Women In Business: Frannie Leautier, Southbridge Investment

Ahead of International Women's Day on March 8, African Business is collecting the experiences of women leaders in African businesses and asking them how future progress can be assured.

In this interview, we hear from Frannie Leautier, partner and CEO at SouthBridge Investment.

AB: Is the glass ceiling getting easier to crack for African women in business?

Throughout my life I never thought of glass ceilings or limits when I approaching my studies or my work. I just did what I was interested in and went after any opportunities open to me at the time. When I was being interviewed for a role or a position was being offered to me, and the people interviewing or making the offer, made reference to or mentioned that I was being considered because I was a woman, I would systematically stop the interview and turn down the opportunity. So it is hard for me to give you a fact based answer on whether I have seen the glass ceiling getting easier to crack.

However, I do see a lot more women in finance, engineering, and in high level positions in investing, as well as in boardrooms. And I serve as a board member on a listed company with a woman CEO. I serve on boards with more than one other woman on it, so I am not the only woman, which I used to be for a long time. So from my perspective things seem to have improved compared to what they were even five years ago.