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Media Release
29 November 2024
ABSIP honours Mary Vilakazi, FirstRand CEO with prestigious Greg Boyd Award
FirstRand Group CEO Mary Vilakazi has been honoured with the prestigious Greg Boyd Award at the 2024 Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP) Awards. This significant accolade recognises her exceptional leadership, service, and unwavering commitment to transformation within the financial services sector.
Mary Vilakazi made history as the first female CEO of FirstRand Group and the second Black leader to head the organisation, breaking new ground in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Her leadership is a beacon of inspiration for aspiring professionals, particularly women. The ABSIP Greg Boyd Award is named after the late Greg Boyd, a pioneer of transformation in South Africa's financial services sector. It is presented to individuals who exemplify Boyd’s values of service, duty, and integrity, celebrating those who have significantly contributed to advancing equity and diversity in the industry.
The 2024 ABSIP Awards, themed “Pioneering Paths – Celebrating 30 Years of Leadership and Transformation in Financial Services,” marks ABSIP’s three decades of advocacy and reform. Since its inception in 1995, ABSIP has been at the forefront of increasing the representation of Black professionals in the financial services sector, with a particular emphasis on empowering women.
Vilakazi's leadership aligns seamlessly with ABSIP’s mission, and her achievements represent a vital milestone for the industry as a whole. Under her stewardship, FirstRand continues to demonstrate its commitment to transformation, fostering an inclusive workplace culture that benefits all stakeholders.
“This award is testament to Mary’s exceptional leadership and her dedication to shaping a more equitable financial services sector,” says Emrie Brown, RMB Chief Executive Officer. “Her journey inspires us all to aim higher and work harder to ensure that the South African financial landscape reflects the diversity and talent within our country.”
Vilakazi received the award at the ABSIP Awards ceremony held at the Houghton Hotel on 28 November 2024, where leaders from across the financial services industry gathered to celebrate the sector’s ongoing progress on transformation.
l am deeply humbled and profoundly honoured to accept this award” she said. “Thank you, ABSIP, for recognizing not just my contribution, but the collective efforts of so many who are working tirelessly to transform the financial sector in South Africa.
“For me, leadership is not about the individual; it is about service. When I make a decision, I measure it by its impact on the lives of those we serve, whether it’s our clients, our employees, or the communities we operate in.”
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