EDUCATION/ PROVIDERS OF EDUCATION | EDUCOR | TW INTERVIEW
Louise Nair
Balancing family life and a successful business career, CEO of Educor Holdings shows us how.
NAME Louise Nair POSITION Chief Executive Officer PREVIOUS PORTFOLIOS Grindrod Shipping, Deloitte and Ernst & Young UNIVERSITY Undergraduate and post graduate degrees completed at the University of KwaZulu-Natal QUALIFICATIONS Registered Chartered Accountant OTHER INTERESTS Family-related activities, reading and beadwork BEST DECISION The opportunity to work and live in New York City upon the completion of my articles, wherein I experienced different cultures and adapting to a foreign lifestyle away from the comforts of home. I was able to evaluate my job opportunities and made an informed decision to venture into private enterprise rather than remain within the auditing environment. WORST DECISION Procrastinating the expansion of my family, as I was 33 years old when I had my daughter. However looking back, I am glad that I waited until I was at a point in my life when I had a heightened level of consciousness and maturity, which is enabling me to raise her in the best way possible.
What are the current activities and main functions of your organisation? Our main function is to meet regulatory requirements as they apply to private institutions, and to exceed all expectations of quality. We pride ourselves on being the provider of quality and learner-focused private education, offering innovative and accredited programmes in Higher and Further Education while contributing with integrity and commitment to the community ideals of skills development and employability. What do you see as your main growth areas for the year ahead and why? We would like to make Higher Education physically accessible to all South Africans and increase the presence of our brands. Because our focus is on uplifting South African students, we ensure that our products are relevant to the market. What do you hope will change the effect of gender empowerment in South Africa and how are you assisting in making that change happen? I believe that in order for gender equality to be carried out effectively in South Africa, government involvement is required and official policies as provided by the Gender Equality Act, which forces companies to respond to women empowerment legislature and ensure that it’s prioritised. How has your organisation responded to the challenge of gender empowerment? We hold open forums for female employees to interact openly about their concerns without being victimised. We also encourage them to become an integral part of non-profit organisations such as 18twenty8, that empowers young women from disadvantaged backgrounds, by developing strategies for their educational and personal development.
In terms of women’s skills: where do you see the shortages regarding women in your industry? What is your plan of action to eradicate these shortages? Across the education sector, less than 35 percent of executive roles are occupied by women at both corporate and government levels. I believe that this falls upon individual organisations to coordinate workshops, mentoring and study opportunities. These will assist female employees with leadership and organisational skills, as well as business acumen to increase the cadre of women with the capacity to move into senior executive positions. What are the most challenging aspects of your current position? Please elaborate. Having a young family as well as managing a turnaround business with both requiring my attention and nurturing. However, I have realised that balancing the role of CEO with that of my family life, involves the separation of work stress from home life and vice versa, and to communicate openly. What role model or leader do you aspire to? I draw strength from various inspirational figures, as I believe that no one person embodies perfection. I look to enigmatic people such as Richard Branson, South African powerhouse Maria Ramos, and Robin Sharma, who are sources of inspiration to me. As well as my father who has been one of the guiding lights in my life. What are your views on the progress of South African women in the boardroom? What can we do to change this? I believe the pace at which South African businesswomen have been introduced to the boardroom has been gradual. Very few women have filtered through to access the boardroom, and there remains an element of surprise from selected businessmen when they encounter women who hold prominent positions within their organisations.
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2012/07/19 10:38 AM