{{Short description|South African businesswoman}} {{Infobox person | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|36|2005|03|09}} | birth_place = Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape<br />South Africa | alma_mater = University of South Africa | occupation = Businesswoman | years_active = 1995–present }}
'''Kandimathie Christine Ramon''' (born 1968 or 1969) is a South African businesswoman and chartered accountant. Before taking early retirement in 2022, she was the Chief Financial Officer at AngloGold Ashanti, where she was also interim chief executive officer between 2020 and 2021. Before that, she was the chief financial officer at Sasol and the chief executive officer at Cyril Ramaphosa's Johnnic Holdings.
== Early life and career == Ramon was born in 1968 or 1969<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=9 March 2005 |title=Johnnic appoints new CEO |url=https://www.news24.com/fin24/johnnic-appoints-new-ceo-20050309 |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref> in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.<ref>{{Cite web |title=South Africa's 30 wonder women |url=https://www.leader.co.za/article.aspx?s=6&f=1&a=3890 |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=Leader}}</ref> She was one of five siblings, including a twin sister. After finishing high school, she worked part-time for the Mthatha office of Coopers & Lybrand while studying accounting through the University of South Africa.'''<ref name=":0" />'''<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=3 August 2014 |title=Christine Ramon is back from her hiatus |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/christine-ramon-is-back-from-her-hiatus-20150430 |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1988, she graduated with her bachelor's degree,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Christine Ramon |url=https://cfo.co.za/profiles/christine-ramon/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=CFO South Africa |language=en-US}}</ref> and at age 23, she – like three of her four siblings – qualified as a chartered accountant.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Rainmakers & Potstirrers: Christine Ramon |url=https://www.miningmx.com/rainmakers/christine-ramon/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=Miningmx |language=en-ZA}}</ref>
She remained at Coopers & Lybrand until 1994, working as an auditor at the firm's offices in South Africa and in Verona, Italy. In 1994, ahead of South Africa's first post-apartheid elections, she was seconded to the Independent Electoral Commission as a deputy finance director.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> Later that year, she began a brief stint as a finance controller at Pepsi.<ref name=":2" />
== Johnnic Holdings: 1995–2006 == Ramon joined Johnnic Holdings in 1995 as chief accountant before being promoted to senior general manager for finance.<ref name=":2" /> While she was serving in the latter position, in December 2000, the ''Mail & Guardian'' named her as one of the "top 100 stars of the future" in South Africa.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pretorius |first=Cornia |date=2000-12-22 |title=Making their mark in the new millennium |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2000-12-22-making-their-mark-in-the-new-millennium/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}</ref> Johnnic chairman Cyril Ramaphosa appointed her as financial director in 2003,<ref name=":1" /> and in October 2004 she became acting chief executive officer after the incumbent, Jacob Modise, resigned.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kok |first=Leo |date=20 October 2004 |title=Johnnic directors earn R50m |url=https://www.news24.com/fin24/johnnic-directors-earn-r50m-20041020 |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref> She was permanently appointed as chief executive officer in March 2005, aged 36.<ref name=":0" />
Over the next year, Johnnic was subject to a hostile takeover by Hosken Consolidated Investments (HCI), which was competing with Johnnic for control of Tsogo Investment Holdings and its lucrative Tsogo Sun assets.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-08-08 |title=New takeover animal stalks corporate landscape |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2005-08-08-new-takeover-animal-stalks-corporate-landscape/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}</ref> By December 2005, HCI had sufficient influence to install four of its directors on Johnnic's board and to block Johnnic's long-planned acquisition of Nafhold.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Seccombe |first=Allan |date=12 December 2005 |title='Final hurdle' trips Johnnic |url=https://www.news24.com/fin24/final-hurdle-trips-johnnic-20051212 |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref> Ramon announced her retirement later the same week;<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-12-14 |title=Ramon resigns from Johnnic |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2005-12-14-ramon-resigns-from-johnnic/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}</ref> she later said of HCI that "I felt their strategy was not aligned to mine".<ref name=":1" /> Ramaphosa followed her exit and the pair were ultimately replaced by HCI's chief executive and chairman, Johnny Copelyn and Marcel Golding.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monteiro |first=Ana |date=16 November 2006 |title=New life for Johnnic |url=https://www.news24.com/fin24/new-life-for-johnnic-20061116 |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Sasol: 2006–2013 == In April 2006, Ramon announced that she would join Sasol as director and chief financial officer with effect from 1 May.<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 April 2006 |title=Sasol appoints new fin chief |url=https://www.news24.com/fin24/sasol-appoints-new-fin-chief-20060405 |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=6 April 2006 |title=Sasol snaps up former Johnnic executive Ramon |work=IOL |url=https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/economy/sasol-snaps-up-former-johnnic-executive-ramon-745951 |access-date=29 April 2023}}</ref> She held the position for seven-and-a-half years, under chief executives Pat Davies and David Constable, and oversaw the company's major Inzalo black economic empowerment deal in 2008.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2008-03-25 |title=Sasol unveils South Africa's biggest empowerment deal |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sasol-idUSL2510129020080325 |access-date=2023-10-29}}</ref> She resigned unexpectedly in late August 2013,<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 August 2013 |title=Ramon's abrupt Sasol exit jolts analysts |url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/companies/energy/2013-08-27-ramons-abrupt-sasol-exit-jolts-analysts/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=Business Day |language=en-ZA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-08-30 |title=Fuel giant executive's resignation sparks speculation |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2013-08-30-00-fuel-giant-executives-resignation-sparks-speculation/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}</ref> shortly after selling R33.7 million in Sasol shares.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 September 2013 |title=Sasol bosses cash in |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/sasol-bosses-cash-in-20150429 |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref> After leaving Sasol in September 2013, she took several months' hiatus from executive work,<ref name=":1" /> though in 2014 she began a five-year term as a non-executive director at MTN.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 September 2020 |title=MTN shakes up top roles as Ralph Mupita takes over as chief executive |work=IOL |url=https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/companies/mtn-shakes-up-top-roles-as-ralph-mupita-takes-over-as-chief-executive-2a531c08-5b06-4b41-886b-a5373085eeae |access-date=29 October 2023}}</ref>
== AngloGold Ashanti: 2014–2022 == In July 2014, gold-mining giant AngloGold Ashanti announced Ramon's appointment as chief financial officer, under chief executive Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan. She took office on 1 October 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 July 2014 |title=Ashanti appoints new CFO |url=https://www.news24.com/fin24/ashanti-appoints-new-cfo-20140707 |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref> Between September 2020 and September 2021, she served as the company's interim chief executive officer until Alberto Calderon was appointed to take up the position permanently.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stoddard |first=Ed |date=2021-07-06 |title='Thrilled to be in gold': Colombian economist tapped as new AngloGold CEO |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-07-06-thrilled-to-be-in-gold-colombian-economist-tapped-as-new-anglogold-ceo/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}</ref> During that period, AngloGold's chairperson, Sipho Pityana, departed suddenly from the board and was replaced by Maria Ramos.<ref name=":3" />
In February 2022, Ramon announced that she would leave AngloGold Ashanti in order to take early retirement, with effect from June 2022.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=McKay |first=David |date=2022-02-22 |title=Christine Ramon who steered AngloGold through its worst times, to take early retirement |url=https://www.miningmx.com/news/gold/48811-christine-ramon-who-steered-anglogold-through-its-worst-times-to-take-early-retirement/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=Miningmx |language=en-ZA}}</ref>
== Personal life and retirement == Ramon's husband died of COVID-19-related illness in 2021, and she took early retirement in order to spend more time with their two children.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-08 |title=Women's Dinner reveals the roadmap to the top |url=https://chro.co.za/articles/womens-dinner-reveals-the-roadmap-to-the-top/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=CHRO South Africa |language=en-US}}</ref> Since leaving AngloGold, she has accepted non-executive directorships at the Vodafone Group and Clicks Group, among others.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-14 |title=Christine Ramon joins Vodafone |url=https://boardagenda.com/2022/11/14/christine-ramon-joins-vodafone/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=Board Agenda |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-08 |title=Clicks Group Limited Appoints Christine Ramon as Independent Non-Executive Director |url=https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/CLICKS-GROUP-LIMITED-6492651/news/Clicks-Group-Limited-Appoints-Christine-Ramon-as-Independent-Non-Executive-Director-42941280/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=MarketScreener |language=en}}</ref>
== Honours == The World Economic Forum selected Ramon as a Young Global Leader in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-08-03 |title=Book of South African Women: General Business |url=https://mg.co.za/article/2009-08-03-book-of-south-african-women-general-business/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=The Mail & Guardian |language=en-ZA}}</ref> Between 2014 and 2018, during her time at AngloGold, she won several South African CFO Awards, including CFO of the Year in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hall of Fame |url=https://cfoawards.co.za/hall-of-fame/ |access-date=2023-10-29 |website=CFO Awards |language=en-US}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramon, Christine}} Category:Living people Category:1960s births Category:People from Gqeberha Category:20th-century South African businesspeople Category:20th-century South African businesswomen Category:21st-century South African businesspeople Category:21st-century South African businesswomen Category:University of South Africa alumni Category:South African accountants Category:South African women accountants Category:Women chief financial officers Category:Coopers and Lybrand people