Shaun Harris

A string of awards proves this slick leader is no ‘window dressing’ oil baron, writes

IMAGINE a big boss in the oil industry. What do you see? A cigar-smoking tycoon, a sheikh, JR Ewing of Dallas fame? A woman? Never. Not in this tough, dirty, male-dominated industry.

Meet Pria Hassan, the chief executive of Women of Africa (WOA), an established and successful oil and logistics company in Durban.

She meets the men in the industry head-on, soon convincing the sceptics she knows the often shady oil industry well and, hard as it can be at times, is a more than able competitor.

Sadly, sexism is rife in the oil business.

“Change in this sector is laboured and sporadic,” Hassan said. “The transfer of technical skills, the establishment of resources, especially bulk infrastructure for storage, access to logistics and control of the supply chain, remain key challenges.

“We are fortunate as WOA to be developed as an enterprise, but sexism is definitely evident in the sector, especially with new entrants.”.

In recognition of her success, she has won many awards, among them top black female entrepreneur in the 2011 Metropolitan Oliver Empowerment Awards, in which she was also a finalist for top resources company.

At the award ceremony, Hassan said: “Every step forward by today’s entrepreneurs takes a huge personal commitment. This award says: ‘It can be done; don’t give up’. That is the message I wish to share with all the entrepreneurs who start from a zero base yet still rise up.”

Other nominations included: finalist in the entrepreneur of the year in the 2011 Islamic Finance Awards; finalist in the top woman entrepreneur category in the Top Woman awards in 2011; finalist, resources company; and African Access National Business Awards: diversity in the workplace, in 2011.

But what inspired Hassan to enter the cut-throat oil sector and form WOA in 2007?

“My wrath initially inspired the creation, I wanted to showcase the power of South African women, and show that we have a voice that needs to be heard, especially in a sector that has locked us out.”

What are some of the plans for expansion and diversion?

“Innovation and international expansion, especially into Africa, is the future of our business. South Africa remains the gateway to Africa and we have to use our