In celebration of Women’s Month, Citadel recently hosted a thought-provoking webinar titled Peaks and Purpose, bringing together a panel of accomplished women to share guidance on financial empowerment, leadership and legacy planning.

Women are driving some of the fastest-growing shifts in South Africa’s economy, from entrepreneurship and boardroom leadership to controlling intergenerational wealth. Yet research shows many still face critical barriers when it comes to navigating career transitions, building financial resilience and preparing the next generation. Citadel’s recent Peaks and Purpose webinar brought together 3 leading women to unpack how financial literacy, purposeful planning and inclusive leadership can turn these transitions into lasting legacies.

FINANCIAL CONFIDENCE IS EVERYTHING

“Financial confidence gives you the platform to focus on what really matters, whether that’s leading a business, giving back or pursuing personal passions. Without it, doubt creeps in and limits your potential,” says Christelle Louw, Advisory Partner at Citadel.

MONEY AS A TOOL FOR FREEDOM

Louw emphasises that transitions, whether stepping into leadership roles, launching a business or making significant lifestyle changes, require conversations that go beyond salaries and business plans. “Decisions should also consider family, relationships and long-term lifestyle objectives, ideally guided by expert, objective advice,” she explains.

Entrepreneur Jeanne van der Merwe, former CEO, owner and founder of Elgin Free Range Chicken, encourages women to view money as a source of empowerment: “Selling my business was a defining moment. For the first year, I made no major decisions, I invested in myself, reconnected with the parts of life I had neglected and learnt there was no pressure to keep achieving. Today, I give back on my own terms, mentoring others and sharing my experience without the stress or expectations that once defined my life.”

BEYOND THE NUMBERS: REDEFINING LEGACY

“Legacy isn’t just financial; it’s about passing down values, empowering others and creating opportunities,” Louw notes. “One client’s legacy involved helping her sister get to university, which transformed her sister’s life and career trajectory.”

Kumeshnee Singh, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of an Investment Holding and Private Equity Group, adds: “We need different mentors for different aspects of our lives, for different aspects of our careers and in different seasons of our lives. But more importantly, we need champions and we need to be champions for the people that we lead. It means opening doors that would not have ordinarily been available to those individuals and creating a space that allows them to be more, to do more and to actually rise above us.”

PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION

“Unmanaged wealth can quickly become a burden,” Louw cautions. “If you don’t share your values and financial principles with the next generation, inherited wealth can disappear quickly. Equipping beneficiaries with financial literacy and emotional readiness is as important as the wealth itself.”

In today’s globalised world, cross-border wealth transfers present additional challenges, making tailored planning and open intergenerational conversations crucial.

LEADERSHIP BEYOND GENDER

“We’ve moved past seeing women in leadership roles as exceptional; it’s now the norm,” says Louw. “True leadership is about diversity, not just gender. The responsibility of any leader is to create space for others to grow into their potential.”

Nicky Newton-King, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), reinforces this perspective: “The first is you must always hire the very best talent that you can get and preferably people are better than you and then it’s about letting them play in their lane, you set the direction and people come with you on that journey.”

THRIVING THROUGH CHANGE

Women who combine ambition with financial confidence and purposeful planning are best positioned to navigate uncertainty, seize opportunities and leave lasting legacies.

“The most fulfilling transitions are those where you’ve prepared for both the practical and the personal,” Louw concludes. “That’s when change becomes less of a risk and more of an opportunity to thrive.”