Carina Wessels is an accomplished legal and governance expert who has built a diverse career by embracing new challenges and expanding her expertise beyond traditional legal roles. Currently, she is a senior executive at Alexforbes, where she leads the company’s governance, legal, compliance, and sustainability initiatives. Her journey is a testament to the power of continuous learning and hard work.
Wessels’ career path began with law, but it was far from linear. After an early foray into software sales and a brief stint as a client services manager, she returned to the legal field with a broader perspective. She gained extensive experience in areas like labor law, corporate governance, and commercial law, while also taking on roles in Human Resources, Finance, and Risk Management. Her impressive background includes a nine-year tenure at De Beers and a year at Investec, culminating in her first executive role at Exxaro at the age of 33.
A Commitment to Purpose and Impact
Wessels believes her success is rooted in her passion for making a difference and her consistent ability to “get things done.” This drive extends beyond her corporate responsibilities; she is also a passionate advocate for charitable causes. She actively supports the Change a Life Cycle Tour, an annual fundraising event that has raised over R80 million for crime prevention and youth development in South Africa.
Wessels’ dedication to creating a positive impact is particularly evident in her focus on sustainability at Alexforbes. She sees a great responsibility and privilege in helping businesses and retirement funds become more resilient and sustainable, noting that steering pension funds toward sustainable investments can have a significant positive effect on cutting carbon footprints.
Key Leadership Insights
Wessels offers valuable advice for aspiring leaders, emphasizing that leadership is a privilege and a tremendous responsibility. She urges new leaders to reflect on their purpose and what kind of difference they want to make. She also stresses the importance of learning from others through reading and mentorship, both what to do and what not to do.
Central to her philosophy is the belief that hard work is non-negotiable.
‘’The harder you work, the luckier you get. I honestly believe there is no substitute for hard work. It looks different as you progress through your career, but ultimately being the hardest worker (and this means outcomes, not just inputs) in the room or the one that gets things done (big or small), no matter what, creates trust and credibility. This in turn leads to greater opportunities and exposure. For youngsters, volunteer to get involved – in anything – it all creates depth and breadth of experience’’
