Nosipho Siwisa-Damasane is an award winning CEO providing effective leadership to her operation.

Siwisa-Damasane is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT), one of the largest export coal terminals in the world. She was appointed to this position in July 2012. Prior to this appointment Siwisa-Damasane worked for the Transnet Port Terminals in a number of different managerial positions. She joined Transnet in 1998 as the East London port manager and was the first woman in this role.

During 2015, Siwisa-Damasane was announced the winner of Africa's Most Influential Woman in Business and Government in the Logistics and Shipping Category, for South Africa and the SADC South Region. She also won the National Businesswoman of the Year for 2015 in the Corporate Category in September and was a finalist for Africa's most Influential Women in Business and Government in the Logistics and Shipping Category for the entire African continent.  She was awarded the CEO of the Year 2014 by the Institute of People Management.  The award recognises CEOs for excellence in promoting strategic people management in the executive community.

Siwisa-Damasane says that she was humbled by the recognition that she has received. "When you work, you do not think about being rewarded but you do think about making a difference", she said.

Siwisa-Damasane has been responsible for terminal operations and has turned around a lot of operations. She has done benchmark exercises for efficiencies and KPI's in many port operations globally.  She studied port operations as part of her training in Transnet at various countries globally including Singapore, Rotterdam and Antwerp. Siwisa-Damasane brought a wealth of experience into RBCT and RBCT has received awards in recognition for being a terminal of choice and best employer in 2014.

A key component of her success has been in her leadership style.  Siwisa-Damasane cares about people. She firmly believes that if her work force is happy they will be productive. She said, "If morale is right then people have job satisfaction." In order to ensure that the workforce participates in the decision making process she follows a bottom up approach to management. An example is that the employees have voted on which values ' considered top priorities for improving the workplace ' they wished to include in their working environment. By participating in the decision making process the employees become party to the effective running of the operation.

Most people think that being a woman in a male dominated world is tough. Siwisa-Damasane commented, "People focus on the work at hand and if you work hard and produce results you are judged on what you deliver." In 1998 when she was a Port Manager in East London people used to be surprised to see a woman in her role but with time and many more, joining the operational arena, people adjusted and the focus was on what she could deliver.  Siwisa-Damasane does make a difference and is committed to continue to transform operational efficiency as well as the lives of the people with whom she works.