In celebration of International Women’s month, we’d like to share a little bit about the three incredible women who spearhead TS&A Events.
With three Top 40 Women in MICE nominations between them, Yolandi Michaels, Sue Aerts, and Terry Sutherland are a formidable trio, each inimitable in their own right.
TS&A is an acronym for The Swans and Ant, and it’s these three women who’ve taken on the persona of ‘The Swans’ – calm in the face of whatever an event throws at them, and graceful in all that they do, the women of TS&A have each carved out a legacy of their own.
Each of the three women behind TS&A continue to craft impressive legacies that are inspiring young women (and men) hoping to enter the industry.
In addition to running TS&A, Yolandi, Sue and Terry each spearhead their own thriving businesses. Terry weighs in: “In my opinion, women are successful in everything they do because they’re always completely invested in the best outcome for everyone involved – the clients, the guests and the business. We don’t carry inflated egos around with us, which stands us in better stead to make informed decisions as opposed to those based on ego.”
The event industry is one of the few industries where women lead the way.
“Whether due to our ability to multitask, our capacity for endless patience, or the fact that women are able to forego ego when making crucial business decisions, this is one industry where women reign supreme”, says Terry. “Numerous studies have identified the event industry as one of the most stressful on the planet, and the fact that South Africa’s event industry is dominated by women is a testament to our level-headedness, resilience, and tireless determination.”
While women dominate the eventing industry, there are still various barriers that prevent them from fully participating at the highest levels of business and government.
According to Janine Hicks from the Commission for Gender Equality, women in South Africa represent just 29% of Executive Managers, 22% of Directors of companies, 9% of Chairs of Boards and a mere 2.4% of Chief Executives. With this in mind, Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo, Chief Convention Bureau Officer at SANCB, stated during her speech at the 2016 Top 40 Women in MICE Awards, “It has now become urgent and dare I even say, non-negotiable that women representation becomes a priority”.
Now in its fourth year, The Top 40 Women in MICE celebrates the outstanding achievements of leading ladies in the meetings, incentives, conference and exhibition industry.
Martin Hiller, organiser of the Top 40 Women in MICE adds: “That is why it is so important to recognise the achievements of the women in our industry. Having so many outstanding women who are doing amazing things for this industry, we should be proud of them and celebrate their achievements. For one to make this list, we consider everything from their ability to motivate those they work with and the influence they have over clients and peers, to the amount of money they generate or simply the passion they have for this industry. TS&A understands the important role that women play in the MICE industry and that is why three of its key role-players have been recognised by this initiative.”
