10 Things You Don’t Know About “Siza Mzimela” – The First Woman To Own An Airline.

With approximately 15 years experience in the aviation industry culminated in her current appointment as CEO of South African Airways, Siza Mzimela has achieved something that many dream of.  One thing that South Africa now has that America does not is a black female owner of an airline. Today, Siza Mzimela  is the founder of the country’s newest airline, Fly Blue Cran . Mzimela saw a niche market and decided to capitalize on it and now she is the first Black woman  to own an airline

Here are 10 things you need to know about the inspirational Siza Mzimela……

1. Siza Mzimela is a Director of the International Air Transport Association.

2. She was the first female Chief Executive Officer of South African Airways (SAA), appointed in February 2010.

3. Mzimela is the first woman to be appointed to the International Air Transport Association’s board of directors in 67 years.

4. She was previously CEO of South African Express Airway (SAX).

5. Siza Mzimela began her career with the Standard Bank of South Africa in 1991 in the Small Business & Retail divisions

6. Three years later she joined Total SA as a Corporate Planning Analyst responsible for managing capital projects, before joining SA Airways (SAA) in 1996 as a research analyst.

7. After various promotions at SAA, Mzimela was appointed Executive Vice-President of global passenger services in 2001, later taking on responsibility for global sales and the airline’s Voyager programme.

8. She is also a board member of SA Tourism and the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls.

9. In 2002, she was a finalist in the Nedbank Businesswoman of the Year Award.

10. Siza Mzimela studied Bachelor of Arts at the University of Swaziland.