2010 Businesswoman of the Year, Santie Botha, talking on tips for South African businessperson:

1. Surround yourself with the best possible people, and if you have the chance to appoint someone who is better than you at a certain thing, that’s the jackpot.

2. Always give credit to others on your team. This is how people grow. Keep them motivated and they will give you even more.

3. Keep your sense of humour, or you will not keep your sanity in the business world.

4. Gather as large a pool of diversity around you as you possibly can: different genders, nationalities, religions etc. The more diverse your team is, the more of a global edge you will have. Never forget that the business world itself is increasingly diverse.

5. Try to be a teacher and a student every day. The most unlikely people can teach you something valuable. Learning from young people, especially, helps you not to lose touch.

6. Maintain a circle of friends who can act in the role of advisors and mentors. I have four/five people who are in business and some who have retired, and from them I am able to draw a range of perspectives, from political, to the personal, to the financial. And always keep expanding this circle.

7. Compete, don’t participate.

8. Specialise! Be the best in your field. This is a career, not a job.

9. Make decisions that are in the best interest of the business.

10. Lastly, if you’re a female in business, never lose your femininity, and never behave like a man. In other words, don’t be afraid-to be a woman in a man’s world.