JOHANNESBURG, May 2025 – Two women are challenging the status quo at Michelin Sub-Saharan Africa, carving out space for female leadership in industries long dominated by men.
Forgiveness Mathebula, a Senior Account Manager in the mining sector, spends her days on-site — a space she says still isn’t built with women in mind. From safety gear designed for male bodies to an entrenched culture that often sidelines women, the challenges are real. But Forgiveness is one of several women helping shift the narrative.
She says the key is opening up leadership opportunities, creating mentorship programmes that work, and pushing companies to follow through on their commitments to inclusion. Her role at Michelin, once almost unthinkable for a woman in the mining world, is now a sign that the door is slowly opening wider.
Bianca Greef knows that road too. Now the first female B2C Sales Director for Michelin in the region, she started eight years ago as the only woman on her sales team. She didn’t just want to break in — she wanted to make space for others.
“It wasn’t just about proving I could lead,” she says. “It was about showing other women they could do the same.” Bianca’s leadership style centres on adaptability and understanding, qualities she believes are often overlooked in traditional models of management.
She also pushes back against the idea that women must choose between family and career. For her, a supportive workplace should make room for both. It’s this kind of thinking that is helping reshape what leadership looks like at Michelin SSA.
The company has been investing in systems that support diversity and has backed employees like Forgiveness and Bianca with opportunities to grow. Their journeys show that transformation isn’t just a policy — it’s playing out through real people on the ground.
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