Vanessa Gounden

Vanessa Gounden (born 1961) is South Africa's first female mining magnate and arguably most successful female entrepreneur, whose business interest span healthcare services, financial services and lifestyle and leisure. She served in Nelson Mandela's ANC administration during the 1990s. She is South Africa's first female mining magnate and one of South Africa's most successful female entrepreneurs. Vanessa Gounden is an inspirational and driven businesswoman who has made a name for herself in notoriously difficult industries as diverse as mining to fashion.[1][2]

Early life

Gounden was born in South Africa in March 1961.[3] She was the child of first generation South Africans, as her grandparents had left India for Africa in the late 1800s to work labourers on the sugar-cane plantations.[4] She grew up on a smallholding in a mixed racial area near Durban with her grandparents. She spent her childhood helping her family, cutting and preparing roses for sale to the florists in the district. She lived with six adults and 14 children in a house without electricity and hot water.

When she was 10 the apartheid state of South Africa forcibly removed her family under the Group Areas Act to a dormitory township with minimal facilities. They were also cut off from their previous livelihood.

Gounden was educated at Shallcross Secondary and holds a B.Tech Honours degree in Human Resources from University of Pretoria.[5]

Politics and early career

As a teenager Gounden joined the ANC, where she met her future husband. She combined her activism with getting a university degree and becoming a primary school teacher. Nelson Mandela's ANC government come to power in 1994 after South Africa's first democratic elections. Gounden received a call from Mandela, asking her to help rebuild the new South Africa. She served in the Mandela administration and became actively involved in the trade union movement, before becoming the director of change management in the police.

Later, under President Thabo Mbeki, Gounden headed up human resources for the National Intelligence Agency, recruiting the country's top spies. When her husband, the director general of public enterprises fell out with the Mbeki regime they decided to start their own business.[1]

Business career

Holgoun Investment Holdings

In 2003, along with her husband Sivi, she started HolGoun Investment Holdings,[6] a South African investment holding company. They began HolGoun with very little and built it into an extremely successful multi-divisional company.

HolGoun Investment Holdings has its primary investment in coal and uranium, but has activity in a wide range of sectors including mining and exploration, healthcare, financial services, property, music, fashion, security, and film production. Gounden currently works as the Chief Executive Officer for HolGoun. The HolGoun group also has investments in HolGoun Healthcare, HG Risk Management Solutions, HG Property and HG Lifestyle and Leisure.[7] Amongst her many HolGoun Group directorships she also holds a directorship in Samancor and Daly Credit Corporation.[8][9]

Fashion Line: Vanessa G London

She launched her clothing line, Vanessa G London, in March 2011 at London Fashion Week[3][10] held at Banqueting House in London. The women's luxury fashion label encompasses a range of casual, cocktail, formal and haute couture “ready to wear” clothing.[11] Gounden combined her first fashion show with her 50th birthday party, including travel costs for her guests, accommodation at the Dorchester Hotel and entertainment from singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor.[3]

Gounden is the creative and artistic director. Model Amber Le Bon, daughter of Simon and Yasmin Le Bon was the face of the Vanessa G in the spring/summer 2012 campaign.[1] Her 2013 collection combined the themes of mining and nature, raw materials and precious metals.[12]

Charity work

Since 2006, Gounden has been the chairperson of the HolGoun Development Trust, set up by HolGoun Investment Holdings to give back to disadvantaged communities. The trust currently funds at least 60 needy students, including many who are pursuing the Arts, through tertiary education. She has been actively involved in community work for many years and sat on the board of the Chatsworth Child & Family Welfare Society.

Personal life

Gounden married her husband Sivi in 1989.[3] She lives with Sivi, her two children, her mother and her in-laws in Pretoria. Her daughter models for the Vanessa G fashion line.

References

  1. 1 2 3 David Cohen (2011-07-11). "Vanessa Gounden is right behind our literacy campaign". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
  2. ↑ "Kaya FM 95.9 | Stevie B speaks to Vanessa Gounden of Gounden Holdings". Kayafm.co.za. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Subashni Naidoo (24 April 2011). "Mining boss goes over the top". Times LIVE. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
  4. ↑ "Vanessa Gounden's Fashion as Art Luxury Womens wear". Vanessa G. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
  5. ↑ "HolGoun Development Trust". Hgdevelopmenttrust.co.za. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
  6. ↑ "Profile | Holgoun Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd". Holgoun.co.za. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
  7. ↑ "More with Vanessa Gounden". DestinyConnect. 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
  8. ↑ "Key Executives | Holgoun Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd". Holgoun.co.za. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
  9. ↑ "Vanessa Gounden | Who's Who SA". Whoswho.co.za. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
  10. ↑ "Magazine | Style | london". Dontpaniconline.com. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
  11. ↑ Tilly Macallister-Smith (2011-03-25). "G Star". Vogue Magazine. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
  12. ↑ "Vanessa G Spring 2013 Collection Pictures". Refinery29.com. Retrieved 2013-10-27.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/6/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.