After 35 years of working in some of the most successful local and global companies, Jacquie Bhana recently left the corporate world to do what she loves – developing people, seeing them grow and becoming better as people and helping them, as human beings, work towards their aspirations.

Her years of experience and success with people development makes Jacquie an ideal person with whom to work. Her company, Jacquie Bhana Consulting, is a BBBEE level 1 entity.

Jacquie has worked in various business sectors, including agriculture, financial services, engineering, automotive and retail. Within these sectors, she has worked at a senior level in both marketing and human resource functions, in management, executive and non-executive roles. The companies that Jacquie has worked for include VWSA, Bostik and British United Engineering, McCarthy Motor Holdings and Tongaat Hulett. She currently serves on the board of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry as the first vice president.

The experience that Jaquie has acquired involves the development and facilitation of a range of leadership, management, skills training and graduate programmes, as well as diversity management initiatives at both executive and non-executive levels.

Jacquie says, “I have been in the trenches – been there, done that and I have worked with a number of people development issues with various stakeholders, including labour, government, and student bodies. A key interest of mine is new managers, executives and women in particular. A new focus area is mental health coaching and counselling, following the effects of Covid.”

In addition, Jacquie says she believes that she can make a bigger impact beyond the gates of a corporate and the borders of South Africa. “I am well equipped to work as a coach and mentor with bright young minds, with emphasis on new managers, small business owners and women in particular, especially those from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, having spent a lot of my time in corporate South Africa, informally working in this area, with great results.”

Jacquie explained that having grown up in the Eastern Cape, attending a township school and having accomplished many career goals against serious odds, she can relate well to them.

Human Resources graduate intern, Xolani Magubane, said mentorship had been a huge part of his personal and professional development as an aspiring chartered HR practitioner. “Jacquie Bhana helped me to actualise my vision and the ordinary goals I have for my career, and further created a space for me to develop a more nuanced approach to career planning and my associations beyond the professional sphere. It has been an amazing experience to have her as a mentor and coach as she is always able to strike a good balance of careful listening whilst sharing her wealth of knowledge, ideas, and experience. In a nutshell, it has been a thought-provoking and life-changing journey that has made me look forward to adding value from an HR perspective.”

Speaking of Jacquie’s mentorship, Natasha Thomas-Kasangana said, “Our first development conversation happened 15 years ago, as a law student, pursuing articles of clerkship at the big five law firms in a new city away from all the family or friends that had been so instrumental in delivering me that juncture. Jacquie has helped me to be more than a lawyer. She has taught me how to generously co-create business solutions. She also reminds me to maintain my sense of humour such that all those around me are equally at ease.”

“For many years, we were denied the privilege of senior and leadership roles, but now we can become anything we want to be – to work beyond the old status quo, to shatter the proverbial glass ceilings – both in corporate and small business. It is truly an exciting and exhilarating time to be in business,” concluded Jacquie.