By Adriana Bekker, Managing Director, Fempower Executive Search
Every Women’s Day, we pause to honour the progress made in advancing women in the workplace. But after 25 years in executive search and recruitment, I’ve learned that progress cannot be measured by celebration alone it must be assessed by the systems that enable women to lead and thrive.
At Fempower, we’ve had the privilege of working with clients across industries who genuinely want to drive transformation, inclusion, and gender equity. Many have gone beyond compliance, implementing robust policies and initiatives. Yet despite these efforts, the uptake of top leadership roles by women particularly in technical, executive, and board-level spaces remains slow.
Why?
Because the system still hasn’t matured to support the intention.
Many women don’t hesitate to lead because they lack competence or ambition. They hesitate because they’ve seen the cost of entering spaces not yet designed with them in mind. They question whether they’ll be supported in the mandate, whether they’ll be heard in the boardroom, whether the ecosystem around them is truly ready. According to a McKinsey & Company annual report reveals that while 78% of companies claim to prioritize gender diversity, only 36% of women believe their company is doing enough to make progress (Krivkovich et al., 2024).
I’ve seen this before.
It reminds me of the early years of BBBEE implementation. The intent was right, the urgency real but the mechanisms, hierarchies, belief systems, and organisational culture weren’t yet aligned. In the absence of readiness, transformation became fragmented, inconsistent, and often performative.
One striking example from my own career: twenty years ago, as South Africa faced a national drive for trade qualified artisans, we saw the emergence of brilliant women entering engineering, mining and manufacturing spaces. But even then, something as basic as PPE (personal protective equipment) hadn’t been adapted for women’s bodies. These women had the qualifications and the grit but the system hadn’t caught up. It’s taken us nearly two decades to normalize something as fundamental as gender-specific safety gear.
So today, as we continue the conversation about women in leadership, I believe it’s time to shift the question from how many women we can place, to how well-prepared the environment is to receive them.
Are we creating environments where female leaders can be both seen and supported?
Have we interrogated our pipelines, mentorship strategies, and leadership succession frameworks through a gender-lens?
Do we define “executive readiness” in ways that truly reflect equity?
Are we measuring inclusion by experience and not just by numbers?
The next level of transformation in South Africa requires more than policy it requires organisational maturity. It’s not enough to open the door; we must build rooms where women can lead with confidence, influence, and purpose.
This Women’s Month, we invite you to go beyond the celebration to partner in transformation.
At Fempower, we understand that true change doesn’t end with appointments it begins there. Our role is not just to place exceptional talent, but to walk alongside our clients in crafting ecosystems that empower women to lead, thrive, and transform business.
Let us support your organisation by:
- Co-developing your transformation narrative and helping position your readiness in the market
- Activating a highly targeted female talent pipeline aligned to your leadership and equity goals
- Engaging prospective candidates and stakeholders with the story of your intent and impact
- Creating pathways for women to step into spaces where their voices shape the future
While you focus on building the rooms and empires where women will rise, let us gather the talent, the champions, and the future leaders who will carry your vision forward.
Reach out to us. Let’s co-create a future where readiness meets action, and transformation becomes legacy.
