Celebrating Five Years of Championing Women in South Africa 

25 Aug 2026

Jersey Finance marked five years of its annual ‘Perspectives: Women in Leadership’ event in South Africa, bringing together women from across the financial services and wider business community in Johannesburg for an afternoon of candid conversation, connection and shared learning.

Led by Dr Rufaro Nyakatawa, Director – Africa at Jersey Finance, this women-only event provided an opportunity to hear first-hand from women at different stages of their leadership journeys, with conversations spanning ambition, resilience and personal growth.

The event featured contributions from Xoli Madlala, Founder of Redefining Menopause Africa, and Anthea Gardner, Founder and Managing Director of Cartesian Capital, as well as Amy Bryant, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Jersey Finance, and Kerry Petulla, Executive Director of Enforcement and Intelligence at the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC).

The Perspectives: Women in Leadership programme has become an important part of our engagement in South Africa, creating a dedicated space for women to discuss their experiences, build connections and learn from one another.

During the event, speakers shared the defining moments, decisions and challenges that have shaped their careers, as well as the lessons they have learned along the way.

Xoli Madlala offered insights from her work as the Founder of Redefining Menopause Africa, where she is helping to change the conversation around menopause and its impact on women in the workplace and wider society.

Anthea Gardner reflected on her career in investment and asset management and her experience of founding and leading Cartesian Capital, South Africa’s only female-owned and managed CIS Hedge Fund. She spoke about navigating opportunities, building confidence and the importance of finding an approach to leadership that works for you.

Amy Bryant spoke about her career at Jersey Finance and the experiences that have shaped her progression to Deputy Chief Executive Officer. She shared the importance of remaining authentic as a leader, rather than feeling the need to conform to a particular idea of what leadership should look like.

Kerry Petulla looked back on a career spanning policing, financial crime investigation, regulatory compliance and, today, senior leadership at the JFSC. She spoke about how being open to opportunities has shaped her career and encouraged attendees not to wait until they feel completely ready before taking the next step, but to embrace new challenges and give each opportunity their best.

Reflecting on the day, Rufaro Nyakatawa, commented:

“Reaching the fifth anniversary of Perspectives: Women in Leadership is a significant milestone for us. Over the years, we have created a community where women can come together to have open and meaningful conversations about the experiences that shape us.

“What makes this event so powerful is the honesty of those conversations. There is no single route to leadership, and hearing women share both the defining successes and the challenges behind their journeys gives others the confidence to think differently about their own opportunities.”

I am incredibly proud of the community that has grown around Perspectives in South Africa and look forward to continuing to create spaces where women can connect, learn from one another and feel empowered to take bold and intentional steps in their careers.
Dr Rufaro NyakatawaDirector - Africa,  Jersey Finance

The event concluded with an audience Q&A and networking reception, giving attendees the opportunity to continue the conversation and strengthen connections across South Africa’s financial services and business community.

Event photos

Topics
Africa

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