Maxoli Hlope: Leaving corporate for the development sector

The corporate world is the pinnacle of success for most in the banking world, but for Maxoli Hlope, Investment Officer of Project Finance at the DBSA, there was more to be gained in development.

Hlope grew up in difficult circumstances as the eldest of 16 children, but earned a bursary to study to become a chartered accountant. At the time, she wasn’t quite sure where this would take her, but a high school teacher had encouraged her to pursue the career. “I was looking for a getaway ticket,” she says.

After completing her articles, she started a career in personal banking at Standard Bank and rose up the corporate ladder. Despite this, she says she felt like there’s something missing and that she wasn’t in the right place. “I’m just looking to do something more than what I do. I don’t see how I’m changing or impacting the world in my small way.”

A mentor connected her with various people, which helped Hlope realise she would like to work in the public sector. At this point, she discovered the DBSA, and got a job as a turnaround specialist. “God has just answered my prayers, because I didn’t know where I fit in and now I’m getting this opportunity to rotate to different divisions and see where I fit in.”

In this way she switched directions in her career, but was also able to discover what she truly wanted to do and be entrusted with responsibility in these fields. “I love my job and I love waking up in the morning.” She said: “Where we come from shouldn’t define us and we should go for what we want, even if sometimes you might face rejection.”