After 23 years of dedicated service, Thembi Moyo will be retiring from her full-time responsibilities as the CEO of Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway (BBR) Company.
BBR, in which Grindrod holds a controlling interest, is responsible for managing the rail concession in Zimbabwe between Beitbridge and Victoria Falls.
Thembi was born in a village called Sipolilo in Mashonaland, Zimbabwe. As a family, they moved to different parts of Mashonaland before moving to Harare when Thembi was a teenager.
An accountant and chartered secretary by profession, Thembi holds a Master's degree in Business Administration from Nottingham Trent University (UK). She is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Administrators and Secretaries (ACIS), among other qualifications. Inspired by her father, Thembi continued learning throughout her career.
Thembi's first job was in the rail industry, working for National Railways of Zimbabwe, then known as Rhodesia Railways, as a manageress/secretary for the recreation club in Date and reporting directly to the general manager. Thembi worked for numerous companies as her career progressed before joining Manica Zimbabwe as a divisional finance manager, where she was later promoted to national finance manager. Thembi joined BBR at the company's inception in May 1999 in preparation for the commissioning in September of the same year. While in the role of the company secretary, Thembi was intimately involved in the handover of the New Limpopo Bridge to The Government of Zimbabwe at the expiry of the 30-year BOOT term - the first time a BOOT concession of this nature had successfully run to term in southern Africa.
In December 2015, Thembi was appointed CEO of BBR, the first woman to lead a railway operation in Zimbabwe and southern Africa. Thembi has spearheaded multimillion-dollar business projects and steered the company through challenging economic environments. She introduced a new fleet of locomotives, expanded BBR's operations for domestic and international traffic, and still found the time to contribute in a very personal way on behalf of BBR to institutions and individuals in need.
Thembi's leadership has also been recognised by her peers, being elected to serve two consecutive terms as the Chairperson of the South African Railways Association.
Thembi shared her thoughts in a recent interview.
- What advice would you give to someone hoping to grow in their position or advance their career?
Give your best all the time and be true to yourself – know your constraints. Working hard is only the starting point. As per the Japanese term, Kaizen, continuous improvement - small, ongoing positive changes - can reap significant improvement. - What personal attributes do you think contribute to success and achieving goals?
Attributes include focus, dedication, integrity, desire to do better, relentless learning, hard work, and self-discipline. - Who or what inspires you?
Tackling challenges, being appreciated, staying occupied, and encouraging those around me. - Do you have a favourite quote?
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. No matter how insurmountable the goal is, just start, and the rest will fall into place. - What have you enjoyed most about your work?
The wide variety of work experience and meeting different people of different backgrounds and levels. The fact that I could interact with top leaders and yet still be able to relate with the lowest in the ranks or even the underprivileged. - Is there an event that stands our for you?
Some years ago, I donated, on BBR's behalf, wheelchairs, crutches, and walking frames to the Jairos Jiri Centre in Harare. I decided to make their dream of a train ride come true, hired a National Railways of Zimbabwe passenger train, and took more than 140 disabled children from the centre on a train ride to Norton.
Thembi has had a remarkable and successful career, contributing to the growth of the BBR brand and the associated triple P (Public-Private Partnership) principle using the BOOT (Build Own Operate and Transfer) model to become a regional and international icon. Institutions such as the World Bank use NLB and BBR as reference cases for successful PPPs.
While Thembi will continue to provide guidance and support to BBR on a consultancy basis, she intends to have more fun, spend more time with her family, play more golf, and travel.
We thank Thembi for her immense contribution to BBR and wish her well in her retirement.