It's common knowledge that certain sectors of business and industry continue to be male dominated environments. However, there are many exceptional women out there who accomplish amazing things not only for themselves, but also for their families, communities, their organisation and for their country. Meet one such woman - Fiona Jacobs. Wife, mother of three, and Director of Procurement, International Trade and Business Development at EMVAfrica. 

Round bar, stainless steel, specialist metals and valves – it is in this non-traditional female environment where Fiona has thrived for the past 30 years. Her passion not only for the business but also for her colleagues is unmistakable. Sales, accounts, software development, the products, employee support and not forgetting, customer service – this is what motivates Fiona to come to work every day.   

Fiona shares her 30-year career journey 

“When Hugh Whitty established Energy Metals in 1992, he asked me to join him. Having worked for Hugh a few years earlier handling office admin, I did not hesitate. We got along from the get-go. It was a business relationship built on mutual trust. But being pregnant with my third child at the time, I suggested to Hugh that I join him after my maternity leave. So, on February 1, 1993, I found myself once again assisting Hugh with all things administrative. Ten years later I was appointed a Director of the company with the sales team reporting to me. The rest, as the saying goes, is ‘career’ history!” 

What were your responsibilities in those early years?

“I was ‘Fiona of all trades’ and mastered them all too. I was responsible for imports, shipping, costings, quotes, debtors, creditors – you name it. As I only had training in bookkeeping, I literally had to teach myself. Bear in mind that in those days everything was done manually - we did not have the digital luxuries that we have today. If Hugh asked, for example, if we can export a product to Nigeria, my reply was ‘yes, of course we can’. I then had to familiarise myself very quickly with documents, procedures and logistics. On-the-job learning 101! As the years progressed, my responsibilities extended to buying currency, shipment, preparation of audit packs, etc. I gained an immense amount of invaluable experience for which I will always be truly grateful.”

How did the post-sanction years influence business growth?

“Immediately following the sanction years, customers did not have supplier networks in place. However, Hugh, having established a wide global network, was able to supply the trade, importing full containers of round bar. Energy Metals was growing fast, necessitating no less than three office moves from Kramerville to Kyalami Office Park. Growth understandably meant a bigger workload which required me to invest more hours at the office. 

When companies started establishing their own supplier networks, we needed to diversify to remain relevant and secure a sustainable future for the business. Hugh was looking for new opportunities and niche products. It so happened that at that time a customer of ours, Ken Perel, owner of Multi Alloys, approached Hugh with the view of a partnership. The timing could not have been more perfect. Multi Alloys was (and still is today) a leading importer, stockist and supplier of special alloys in South Africa, filling the niche Hugh was looking for. Energy Metals and Multi Alloys share the same values and ethical business practices. These synergies made this a win-win for both companies who thrived to such an extent that we had to build new, larger premises in Kyalami Office Park. This too we outgrew, prompting us to move to our current, even larger, facility in the same office park. It was here at HQ, in 2019, that EMVAfrica was born, combining the strengths of the three divisions ENERGYMetals, ENERGYValves and Multi Alloys.”

Sprint us through 3 successful decades 

“Looking back, what we did and how we did it has changed so much – the market, the products, the company structure and of course the way in which we do business. From doing everything manually (some of you may remember the Cardex system), we now have the Internet, emails, Google and smart software; we essentially do everything digitally and online. Even the way we use cell phones has changed; from not permitted on our desks to becoming a vital business tool. 

I attribute three key factors to our success over the years - our ability to adapt and to evolve and our constant drive to improve customer service. Our success is testament to forward-thinkers like Hugh and Ken. Hugh’s son Graham Whitty, now our Group CEO, who joined us in 2005, brought invaluable skills and continuous innovative plans, and from day one added tremendous value. We continue to identify opportunities and gaps in the market and fill them; we have become specialists in sourcing and supplying material that is not easily available; we have become stockists; we innovate, and we continue to expand our extensive basket of offerings. We aim to always be better in everything that we do in terms of the range, quality and cost-effectiveness of our products and services.

Fiona Jacobs - Director of Procurement, International Trade and Business Development celebrates 30 years of service at EMVAfrica, a dynamic single-source supplier of stainless steel, industrial metals, tube, fittings, alloys and valves to customers across Southern Africa