Following her appointment in June, Capetonian Mary-Anne Anderson is the first female to head up the SA Business Club in the UK, where she has been living for 13 years. As Chairperson, Mary-Anne plans to extend the reach and work of the SA Business Club in bringing thought-leading business insights to the SA community in London.

While the SA Business Club has been running since 1993, Mary-Anne has been involved with the club for four years. Says Mary-Anne of her new role, “I'm excited to work with a trail-blazing and dynamic new committee to take the club to its next level of maturity!”

What are the main aims of the SA Business Club?

To provide a forum for provoking debate and stimulate conversations between like-minded South Africans in business and people who have an interest in South Africa. We also provide a forum to gain insights through formal mentorship and through attendance to our regular speaker events hosted by high achieving (South African) business super-stars!

As a woman, how do you feel you can influence and grow the SA Business Club?

Girls can multi-task, say no more!

What is the male / female ratio in the SA Business Club?

The ratio is about the same as it is in business and at the events, it varies on who the speaker is. We are more focused this year on bringing in a more 'ethnicity' balance which is reflective of the SA population as opposed to gender.

Who are your female business icons?

Often being a 'business icon' isn't about being rich or running a FTSE 100 company but rather about wielding power to influence peoples thinking and lives. On that, Id have to say that Dr Simone Laubscher is a big influence on my life at the moment. Shes a nutritional therapist with a practice on Harley Street who Ive met recently and is launching a pretty scientifically advanced 'healthy option' food label where ALL the proceed are going to the Love146 movement who's aim is to abolish human trafficking and sex slavery. Pretty phoneomenal to think that she is holding in her hands a product that could make life-changing amounts of money for her and instead she's using it to make like-changing influences on other peoples lives. Shes not all that interested in the brand being linked to her, any referral kudos it might have, doesnt want any recognition so long as all the profit goes to the right place. Now thats a real life icon.

Mary-Anne is also the Global head of business development and marketing for the energy, infrastructure and natural resources sector at Freshfields law firm!