Women entrepreneurs and those in leadership positions have been encouraged to collaborate and establish business networks and linkages that will help them succeed and become global business players. That stemmed from renowned women panellists at the De Beers Group of Companies’ inaugural women summit themed: “The De Beers W Summit” held at Masa Square Hotel in Gaborone recently.

The summit that focused on business linkages for building prosperity, diversification and growth was held in celebration of Botswana’s 50th independence anniversary and international women’s month.

In her welcome remarks, former cabinet minister, Dr Gaositwe Chiepe said women in Southern Africa had worked hard and played so many roles in society and thus had the skill to manage it all. “We are executives, leaders, mothers, wives, friends, sisters, daughters, caregivers, employees, entrepreneurs and students. We have the capacity to push boundaries beyond what we could ever imagine,” she said.

Reflecting on the qualities of a woman that hold the nation together and lead to success, Dr Chiepe said an empowered woman was that of character, virtue, confidence and content with who she was. She explained that the nature and calibre of women who could take Botswana to the next level and succeed would be those who were tenacious, not defeated by any challenge, focused, executors, cultured and well mannered.

“This type of woman is not concerned or discouraged by her current circumstances,” she added. She said while there were a number of women who had impacted the nation in the past 50 years, her message was focused on the unknown women who would have influence in the next five decades.

“These women may be unknown, but deep down in your hearts,youknowyourselves.You know you can and that you will be part of history,” she said. Delivering a keynote address on unlocking strategic regional collaboration, Community Investment Holdings chairperson, Dr Anna Mokgokong encouraged women entrepreneurs to take advantage of the power they possessed by continuing to demonstrate their comradeship. “Let us seize opportunities and dismantle all obstacles that stand in our way. We have the power to do it,” Dr Mokgokong said.

To achieve such, she said women in leadership and business should emulate their female counterparts, globally and in the continent, who had succeeded in doing business together through collaboration, business networks and linkages. Such profound business networks and linkages, she said, were imperative for women entrepreneurs and astute business figures to flourish and develop.

Presenting a McKinsey & Company report titled “Women Matter Africa: Making Gender Diversity A Reality,” McKinsey & Company Africa partner, Ms Tania Holt said although 95 per cent of chief executive officers in Africa were men, the report revealed that organisations that had more women in leadership positions did well financially. “Women bring a different perspective into decision making. ,” she added.