Empowering Women in Africa’s Corporate World: An interview with bp Southern Africa’s CEO, Taelo Mojapelo

Taelo Mojapelo, Chief Executive Officer, bp Southern Africa

Africa has a rich tradition of women stepping into leadership roles. The continent, for example, is a global leader in women’s representation, with countries like Rwanda boasting the highest percentage of women in parliament worldwide.

The corporate world tells a different story, however, with African women facing entrenched challenges in business leadership, ranging from gender bias to navigating cultural expectations. While African women hold 24% of board seats, close to the global average, their overall workforce participation is still predominantly in agriculture. As Africa's labour force is set to quadruple by 2100, ensuring that women play a more prominent role across diverse industries is not just an economic imperative—it’s crucial for the continent's socio-economic future.

On the occasion of Women's Month in South Africa, Invest Africa spoke with Taelo Mojapelo, CEO of bp Southern Africa. As the second female CEO of one of the continent’s leading energy companies, Taelo’s leadership highlights both the progress and ongoing challenges in advancing women’s empowerment across Africa. In the interview, Taelo discusses her career path, the barriers she has overcome, and bp Southern Africa’s efforts to empower women. Her insights offer a compelling perspective on how individual achievements can drive broader structural changes and contribute to a more inclusive economic future.

1. What initiatives does bp Southern Africa have to empower women within the company and the wider business community? How do you personally drive these efforts?

At bpSA, our efforts are guided by our global sustainability aims towards improving people’s lives and advancing human rights in the places where we operate. Globally, bp intends to have equal numbers of competent women and men in the top level of leadership by 2025, with 40% of roles at the next leadership level filled by women. The goal is to have women occupying at least half of all group leader roles by 2030, with 40% at every other level.

Likewise, bp in South Africa has been making progress towards these goals over several years, starting by employing more women. At the end of 2023, 44.5% of our employees were women. bpSA was also the first international energy company in South Africa to appoint a woman CEO in 2017. I am the industry’s second female CEO, with our chairperson also being a woman.

We are deliberate about equipping women for leadership positions by sponsoring customized leadership programmes for employees, with an emphasis on women. Last year we strengthened our advocacy efforts by relaunching the South African Chapter of bpWIN (bp Women’s International Network), a forum that aims to support women in bp and promote gender equity.

Beyond corporate leadership roles, the inclusion of women within the supply chain remains a key pillar of women empowerment. In 2005, we formed Masana Petroleum Solutions, which is 54% black-owned – of that, 23% is held by women. Masana is the interface between bpSA and our business customers. Today, Masana has become a material player in the energy ecosystem.

In 2022, we were intentional in selling our East London terminal to a 100% black woman-owned company, WASAA, and securing offtake to ensure financial viability. By the end of the same year, our spending with entities that were more than 50%-owned by black women had increased by 33% year on year. We continue to strive to better those numbers.

Personally, I am committed to the ethos of "uplifting other women and grooming better men“, which aligns with my passion for promoting equality in the workplace. I am fortunate to work with a leadership team that understands and supports gender diversity, male allyship and the overall transformation agenda.

2. What key challenges have you faced as a woman in the African business landscape, and how have you overcome them? Which achievements are you most proud of?

Rising above perceptions around the leadership potential and ability of women comes with its challenges. Gender bias is real. While women have the same ability to lead as their male counterparts, it is widely reported that we have to work twice as hard to receive the same recognition. This is further amplified in Africa where cultural norms intersect with the corporate environment resulting in unconscious biases regarding people’s expectations of the role of a leader, and their expectations of the role of a woman. These biases continue despite the recognition that women across Africa are considered “home makers” which is a great leadership trait. It is therefore important to find support structures, such as mentors, to anchor you along the way – something I quickly realized when my leadership journey started way back in 2002. It is equally important for leaders to use the platforms we have to elevate others as we rise.

The most challenging experiences occurred as a young leader when I felt unheard in male dominated boardrooms, a frequent occurrence in the early to mid-2000s. My initial instinct was to doubt my competence and withdraw from the conversation. I was able to conquer this through the assistance of the great mentors I’ve had along the way. Young women leaders are further disadvantaged by their “biological clocks”, particularly for those who desire to have children. It is for this reason that all leaders should be advocating for inclusive environments that enable women to thrive in the workplace.

I became CEO at bpSA at a time of major global disruption, both at bp and the world at large. The global oil industry was facing immense challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently the Russia / Ukraine conflict – and bp was undergoing a major global restructure as part of a new strategy to become a net zero emissions company by 2050 or sooner. As you can imagine, it was a period of leading through great uncertainty. This required visible leadership and strategic focus to weather the storms we encountered. We navigated this period with care and I’m immensely proud of the outcomes we’ve achieved as a team.

One of the things I value most is authentic leadership and I’ve found that staying true to my core values has kept me grounded and focused on the things that matter – helping me navigate through challenging times. Having a supportive family has also given me the confidence to seize opportunities as they came up, and to learn from my mistakes rather than be defeated by them.

3. What advice would you give to young women aiming for leadership roles in business? What essential qualities and skills do you believe are needed for lasting success?

• Be bold and courageous – far too often, we “self-sabotage” through our limiting beliefs. Stepping into zones of discomfort also indicates to those around us that we are capable.

• It is also essential to maintain good work-life integration, ensuring that you do not leave your primary support structure – your family – behind in your growth journey. That means as a wife and/or mother you need help that you can rely upon at home.

• If you find yourself at the bottom of the ladder, or filling a meaningless position in a corporate environment which is clearly hostile to promoting women despite calls for intervention, move somewhere else. You’ll thrive where you are valued.

• To get ahead in a challenging environment, it’s absolutely critical to remain grounded in your value system. That will help you to remain authentic in engagements and it will define your leadership style. This also contributes to a positive work environment, as younger leaders build confidence in an authentic environment. Be authentic about who you are then you will understand what you need to do to grow and become better at it. When you make a choice to let your true self be seen by being vulnerable, you gain the freedom to lead.

4. What are your future goals for bp Southern Africa, especially in advancing gender equality and empowering women?

bpSA has made great strides in terms of driving transformation, but we know there’s still more to be done. We are focused on building a solid pipeline of diverse talent, including strong women representation. Inclusion of women within our supply chain remains a focus area, and we are continuously intensifying our efforts to ensure we maintain our market leading position on diversity.

As we continue to take intentional steps to create opportunities for under-represented groups, I look forward to a future where the energy sector has a rich resource of female talent and leadership from all walks of life.