Resilient women redefining leadership in manufacturing

If anything unites the finalists of SEIFSA’s 2025 Businesswoman of the Year Award, it’s their resilience, high EQ and their willingness to learn from mistakes.

The women, Nicolette Skjoldhammer, Chief Executive Officer of Betterect; Pam du Plessis, Chief Executive Officer of Invincible Valves; Moore Montsha, Senior Manager at Eskom Holdings SOC Limited; Tazneem Sadan, Director of RiseUp Management; Shocky Seloane, Managing Director of Tembo Engineering Services; Rowena Pillay, General Manager of TROX South Africa; and Pulane Tshabalala Kingston, Executive Manager of Voestalpine VAE, were chosen because they have redefined what leadership means in manufacturing.

The traditionally male-dominated industry needs leaders who can lead while also having superior people skills.

“Technical expertise and problem-solving abilities are essential, but so is the capacity to inspire and unite diverse teams. In my experience, leaders who are adaptable, transparent in their decision-making, and proactive in seeking out diverse viewpoints are most successful, especially in advisory roles where influence and collaboration are key,” says Rowena Pillay, General Manager of TROX South Africa. 

Tazneem Sadan, Director of RiseUp Management, who works in the Temporary Employment Services space (labour broking), believes the sector demands specific skills. Qualities like integrity, accountability and communication are universal, but leaders in the metal and engineering sector need specialised skills, she says.

Some of the qualities she lists include: 

• Understanding of labour legislation;
• Strong health and safety oversight;
• Client-centric delivery; and 
• Agility and the ability to solve problems under pressure.

Setting the tone for the organisation is a crucial aspect of leadership. “I believe a good leader exemplifies integrity, empathy, and resilience. I strive to lead by example — actively listening to my team, fostering open communication and encouraging diverse perspectives,” says Moore Montsha, Senior Manager at Eskom Holdings SOC Limited.

The Metals and Engineering sector is certainly not for the delicate, as Pillay has found, but she persevered and turned discomfort into a learning experience. “Having built my career in an industry not designed for me, I lead with adaptability, resilience and problem-solving, while expanding what effective leadership looks like in HVAC [heating, ventilation and air conditioning].”

Sadan also understands the importance of not letting the high-pressure environment beat her.

“It’s not only about guiding people, but it’s also about driving performance, ensuring compliance and maintaining stability in a high-pressure, regulated environment as well as alleviating people problems.

Education is the byproduct of not giving up, as each challenge is dealt with head-on and lessons are learned from all mistakes.

“Embracing failure as an opportunity for growth has strengthened my decision-making and resilience, especially in male-dominated environments where women leaders often face added scrutiny,” says Montsha.

The lessons to be learnt as a leader are not always obvious, as Pillay discovered.

“One of the biggest leadership lessons I’ve learnt is that mistakes usually aren’t about capability, they’re about environment and clarity. Early on, I saw how fear or poor

communication caused small issues to turn into costly problems because people didn’t feel

comfortable speaking up. That taught me how important it is to create a culture where questions and concerns are welcomed.”

No matter where and how leaders are learning, their dedication to the process provides a powerful example.

“Mistakes have taught me the importance of humility and accountability in leadership. Recognising and acknowledging errors, whether my own or those I observe, creates an environment where learning is prioritised over blame,” says Montsha.

Ultimately, leaders have to recognise they are role models and their attitudes and behaviours will have the most far-reaching effect on their team.  

“A key lesson is that how a leader reacts matters more than the mistake itself. Calm, solution-focused responses build trust and lead to learning, while emotional reactions lead to blame and repeat errors,” concludes Pillay.