SA energy entrepreneur takes 7th place in African think-tank rankings
October 2022
News
Linda Mabhena-Olagunju.
Linda Mabhena-Olagunju, founder and CEO of DLO Energy Resources Group, which owns the largest wind farm in South Africa, has been ranked seventh out of 100 contenders in the prestigious Choiseul 100 Africa listing. This makes her the only South African, and one of only four women, included in the ranking. It is also her fifth consecutive appearance on the list.
Mabhena-Olagunju is listed in the top 10 alongside formidable women such as Leila Bouamatou, managing director and board member of Générale de Banque de Mauritanie; Amrote Abdella, general manager for Amazon Web Service in sub-Saharan Africa; and Anta Babacar Ngom Diack, managing director of Sedima Group.
The Institut Choiseul was founded in 2010 and is a highly influential body acting as an independent think-tank focusing on economic governance and leadership. The Choiseul 100 Africa ranking was launched to highlight the talent of Africa’s young economic leaders and create a network for the young leaders who embody the dynamism of an entire continent. The annual study, carried out independently by the Institut Choiseul, selects and classifies work over the course of several months in consultation with experts and specialists on the continent.
Specific conditions must be met for an individual to be eligible for the ranking:
• Citizen of one of the 54 African states.
• 40 years old or younger as of 31 December 2021.
• Active contributor to the economic development of Africa.
To rank the selected profiles, several weighted criteria are considered, such as the reputation, background and skill of the applicant; their function, influence and networks; potential and leadership. The total score obtained in the different categories determines the position of each laureate in the final ranking. The methodology is dedicated to representing all the African regions and as many countries as possible to identify an elite cohort from across the continent and from all value-creating sectors.
“I am humbled to be listed for the fifth consecutive year and I am equally impressed to at least see four women in the top 10 rankings. The target now is to have the top five occupied by more qualified and deserving women, and hopefully I can get to that number one spot for South Africa,” said Mabhena-Olagunju.
Further reading:
Africa’s industrial future is still being written
News
Bosch Rexroth Africa marks 60 years on the continent, reflecting on the value of local capability, training and partnerships in driving the next phase of African industrial growth.
Read more...
Women belong at the heart of mining engineering
News
Dr Adwoa Boaduo, group head of safety at Rosond, sees an opportunity to challenge outdated perceptions about women in mining and engineering.
Read more...
WearCheck demonstrates advanced condition monitoring at Electra Mining
Wearcheck
News
Condition monitoring specialist WearCheck will demonstrate its used-oil analysis, fuel analysis, transformer chemistry and asset reliability services at Electra Mining Africa as the company marks 50 years of predictive maintenance expertise.
Read more...
Endress+Hauser to showcase measurement and automation solutions at Electra Mining
Endress+Hauser South Africa
News
Endress+Hauser will demonstrate process automation, measurement technology and digital transformation solutions at Electra Mining Africa 2026, with interactive displays and expert guidance for mining, minerals, water and wastewater industries.
Read more...
ACTOM invests in South Africa’s industrial future
ACTOM Electrical Machines
News
ACTOM has transformed its Pretoria West facility into an integrated manufacturing hub for large power transformers, high-voltage equipment and lithium-ion battery energy storage systems, quadrupling transformer capacity and establishing a complete local energy storage ecosystem.
Read more...
WEG’s technologies at Electra Mining Africa 2026
WEG Africa
News
At Electra Mining Africa 2026, WEG Africa will showcase its top solutions services, and expertise built for the mining sector.
Read more...
SA’s future engineers in action
News
AvenirHoldings sponsors the 2026 SAICE Aqualibrium Schools Competition, supporting young engineering talent across South Africa and Eswatini.
Read more...
Rooibos heads to space in groundbreaking South African STEM initiative
News
Rooibos seeds will be sent to the International Space Station as part of a first-of-its-kind South African initiative combining space-based plant science with hands-on STEM education for learners in the Cederberg region and Cape Town.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: Turning the tide
Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control)
News
Our last few Sustainable Manufacturing guides have tracked the changes in the energy industry in South Africa. This year, I found that the story has moved on still further.
South Africa’s manufacturing
...
Read more...
Engineering a more inclusive future
News
Women engineers at Zutari are helping shape resilient communities across Africa and the Middle East, while inspiring the next generation to enter the profession in areas ranging from water security to large-scale urban developments.
Read more...
printer friendly version