Kolosa Madikizela has been appointed as Managing Director for Pragma Africa after a brief stint away from the company. Her responsibilities will include the execution of the leading asset management company’s strategic plan, looking after the company’s entire African interests as well as ensuring that Pragma’s culture of diversity and inclusiveness remains intact.
Madikizela has extensive experience in facilities management and maintenance strategies. While she started her career at Total Facilities Management, she has also shown her mettle as a General Manager for the Aveng Group at Aveng Water, as CEO at Nexus Facilities Management and at Shell SA as Facilities Management Contracts (FMC) Manager.
She joined Pragma in 2014, where she started as Executive Director and later became Managing Director of Pragma Africa. Says Madikizela: “After taking some time off to focus on registering for my PhD at the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Department of Construction Economics and Management, I joined the Aurecon Group as Head of the Gauteng Built Environment Unit. I also work as a freelance talk show host on Cape Talk over weekends, another passion of mine. I absolutely love it! My topics range from engineering to construction technologies, infrastructure development to real estate, as well as smart cities – all subjects I’m very passionate about. My focus here is to be both inspirational and informative.”
Madikizela has assisted as external moderator at the University of Johannesburg. “I was a member of the advisory committee and really enjoy moderating and being on advisory committees. It gives me a good idea of what is happening academically in our country and where improvements can be made. Furthermore, I’m on the industry advisory committee for Construction Economics and Management at UCT. I’m also a member of the Project Management Institute and the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa. I think it all adds to my experience and enables me to become a better leader,” she adds.
She continues: “As you can see, I like to stay busy. I’m really excited to be back at Pragma as Managing Director for Pragma Africa. I’ve always had a soft spot for the company, but needed to spread my wings a bit and gain a different perspective on corporate South Africa.”
Madikizela always strives to ensure that the leadership roles she takes on are a source of inspiration to young people: “I really want to inspire young professionals, especially women, and actively drive transformation within the existing engineering community. Although we’ve made some strides over the years, there is still lots to be done.”
According to her colleagues, Madikizela is a natural leader and has a gift for inclusive decision-making. This skill, combined with her strategic thinking abilities, makes her the ideal candidate to take Pragma Africa to even greater heights.
“I’m excited about my new role and am proud to be part of the Pragma family again. As MD, I’ll have the opportunity to bring world-class asset management solutions to more clients in Africa, a continent which stands to win the most from investment in strategic enterprise asset management solutions. As a company, we can make an enormous difference with our consistent product and service delivery, offering reliable high performing assets supported by sound asset management. We always take the time to understand our clients’ needs and go the extra mile to deliver on those needs,” Madikizela explains.
Madikizela holds a Master of Technology Degree in Construction Management from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. As an activist for women’s’ rights, her research topic for her Master of Technology Degree in Construction Management was centred on the career progression of females in historically male dominant industries such as Property and Construction. The research paper, Influences on Women’s Choices of Careers in Construction: A South African study, was published in the Australasian Journal of Construction Economics and Building 2010. The Australasian Journal of Construction Economics & Building is recognised internationally as a leading source on the business of building.
She adds: “I’ll continue my research into transformation and diversity during my PhD studies, but will add innovation to it. I honestly believe that, in order for engineering organisations to move the dial on innovation and come up with better innovative solutions, diversity is key.”
So how does this powerhouse balance work and her private life? “By going to gym, hiking, teaching and reading. My other hobbies include cooking, space planning, interior decorating and writing. I also love uplifting others and sharing positivity wherever I go,” Madikizela concludes.
To connect with Kolosa Madikizela, visit her profile on LinkedIn or visit http://www.pragmaworld.net/.
Visit www.pragmaworld.net for further info on Pragma Africa.
