50 | FORBES AFRICA APRIL 2020PASSINGTHROUGH
FORBES AFRICAFORBESAFRICA.COMPhoto byMotlabanaMonnakgotlaC
HERYLBUSSLIVESBYTHE
mantra“smoothseasdon’tmake
forgoodsailors”.
It wasa quoteshefirstheard
Mercedes-BenzSouthAfrica’sformer
CEOArnovanderMerweuseandonethat
hashelpedhernavigatecountrieswhere
populism,polarizationandBrexitarerife.
It is a sayingthatwillnodoubthelpthe
CEOofAbsaInternationaldealwithoneof
thebiggestchallengestheworldis facing–
Covid-19,a deadlyvirusthatis sendingshivers
downthespinesofeconomiesaroundthe
globe.
Butfornow,Bussis usinghermantrato
gainbusinessintheUnitedKingdomandthe
UnitedStates.
TheUK-basedcareerbankerwantsto
takeAfricatoAbsa’sclientsintheUKandthe
USandbringthebank’sclientstoAfrica,a
continentsheis verypassionateabout.
Sheis workinghardtoconvince
businessesthatwanttoinvestinAfrica,to
bankwithAbsaonthecontinent.
Herpassionforboththecontinentand
herjobis drivinghersuccessinthisendeavor.
“I’mpassionateaboutthebusinessin
whichweworkandI ampassionateabout
theopportunityforAbsaandforAfrica.I
thinkthatif youarepassionateaboutwhat
youdoandyoushowuppositive,thattends
tohopefullyspreadaroundandis hopefully
catchy,”saysBuss,dressedinanelegantdark
bluedress.
AssheexplainsherpassionforAfrica
toFORBESAFRICA,Buss’seyeslightup.
Thecontinentoffersexperience,diversity,
opportunityinagriculture,farmingandthe
provisionoffoodsupply,shesays.
Excitedly,sheaddsit hastheworld’s
biggestpopulationofyouththatif harnessed
correctlywillseethecontinentbeaming with
new ideas and new thoughts.CherylBuss,theUK-basedCEOofAbsaInternational,onher
passion for Africa anditsresilient,entrepreneurial mind-set.THE AFRO-OPTIMIST
BY MONIQUE VANEKAfrica’speopleareanotherelementthat
makesheranAfro-optimist.
Explaining,shesays:“Itstruckmegoing
intoZimbabwea coupleofyearsago...this
wasprobablythree,fouryearsago,justa
loadofpoverty,youcanjustseetheroadsare
inbadshape,everywhereyoulook,yousee
people with beaming smiles. You think ‘God,whatareyousmilingat?’.Butit is justAfrican
people,wearetaughttoberesilient,weare
taughttocomebackandI thinkthatis part
oftheexcitementthroughwhichyouseethis
entrepreneurialdevelopmentandmind-set.”
ButBussdoesnotjustplantotakethe
conversationaboutAfricatotheUKand
theUS,wherethebankrecentlyreceived
regulatoryapprovaltooperateandhas
startedengagingwithclients,butalsotoAsia.
Confidently,shesays“youwouldhave
seenCharlesRusson,whois ourCEO
ofCorporateandInvestmentBanking,
alludingtothefactthatwewouldbe,weare
consideringwhattheChinastrategywould
belike,thatwouldberatherournextport
ofcall...Chinais ourfirstconsiderationthat
weareworkingwithourstrategyteamto
seeandunderstandwhatthatwouldlook
likeandthenthereis theMiddleEast-Asia
considerationaswell,sowewouldlookto
kindofhavethefourcorners.”
Highinemotionalintelligence,a trait
thecharismaticleaderbelievesshepicked
upbybeingopentochange,resilientto
failureandopentolearn,shesaysshe
wantstobuildtheinternationalbusiness to
beinthebestplaceever.
“Forme,I wantit tobe‘wow,that
businessdidn’tactuallyhavea blipit
carriedon’.”
Howdoessheplantogetthere?
“Itisaboutthatclosepersonaltouch,
I liketohaveclosepersonalrelationships
withmyteams,withthepeopleI dealwith
andthepeopleI mentorandmakesureI
amofferingguidanceattherightleveland
I liketobuildcloserelationshipswithmy
clientsaswell...
“Banksarea commoditysothereal
differentiatoristhepeopleyouemploy
inthebankandhow they show up to
our clients.”I thinkthatif youare
passionateaboutwhat
youdoandyoushowup
positive,thattendsto
hopefullyspreadaround
andis hopefullycatchy.