The Definitive List
The annual Bloomberg-data-driven ranking of the women running Africa’s largest companies to be unveiled alongside a first-ever conversation among the three women now leading FirstRand’s group, retail and corporate & investment banking businesses.
Africa.com will unveil the 2026 Definitive List of Women CEOs, its annual independent ranking of the women at the helm of Africa’s largest companies. The reveal will be livestreamed on Thursday, 27 August at 16:00 SAST at TheDefinitiveList.africa.com. Compiled using Bloomberg data, the Definitive List screened more than 1,500 companies across all of Africa’s stock exchanges to identify women holding top executive roles at the continent’s largest listed businesses.
“This recognition is meaningful precisely because it is data-driven and independent. Built on objective metrics, the list highlights where these remarkable leaders stand. Our hope is that it inspires the next generation of women to see a clear path to the highest levels of African business.”
– Teresa Clarke, Chair & CEO, Africa.com
This year’s edition spans banking and insurance, mining and industrials, consumer goods, healthcare, real estate, and telecommunications. It features leaders from across the continent, including Morocco, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mauritius, and South Africa. The list is presented across three categories: chief executives of publicly traded companies, leaders of major divisions or subsidiaries of large listed groups, and regional executives leading African operations for global multinationals such as Microsoft, Visa, Mastercard, Nestlé, and Bank of America.
A Conversation Among Three Leaders
Beyond the overall trends, this year’s list highlights a landmark moment. For the first time in the FirstRand Group’s history, women lead its three core pillars: Mary Vilakazi as Group CEO, Lytania Johnson as CEO of FNB (First National Bank), and Emrie Brown as CEO of RMB (Rand Merchant Bank).
In a candid and thought-provoking conversation, the executives will reflect on the experiences that shaped their careers and what their appointments mean for the continent’s financial sector, the evolving leadership landscape, and the growing influence of women leaders.
The discussion will be an empowering look forward for the next generation.
The livestreamed event takes place on Thursday, 27 August at 16:00 SAST at TheDefinitiveList.africa.com. ( https://thedefinitivelist.africa.com )
The event combines the reveal of the 2026 Definitive List, followed by an Executive conversation with the three leaders. Both the reveal and the leaders’ conversation will remain available on demand following the event, with a podcast edition distributed across major platforms.
Comprehensive editorial coverage and the complete list are published at Africa.com and TheDefinitiveList websites.