CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Of the 1364 companies listed on the 24 African stock exchanges, we screened for those companies with revenue of $100 million or more, or a market cap of $150 million or more, which yielded a list of 581 companies. The public websites of these 581 companies were reviewed to identify female C-suite executives. Our team of researchers then examined the list of these women to determine those who have a title of chief executive officer or managing director or president AND have bottom line profit and loss responsibility. This resulted in the final list of 35 women CEOs.
DIVISION HEADS
The methodology for this group is identical to the methodology for Group 1, except that the entities evaluated were the divisions of the 581 companies, such that the divisions themselves have standalone revenue of $100 million or more, or a market cap of $150 million or more. The women running these divisions must have a title that clearly demonstrates that they are the chief executive with profit and loss responsibility for the division. This analysis yielded 25 women CEOs.
MULTINATIONAL REGIONAL HEADS
The methodology for this group started with an analysis of global corporations with revenue over $10 billion who who have operations in one or more countries on the African continent. The regional heads of these companies were analyzed to identify women chief executives for an Africa region or an African country, with profit and loss responsibility for the country or region. This analysis yielded 14 women CEOs. Women in this group are ranking by prioritizing those women who run the Africa region ahead of those who run a single African country.
