For most of my career, I looked around the room and saw male C-suite leaders. This was especially true in healthcare, even across companies that largely serve women. I came to realise that the industry didn’t have the CEO I was searching for. I was looking for a female leader who understood both the business and the experience of the patients that they served. At that moment, I decided that I would take on that role myself.

In 2023, with just two days’ notice, I transitioned into the CEO role after more than 20 years in brand and marketing leadership across Fortune 500 companies, disruptor brands, and consumer health startups. Those experiences taught me that leadership doesn’t have to follow a blueprint. When the traditional approach isn’t serving the people you are trying to reach, you have to build a new path forward.

Read more at: https://fastcompany.co.za/work-life/2025-09-21-becoming-the-ceo-i-needed-a-journey-of-female-leadership/