namibia. After serving out two tenures in this position, she joined SWAPO’s politburo in 2002 and was appointed Minister of Finance in 2003. Her tenure at the Ministry of Finance was applauded for the ambitious fiscal targets set and the discipline which successfully limited government spending and maximizing revenues. Thus, she became the first-ever to present a Budget Surplus in 2006/07 and 2007/08.

She bagged a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, USA, after which she returned to Namibia. Her career in the public service started in 1994 when she started working as a Desk Officer in the Office of the President, under the presidency of Sam Nujoma. She learnt the ropes so quickly, that within a few months, she became qualified for and was appointed the Director-General of the National Planning Commission. Her having to take over Namibia’s purse when revenues were down as a result of a decline in taxes from diamonds and other mining sectors, proved to be just the right scenario she needed to put her intellectual might to play, and this she did.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila also holds a master’s degree in Financial Economics and an honorary doctorate in Public Finance. An epitome of exceptional leadership and selfless service, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila is our Woman of the Week.

Sources:

“Profile: Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.” New Era Live, https://neweralive.na/posts/profile-saara-kuugongelwa-amadhila. Accessed 26 August 2019.

“Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.” World Economic Forum, https://www.weforum.org/people/saara-kuugongelwa-amadhila. Accessed 26 August 2019.

“The Prime Minister of Republic of Namibia.” Republic of Namibia, Office of the Prime Minister, http://www.opm.gov.na/prime-minister. Accessed 26 August 2019.

Emma Walmsley, CEO, GlaxoSmithKline

2019-08-21T09:51:04Z

Emma Walmsley is the Chief Executive Officer of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a leading global pharmaceutical company. She attained this position in April 2017, making her the first and only woman to run a major pharmaceutical company. She is also a member of the Board of the company, having earlier served as CEO of GSK Consumer Healthcare – a Joint Venture between GSK and Novartis.

Before GlaxoSmithKline, Walmsley was involved in a range of marketing and general management roles with L’Oreal for 17 years. Within L’Oreal, she worked in Paris, London and New York. She also worked in Shanghai as General Manager, Consumer Products for L’Oreal China. From 01 January to 21 September 2016, Walmsley was a Non-Executive Director of Diageo Plc. She co-chairs the Consumer, Retail and Life Sciences Council, a business advisory group for the UK Government. She is also an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Despite having minimal experience in drug development, Walmsley took the helm of the 300-year-old GSK company and led a global restructuring programme aimed at saving more than $500 million a year by 2021, among other big moves that she has made within the company. Prominent among her achievements was increasing the company’s profits before tax rose by 36%, within her first full year at the helm of affairs. She was declared the highest-paid female chief executive of a Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) 100 company when her total remuneration package rose to £5.89m in 2018, from £4.88m the previous year.

Walmsley is a graduate of Classics and Modern Languages (MA) from Oxford University.

Acclaimed the 18th world’s most powerful woman, by Forbes in 2018, Emma Walmsley mirrors the laser-like focus and ambition that can take a woman to the peak of her career in record time. Her life provides inspiration to young career women all over the world, and so we celebrate Emma Walmsley as our Woman of the Week.

Sources:

“Annual Report 2018.” GlaxoSmithKline, https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/investors/corporate-reporting/annual-report-2018/. Accessed on 20 August 2019.

“Emma Walmsley.” GSK, https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/about-us/corporate-executive-team/emma-walmsley/. Accessed on 19 August 2019.

“Emma Walmsley.” Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/profile/emma-walmsley/#31f447c45cbc. Accessed on 19 August 2019.

“GSK’s Emma Walmsley becomes highest-paid female FTSE 100 chief.” The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/mar/12/glaxosmithkline-gsk-emma-walmsley-highest-paid-female-ftse-100-chief-executive. Accessed on 19 August 2019.

“Prescription for success: Emma Walmsley leads GSK transformation.” EUROPEANCEO, https://www.europeanceo.com/profiles/prescription-for-success-emma-walmsley-leads-gsk-transformation/. Accessed on 19 August 2019.