South Africa has marked a significant milestone on the global business stage after Mary Vilakazi and Mpumi Madisa were named among Forbes’ 2025 World’s 100 Most Powerful Women, underscoring the country’s growing influence in global corporate leadership.
Vilakazi, the Chief Executive Officer of FirstRand, was ranked 74th, while Mpumi Madisa, CEO of Bidvest Group, secured the 89th position on the prestigious list. Their inclusion places South African leadership firmly alongside some of the world’s most influential political, financial, and corporate figures.
The Forbes ranking recognises women who wield significant economic, political, and cultural influence across sectors, including finance, technology, industry, and governance. For South Africa, the recognition of Vilakazi and Madisa reflects a broader shift in corporate leadership, marked by resilience, strategic acumen, and a focus on inclusive growth.
Vilakazi leads FirstRand, one of Africa’s largest financial services groups, with operations spanning multiple African markets and international financial centres. Her leadership has been credited with navigating complex economic conditions while prioritising transformation, sustainability and long-term value creation.
Madisa, meanwhile, heads Bidvest, a diversified multinational services and trading group with operations across Africa, Europe, Asia and Australasia. She has been widely recognised for strengthening Bidvest’s governance framework and driving growth across its diverse portfolio, while championing ethical leadership and operational excellence.
Their recognition comes at a time when African economies continue to push for greater representation in global decision-making spaces, particularly in finance and industry. Analysts note that African women leaders remain underrepresented on global power rankings, making the inclusion of Vilakazi and Madisa especially significant for the continent.
The achievement also carries symbolic weight at home, highlighting progress in gender representation in South Africa’s corporate sector and offering inspiration to a new generation of African women pursuing leadership roles in business and finance.
As global attention increasingly turns to emerging markets, the presence of South African executives on influential international lists reinforces the continent’s capacity to produce world-class leaders capable of shaping the global economic agenda.
