Keegor, Johannesburg, South Africa: Michelle Austin, Financial Director

Essay of up to 650 words

Total 643 words used.

The sole woman executive director, and only one of two women on the Keegor Group leadership team, Group Financial Director Michelle Austin stands out as the driving force behind Keegor Group’s exceptional success, leading with positive impact on the entire Keegor family. Since joining the business in 2011, Michelle has rolled up her sleeves and led by example, setting out on a mission to automate the group and its operations whilst staying true to its traditional family values. 

Today, Michelle’s outstanding leadership has elevated Keegor Group to unprecedented heights, achieving 157% revenue growth, employee engagement +20% above the South African benchmark, transformed on-time delivery from 29% to 93% and expansion into new markets, from Africa to Asia and the Americas.

All the more remarkable as the only woman on the board at a leading South African business in the male-dominated industries of Mining, Manufacturing and Engineering (without an Engineering degree). And even more impressive when viewed against significant challenges faced in South Africa: Unemployment in July 2022 at 33.9%; rising inflation and interest rates; riots and strikes; load shedding due to an ageing infrastructure; and mining and manufacturing two of the worst performing sectors in the South African economy.

DRIVER OF SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

When Michelle first joined Keegor Group, the business was constrained below a R35M turnover regulatory threshold, the business is now forecast to achieve a staggering R120M+ exceeding target for the first time ever. Michelle has:

• Transformed stock control: One of Michelle’s first achievements was to roll out one of the world’s biggest manufacturing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, SYSPRO to improve labour and capacity efficiencies and keep pace with their significant growth, with on-time delivery transformed from 29% to 93%.

• Overseen two crucial acquisitions that have seen Keegor Group grow to 400 clients, including a ground-breaking relationship with FTSE 250-listed Morgan MMS, becoming their Sub-Saharan distributor under a new brand, Meltech.

• Opened opportunities through agents in Western Africa (overcoming challenging language barriers) and Zimbabwe.

• Driven efficiencies in production processes, outsourcing smaller activities such as machining. This has released capacity and enabled Keegor Group to buy new machinery and design ground-breaking innovations, positioning the business ahead of their Chinese and Indian competitors, and working towards net zero carbon emissions.

CHAMPION OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

As Covid-19 and economic uncertainty drive higher staff turnover, largely due to retirement, Michelle (fondly known as ‘Mama Keegor’) has:

• Overseen transformative 157% revenue growth which has enabled dividends payments for the entire 68-strong Keegor family.

• Pushed for the leadership team to invest in training programmes focused on goal-setting and performance measurement.

The result? Employee engagement boosted from 25% to 58%, +20.9% above the South Africa benchmark, sales per employee increased dramatically by 111%, and the opportunity to recruit has enabled more women in management positions.

ACTIVIST FOR YOUTH AND WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Michelle champions causes close to her heart as a: 

• Dedicated mentor on three leading South African mentoring programmes, working to motivate black teenagers, female entrepreneurs and young talent in finance and accounting. She also personally mentors a young person to build a business supporting township entrepreneurs. 

• Regular contributor in the press, on TV shows, on podcasts, including her own podcast, Lead With Impact, and at speaker events, sought-out to provide her insights and commentary as a prominent female business leader.

• Highly motivated businesswomen, wife and mum often working out of hours and at weekends. Michelle’s passion never wavers: “Empowering women and young people gives me energy! I feel so strongly about it, it doesn’t drain me”.

Recognised for her outstanding impact. Michelle was recently named Business Woman of the Year 2022 by SEIFSA (Steel and Engineering Industry Federation of South Africa), awarded Platinum for Woman Leadership of the Year at the Titan Awards 2023, and won the Forty Under 40 Africa Awards (Manufacturing), for which she is now Alumni Communications Director and a judge.

Total 150 words used.

1. Led growth to R120M+ as Group Financial Director, exceeding forecast for first-time.

2. Oversaw two crucial acquisitions, and expansion through agents in West and Southern Africa.

3. Rolled-out SYSPRO ERP system, seeing on-time delivery transformed from 29% to 93%.

4. Implemented (and undertook) leadership training, driving employee engagement from 25% to 58%, +20.9% above SA benchmark, and more women in management positions.

5. Motivates black teenagers, female entrepreneurs and young finance talent as mentor on three leading South African mentoring programmes.

6. Personally mentoring a young person building business supporting township entrepreneurs. 

7. Launched the Gauteng Chapter of the Women’s Business Club.

8. Appears weekly in the press, TV, at speaker events, including mentor on TV show, Ster Status.

9. Host of monthly podcast: Lead With Impact.

10. Awards: SEIFSA Business Woman of the Year 2022, platinum Titan award for Woman Leadership 2023, winner of Forty Under 40 Africa Awards 2023 (Manufacturing), now Alumni Communications Director and judge.