The fairer sex make their mark every day across the Atterbury team, so we are honouring some of them in a two-part series in honour of Women’s Month in August. This month, the all-female team of mall managers Heloise van Niekerk, Zandri Wells, Adelene van der Westhuizen and Catherine Bosman share some thoughts about women power, women at work, and unsung heroines. Look out next month for part two!
Which malls are in your portfolio?
Catherine Bosman: Currently I manage Pemba Retail Centre in Mozambique. I further manage a number of commercial Atterbury properties in the Western Cape.
Heloise van Niekerk: Village Mall in Harties, Mall of Africa, Newtown Junction and Westwood Mall in Durban
Adelene van der Westhuizen: The Grove Mall of Namibia in Windhoek, Dunes Mall in Walvis Bay, Sterland, Pan Africa Shopping Centre, Old Mint Park, and Randport Industrial Park. I also handle the asset management of Divercity Urban Property Fund housing Talis House, Turbine Hall, the newly renovated ABSA Towers Main and Jewel City.
Zandri Wells: I manage Club Retail, Club One, Club Medical, Club Advocates, Die Klubhuis, The Village, Riverwalk, Flamwood Walk and Value and Gerhard Moerdyk.
A mother is not supposed to have a favourite, but many moms do… which Atterbury mall is your favourite and why?
HvN: Even with all its challenges I would have to say Newtown Junction. The mall is situated in Johannesburg’s inner city and forms part of the city’s cultural and creative hub. I am fascinated with the rich history of the area and fell in love with the style, energy, diversity and atmosphere. I believe the mall has great potential and am excited about the future and planned changes at the particular mall.
ZW: I am passionate about all the assets in my portfolio, each one provides different opportunities and different challenges on a daily basis which I love… as you indicated moms are not supposed to have favourites!
CB: My favourite mall in the Atterbury portfolio is Club Retail, Pretoria. It is close to our offices and has everything a woman needs…coffee shops (okay, gin bars too), Woolies, a pharmacy and beauty offerings.
AvdW: The Grove Mall of Namibia. I was involved in the opening of this mall and even with the many challenges we faced during construction, opening and the first year of trade, it still turned out to be a beautiful mall with a success story and memories and experiences I now value and use as a guideline in other challenges in the workspace.
Women have come a long way since the days when our grandmothers and great-grandmothers had limited opportunities. What aspect of female empowerment are you most grateful is in place for you in 2019?
CB: I believe there are a wide variety of opportunities available to all men and women; one has to be motivated and have the self-confidence to take on the desired opportunity! Instead of chasing what we haven’t been exposed to in the past, I prefer creating, believing and pursuing a vision of what one actually wants for oneself – that is true empowerment.
HvN: Fear is the root of so many barriers for us women, but believing we have the strength and power to change our own lives has become my new mantra…
AvdW: For me it is the mere fact that women today and especially at Atterbury, have the opportunity to work in positions of management while being allowed without judgment to also be a mom.
ZW: The right to equal opportunities and resources would definitely be on the top of my list. Although gender equality and diversity in leadership roles has been a problem in South Africa, I have not experienced this in my career. Atterbury creates equal opportunities for all its employees and affords all employees, regardless of being male or female, an opportunity to reach their full potential.
What do you believe is the most important element women bring to the workplace?
AvdW: Women bring an emotional aspect to the workplace and while that sometimes have its problems, in most instances it means they are able to evaluate situations with a “softer” perception, listening to everyone’s opinion and not just steamrolling ahead. I believe the “mom instinct” is a good quality to bring to the workplace where managing people and relationships are key.
CB: Fashion and a work-life balance! Men and woman can be equally fashionable, but I find that in a workplace the women are more selective of the fashion they specifically choose to wear in the workplace. In addition, given that women are empowered to focus on both their careers and their families, they bring a sense of balance.
HvN: We get things done, period!
ZW: Women bring a soft touch, intuition, emotional intelligence and passion to the workplace.
In honour of Women’s Month, if you could give a special gift to a woman other than your mother, who has played an important role in your life, who would you choose and what would you give her?
ZW: would definitely like to give a special gift to Lettie Chauke, who was our nanny while we grew up. She was a wonderful, caring person and my best friend growing up. She played a pivotal role in my life – especially teaching me about other cultures. Today I am also very aware of the sacrifice that she had to make to look after me. I remember how she told us that she lost her house and everything she owned during a flood. Therefore the gift that I would love to give her is a home of her own where she can be safe.
CB: Throughout my career I have been fortunate to work for mainly female managers and I am grateful for their role in instilling in me a passion for hard work, perseverance and loyalty. I would think that the best gift they could receive is the reward of knowing that I provide the same positive mentorship to the next generation.
HvN: Definitely my sister Mareli, an incredible mother, sister and friend, who also made her mark in the property industry. The best possible gift would be a home-cooked meal with her family and close friends.
AvdW: Despite the question the most important and only woman who contributed to me being who I am and motivating me to achieve what I did and getting to be where I am today, was most definitely my mom! I can give her anything, I’ll give her the gift of not having to work, travelling the world and spending her old age relaxing with what is most important to her: her kids and grandchildren, worry free!
Name a woman whom you consider to be iconic, who you would like to meet one day, and why.
HvN: Without a doubt Michelle Obama, the first African-American first lady, who managed to held onto her own identity despite her life being hijacked by politics. She is known for her quotable quotes, but one in particular hit home for me: “I have learnt that as long as I hold fast to my beliefs and values, and follow my own moral compass, then the only expectations I need to live up to, are my own.”
CB: I agree! Michelle Obama is an inspiration to me, she exudes femininity, grace and compassion while providing support to her family.
ZW: I would like to meet Malala Yousafzai, who defied the Taliban as a young girl in Pakistan and demanded that girls be allowed to receive an education. For her activism, she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman in 2012, but survived and went on to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She inspires me because she stood up for what she believed in – the right to education for women. I am passionate about education and believe that if we address the education challenges in our country, we will make a major impact in creating a better South Africa for all.
And finally, when things get rough, what do you do to keep you sane?
CB: Retail therapy and going for a run clear my mind. Both ignite the spark to find the motivation to keep going.
HvN: Socialising with friends, cooking and wine – not necessarily in that order.
AvdW: If time and kids allow, I put on my running shoes and take on the road to clear my mind an relax me. Otherwise I love to spend time with my husband and kids.
ZW: I try to focus on having a positive attitude. I truly believe that negative thoughts manifest negativity in your life. When you tell yourself you can’t do something, chances are you won’t be able to do it. But if you believe that you can, you’re more likely to accomplish your goals. I also try to practise gratitude. When life is hectic, it’s easy to look at everything that’s going wrong. I try to write down five things that I am are grateful for and this helps to have a positive outlook. Then, last but not least, I also work out; going to the gym or going for a run makes all the difference when I feel stressed.
