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Dawn Nathan-Jones, the chief executive officer of Imperial Car Rental Europcar, has been announced as a finalist in the Nedbank-sponsored 2008 Businesswoman of the Year Awards (BWOYA). No-one could make it as far as she has without passionate determination and a fantastic head for business.
Although perhaps it’s her modesty that keeps her feet firmly planted on the ground and her brain negotiating one successful merger after another.The awards have been recognising and honouring South Africa’s outstanding businesswomen since 1980. They have grown in stature over the past 29 years to become one of the premier events of their kind in the country and a notable part of the South African business calendar. The names of seven finalists, spanning the Corporate Businesswoman and Entrepreneur categories, were announced at a function held recently at the Nedbank head office in Sandton. All from diverse sectors of the economy, each finalist was nominated by her peers.
Dawn is up against Jene Palmer, CEO of Spescom Ltd; Kholeka Mzondeki, financial director of Masana Petroleum Solutions; and Mardia van der Walt-Korsten, CEO of T-Systems SA. Finalists in the Entrepreneurial Businesswoman category include Tania Holgate, Sole Member of Zululand Gas Company; Chichi Maponya, managing director of Maponya Group; and Ayanda Mbanga, managing director of Ayanda Mbanga Communications.
The winner in each category will be announced at a gala banquet to be held at Emperors Palace on 14 August, to mark the Women’s Month celebrations.
Basetsana Kumalo, the President of the Businesswomen’s Association, said that the organisation was pleased to see how diverse the entries for this year’s awards had been, as it was a reflection of the increased participation by women in critical sectors of the economy.
“Being nominated is an honour and totally unexpected,” says Dawn. She explains that it gives credibility to the Imperial Europcar Brand and recognition to the company’s employees. “It is difficult to accept the nomination without giving credit to my fantastic team and the other people around me who have contributed to the success of the business and my role in it,” she adds.
This filtering down of a professional work ethos is evident in Imperial’s Edenvale offices, where visitors are welcomed by on-the-ball front office personnel, fielding a busy switchboard and front counter with panache.
A lover of wildlife and exercise, Dawn aimed to travel the world when she left school. “I decided that I would find something to study after my travels,” she says. Instead, she met Carol Scott, her mentor who founded Imperial Car Rental in 1979 with a humble fleet of nine cars in a small office in Johannesburg. “Our successful philosophy was to think big, but provide an outstanding service to each and every customer – a philosophy that still strongly exists in our merged business today,” Dawn explains.
Dawn worked with and learnt from Carol for almost three decades. It was Dawn who nominated Carol for the BWOYA award in 1989 and no-one could have been prouder when her role model went on to claim the coveted title. And now student may be set to emulate teacher, with Dawn’s auspicious nomination. “Bill Lynch, a winner of the World Entrepreneur of the Year Award, was also a key person in my career,” Dawn adds.
CEO since 1999, Dawn has increased the business’ turnover to R1 billion, double what it was five years ago. Imperial Car Rental Europcar now operates a fleet of 16 000 vehicles, giving rise to an asset base of R1.4 billion. Dawn’s vision for business growth is evident in the development of the brand in seven southern African countries.
She kicked off her 28-year career as a rental agent in Durban in 1980. Quickly rising through the ranks, Dawn became the regional manager of the KwaZulu-Natal region, before moving up to Johannesburg in 1985 to run the sales division. She was appointed to the Board in 1986, and has had numerous successes since.
Boss of the Year 2007
Being nominated by her employees as 2007 Boss of the Year, and then winning the title, is an achievement that Dawn holds in high regard. “I didn’t know that I had been nominated. It was totally unexpected and a truly humbling experience. I would have to say that this has been the highlight of my career,” says this modest businesswoman, who heads up a team of about 1 200 permanent staff members.
In the latter part of 2007, Dawn managed the ‘immense, complex and successful’ merger of Imperial and Europcar, making her the custodian of the southern African arm of one of the renowned car rental brands in the world. Dawn says that her greatest achievement, however, is seeing the people around her grow. She explains that she has former staff who are now running their own successful businesses, others are in senior positions all over the country and some have remained staff of Imperial Car Rental Europcar for over 20 years.
“Being a catalyst for this growth is a great achievement for me,” she explains. Becoming a mother, winning Boss of the Year, becoming CEO and instilling true values into the company culture are milestones that have added richness to her life.
It’s certainly not all work and no play for this dynamic businesswoman, even though Dawn made many personal sacrifices to get where she is today.
Home is also quite hectic and busy with her two-year-old adopted son, Daniel. With two big hats to juggle, Dawn has got the balance right. “I have a lot of help and support from those around me. It’s hard to make certain sacrifices – like not spending as much time with loved ones – but weekends and holidays are sacred and it’s my time to unwind,” she says.
Dawn has served as chairperson of SAVRALA Car Rental Division since 1996 and as the vice president of SAVRALA for the past five years. She is a member of the Business Women’s Association, a patron of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, and serves on the Advisory Committee to the French Tourism Board. Driven by results, Dawn values people. As she says, “Without others, you cannot succeed.”
She is passionate about customer service and has had the opportunity to create industry benchmarks in terms of service. “I always revert to the mantra – ‘love what you do, and do what you love’ – this creates an enormous amount of energy within myself and my teams,” she says.
An admirer of hard-working, dedicated people with unwavering focus, Dawn says, “I dislike poor service, specifically if that’s the arena you’re playing in. South Africa has a reputation for bad service, which we all need to work together to change.”
Dawn doesn’t believe that the challenges facing women in business are any different from those of men. She explains that it is much easier now than it was in the 1980s.
“Sustainability, long-term strategic direction and leadership all form part of day-to-day challenges. The only distinction women sometimes face, is juggling both motherhood and career,” she says.
To aspiring businesswomen she adds, “Follow your dreams! Sometimes things do not work out how you would like them to, but it’s important to persevere. Sheer determination and grit are key attributes, as is never giving up. Sometimes you need to take calculated risks, but be prepared for everything.”
On the horizon is the repositioning of the Imperial brand to that of Europcar. “Imperial has taken on global players and become a successful challenger brand. In the next few months, we aim to reposition ourselves as Europcar,” says Dawn.
She values honesty and integrity and holds in esteem people who have overcome great challenges and become role models themselves.
“Richard Branson and Donald Trump have used their passion and energy to create their own success,” she explains.
Europcar was recently announced as Africa’s leading car hire company at the 2008 World Travel Awards held in Cape Town. The decision was based on a voting campaign in which more than 167 000 travel professionals participated. Again, the result of a dedicated, determined and most definitely modest Dawn.
With such little time on her hands, Dawn continues to hope and dream. “I hope South Africa continues to compete in the global economy, and that we find some resolve in the rest of Africa and become a force to be reckoned with,” she says.
South Africa is currently ranked as number one in terms of competitiveness within the car rental industry. While competitors battle it out among themselves, Dawn has ensured that Imperial Car Rental Europcar has become a formidable opponent. ?
Allison Cooper
