E+I Empowering Women in Leadership Roles

Paul Middleton, Director at E+I, explains: “When we entered into a partnership with Nombini Mehlomakulu, we realised we had made the right decision. Her commitment to excellence has not only brought new growth to the firm, but our clients have also enjoyed her diverse perspectives and wealth of expertise.”

Middleton said Mehlomakulu’s leadership skills are a huge benefit to the company, and she personally uses them. “She is involved in every aspect of the business, a familiar face to clients, and a mentor to the growing talent at the company,” she said, adding, “E+I has a diverse team of women in a variety of roles, from entry-level to senior leadership; all of whom look up to Nombini for her guidance, experience, and knowledge to be the best they can be, and are not afraid to achieve their goals and aspirations.”

As Managing Director of E+I, Mehlomakulu stressed that she had already gained a wealth of experience in senior leadership roles in the business prior to joining E+I, and one of the things she is passionate about and proud of is empowering and mentoring other women, teaching and sharing knowledge. “Every woman who works at E+I contributes to the continued success of the company as they lead both internal and external services. I am proud that we have been able to attract such a talented group of women,” she said.

“As the head of an integrated agency, I am responsible for the strategy and future of the agency, which means I am constantly looking at which direction we need to move in, what more content we need to develop, and what adjustments might be needed. This is a difficult task in our turbulent environment,” said Mehlomakulu.

We cannot deny that the workplace is highly unequal and this is a reflection of the society we live in. There are gender, racial and many other inequalities. As a leader it is my responsibility to ensure we create fair and equal opportunities for our female colleagues and leaders. As women we need to develop confidence and belief in ourselves and each other, build and strengthen our networks as it is these networks that will ensure we can navigate the sometimes precarious landscape of business and commerce. It does sound cliché, we really do need to continue to lean on and support each other. We cannot thrive as isolated individuals – my support for women is what I call a ‘sanity check committee’.

As women, we wear many hats, constantly juggling roles, our minds are never at peace and we have to find ways to cope with all challenges. Is it challenging? Of course it is. We encounter structural barriers that always exist in society, communities and businesses every day… My motto is “We need to find a way to win at all times.” We need to be relentless in our pursuit of achievement, commitment and excellence.

I have to be honest and say that I love what I do. I enjoy and have fun doing it. Let’s not forget the sense of fulfillment we get from our work, which really gives us a sense of purpose. And other roles we identify with. These opportunities have not always been offered to women, however, we now live in a time where with enough grit, determination, support from the team, and a conducive environment, the so-called glass ceiling can be broken – goals can be achieved! I hope we can all create an environment that supports and helps women thrive and excel in the workplace. This is what we strive to create and promote at E+I,” said Mehlomakulu.

mehlomakuru

Nombini Mehlomakulu is the Managing Director of Ebony+Ivory, one of the oldest independent professional services agencies with a history of over half a century, a rarity in the industry. We combine all the services of a traditional agency with the digital age.