Full Name: Charlene Louw

Position and Company Name: CEO of the Beer Association of South Africa (BASA)

Main Activity of the Company: The BASA represents and advocates for the beer industry’s interests, promotes responsible consumption, and encourages sustainable growth through ethical and legal trade practices

Place of Birth: Mafikeng, in the North West province

Schools and Tertiary Education: Kimberley Girls’ High; University of Pretoria, LLB; Wits University, Executive Development Programme; Richfield, Financial Management in the Public Sector and MBA

First Job: Candidate attorney

Size of First Pay Packet: R5 000 a month

Career Path to Date: Candidate attorney at Uys & Co Attorneys; associate at Hack Stupel & Ross Attorneys; senior manager: legal and company secretary at Electricity Distribution Holdings; group executive: legal and company secretary at Palace Engineering Group; executive director and regional general counsel at ADT/Tyco Fire & Security; GM: legal, compliance, regulation and quality assurance at the Road Accident Fund; and executive director: strategy, legal, governance, risk and compliance at Pikitup

Value of Assets under Your Control: Industry contribution of R96.46-billion to GDP

Number of People under Your Leadership: 4

Management Style: My leadership style is characterised by authenticity, which involves leading with transparency, self-awareness and unwavering values to foster trust

Personal Best Achievement: Being honoured as Businesswoman of the Year in 2015. This recognition was particularly meaningful, as it celebrated my role in establishing assurance services within my organisation, a transformative initiative

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My mother, who embodies the qualities I admire most: strength, resilience, authenticity and unwavering compassion

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Former PepsiCO CEO Indra Nooyi, whose leadership style exemplifies qualities I strive to embody as CEO and in my board positions

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: I’ve observed thousands of business founders and businesspeople and can’t point to just one, but I’ve learnt from watching what makes them successful. One notable lesson is the power of compound growth, namely that it’s the furthest out years that are the most important. In a world where almost no one takes a truly long-term view, this has been observed to be richly rewarding to those who do. Another common trait is unshakable self-belief, sometimes bordering on delusion. Successful businesspeople also tend to have a mindset of “I will fail many times, and I will be really right once”. They take risks, try many things and adapt quickly as they learn

Philosophy of Life: Leave things better than you found them

Biggest Ever Opportunity: I started my career at a time when jobs were scarce and opportunities for young professionals entering the job market were limited, particularly in the legal fraternity. I was fortunate to secure a position as a candidate attorney immediately after completing my law degree

Biggest Ever Disappointment: This was when my ethics were tested by unethical leadership and decision-making – I found myself in a position where I had to go along with decisions that compromised my values or stand firm in what I knew was right. I faced resistance, criticism and even isolation, but I knew that betraying my principles would be a far greater failure than any professional setback

Hope for the Future: That I continue growing as a leader, mentor and change-maker, that I use my experience and influence to open more doors for others, and that I remain at the forefront of innovation and leadership, making a difference in business and in the lives of those I have the privilege to lead and inspire

Favourite Reading: Seat of the Soul, by Gary Zukov

Favourite TV Programme: While I have many favourite programmes, past and present, I must admit that when I subscribed to Netflix several years ago, one breathtaking programme for me was Breaking Bad

Favourite Food/Drink: Slap chips, drenched in vinegar and generously spiced with loads of salt and masala spice, with a cold glass of my favourite IPA beer

Favourite Music: Jazz, fusion, soul, and R&B

Favourite Sport: Formula 1

Hobbies: Tending to my garden and visiting the plant nursery to discover new additions for the garden

Car: Mercedes-Benz

Pets: Two Boerebulls called Chloé (female) and Dexter (male)

Miscellaneous Dislikes: Unreliability and lack of commitment

Married: To Timothy Rametse

Children: Rendani, 16; Aluwani,14

Clubs: Virgin Active and Africa Padel