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Videsha Proothveerajh, Vodacom Business Director.

In a landscape marked by geopolitical instability, economic volatility, and unprecedented cyber threats, Videsha Proothveerajh, Director of Vodacom Business, has stood out for her ability to navigate complexity while building cultures where people thrive, fundamentally reimagining what it means to lead in times of crisis.

When leading through unprecedented complexity, Proothveerajh explains that the traditional command-and-control model simply doesn’t work. Instead, she advocates for collaborative problem-solving grounded in three interconnected elements.

First comes clarity of purpose. “At Vodacom Business, we’re guided by a singular purpose: enabling organisations to succeed by removing infrastructure barriers,” she says. This clarity becomes the foundation for every decision. Second is building integrated partnerships. “Fragmentation is a vulnerability multiplier,” Proothveerajh warns. “We deliberately build seamlessly integrated ecosystems so that when crises emerge, response is swift and coordinated.”

But perhaps most critically, she emphasises trust. “Rapid adaptation requires teams to make decisions with incomplete information. That’s only possible in environments where trust precedes authority. I invest consistently in trusted relationships and communicate transparently about constraints to create psychological safety where teams can raise concerns and propose unconventional solutions.”

The key to embedding this philosophy lies in how she models it daily. Rather than selling a vision from the top, Proothveerajh lives it visibly and vulnerably. “My title gives me authority, but my conviction about why the work matters gives me influence. When team members see their perspectives genuinely influencing strategy, buy-in deepens from compliance to commitment. I demonstrate through visible action that inclusion isn’t corporate rhetoric. When our leadership reflects diversity, when decisions account for perspectives beyond the room, teams see the vision embodied and commit accordingly.”

This integrated approach extends to crisis management. What distinguishes her leadership is how she extracts learning from disruption. “Every crisis reveals what was already true but hidden. Leaders who transform crisis into advantage are those who act decisively on what they’ve learned. Rigorous post incident analysis often uncovers systemic improvements that become durable competitive advantages.”

Asked about enabling women to have a voice in the boardroom, Proothveerajh emphasises that women bring irreplaceable value to decision-making. “This is key to organisational resilience. The most complex challenges benefit from cognitive diversity. Women’s experiences and problem-solving approaches, shaped by navigating different constraints than men, create decision-making teams that see opportunities and risks others miss.”

She identifies critical strengths: systems thinking that leads integrated solutions; authentic partnerships built on genuine relationships; and purpose-orientation that creates organisations outlasting any individual leader.

For women advancing their careers, her guidance is direct: “Ask for what you’re worth and stand up for yourself. This isn’t aggressive, but necessary. We must name our accomplishments, articulate our value, and actively pursue opportunities.”

Her core leadership lessons are to listen before directing, proactively invest in building trust, and lead from purpose rather than position.

“Remain curious and intellectually humble. Stay teachable, genuinely listen to diverse perspectives, and deliberately invest in visibility and networks.”

Vodacom’s data shows women represent 41.7% of management and senior leadership.

“At Vodacom Business, I’m committed to ensuring women are genuine holders of power and decision-making authority. This commitment requires vigilance, structural change, and leadership willing to evolve. It’s also where our competitive advantage lies.”

vodacombusiness.co.za