Women CEOs increase presence in Africa's largest businesses

The Africa.com 2026 Definitive List of Women CEOs highlights a growing presence of female leadership across Africa’s largest businesses, spanning sectors such as banking, mining, telecommunications, and retail. The ranking was compiled using Bloomberg data, analyzing more than 1,500 companies listed on African stock exchanges to identify women leading major divisions, subsidiaries, and multinational operations.

A notable milestone occurred within the South African financial group FirstRand, where three women simultaneously lead its core businesses for the first time in the company’s history: Mary Vilakazi as Group Chief Executive, Lytania Johnson as FNB CEO, and Emrie Brown at the helm of RMB. Vilakazi, who has held the top position at FirstRand since 2024, remains the highest-ranked woman on the list.

Other significant female leaders identified in the report include Mpumi Madisa of Bidvest, Mpumi Zikalala of Kumba Iron Ore, and Jeanette Marais of Momentum Group. The findings suggest a shift in the continent's corporate landscape, with women increasingly managing companies of significant economic value.