In the article The World’s Most Incredible Female Leaders, Isabel dos Santos was listed as one of the most influential businesswomen in the world. Yet, her name does not ring a bell with most people. Dos Santos is a symbol of gender empowerment and initiatives. She puts systems in place within her own companies to make sure women have an equal opportunity to promotions and positions of management. Other influential women made the list including Gagandeep Kang, Kafui Adzah, and Eleni Cotsis.
As a global leader, Isabel Dos Santos knowingly or unknowingly is aligning her personal goals and initiatives with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or UNSDGs. These seventeen goals, a renewal of the Millennial Development Goals from 2000-2015, have been adopted by the majority of countries as being top priorities for any country to achieve. Gender equality ranks near the top in a list of seventeen important goals to accomplish by the end of 2030. Among these goals are shared values that individuals such as Isabel Dos Santos are trying to enforce. Other important and involved entities include international organizations, governments, multinational corporation as well as small to medium sized companies.
On an individual level, Isabel Dos Santos’ improvement projects hit the top five most important UNSDGs almost every time, everywhere. Dos Santos’ influential projects include reducing poverty, zero hunger, quality education, reduced inequality, decent work and economic growth. Again, these goals are adopted by Fortune 500 companies, Non-Governmental Organizations, and universities throughout the world. If someone of Isabel Dos Santos’ caliber is involved with such initiatives, it is a safe bet that it’s important.
It was a long journey, however, for Isabel Dos Santos to get where she is today. As only one of a handful of black women billionaires in the world – there are currently 2,043 billionaires worldwide, 11 black billionaires total, only 5 of which are black women – Dos Santos is an icon for gender, racial equality, and wealth. It is not surprising that these billionaire men and women disseminate their wealth among their own and Dos Santos is no exception.
Finally, there is a black women billionaire that can and is sharing her wealth, knowledge, opportunities, and resources with a larger population of black women in Angola and throughout the world. The authors of Positive the Facts say this attribute of sharing their wealth with their own is inherently common among billionaires and in giving to those of their own ethnicity, race, gender, religion, etc. It is interesting to observe why it has probably taken so long for black women minorities (or why the majority of this minority) hasn’t seen a “break” in some time. With Isabel Dos Santos, the trickle-down economics in terms of business, education, and charity is taking place.
Talk Business put it nicely when mentioning Isabel Dos Santos’ work-ethic and vision, “Her strategic objectives are focused on revolutionizing the business landscape to bring transformative change to the scene. Her bold plan includes the elimination of gender bias in the workplace and in the cultural zeitgeist of the collective psyche.” In Dos Santos’ own words, she proclaimed, “Equal pay is key… evaluating and assessing women must be done in a fair way. This is very important.”
Isabel Dos Santos is not afraid to share her views or opinions. Her Instagram account, for example, is one of her many methods of sharing her thoughts and getting the word out. With more than 153,000+ followers on her Instagram account, Dos Santos communicates about events and conferences she’s attended, schools and businesses she’s helped, and employees and villages she has visited. Her page is peppered with pictures of smiling children, posts of pioneering products, and pristine, picturesque places she has visited. Dos Santos seems to be constantly traveling, learning, and inspiring those around her.
Another media outlet often utilized by Dos Santos is her Twitter account (@isabelaangola). Translating a Chinese Proverb from Portuguese she posted, “One hundred men can make an encampment, but it takes a woman to make it a home.” The Humpata project, endorsed by Isabel Dos Santos herself helps women become independent in their local communities. This project employs nearly 120 women who grow and sell strawberries at the local markets. These women in turn provide for their families and contribute to their local economy.
As a side note, this project is almost always mentioned in one form or another in personal interviews or online articles concerning Isabel Dos Santos. This project is amazing because someone of her ability and reach notices the small details and large dividends that can happen when women are empowered.
Isabel Dos Santos always seems to be on the cutting edge of technology and innovation. Rightfully so, her background and degree in electrical engineering helps her secure strategic technologies and opportunities for prospective employees and individuals looking to advance in their careers. Most recently, Isabel dos Santos’ company, Efacec, has been working on electric vehicles in Portugal and Angola. What is Efacec you ask? “Founded in 1948, Efacec is the largest Group in the electric field with headquarter in Portugal, and is present in several countries, exporting to all continents. The portfolio of Efacec’s business activities includes Transformers, Switchgear, Service, Energy, Environment and Industry, Transportation and Electric Mobility.” Even though Dos Santos is heavily involved in the oil business in Angola (which happens to be one of the top oil-producing countries on the African continent), she is looking to the future, and keeping with the times.
Following this robust and diverse businesswoman is a challenge. Her businesses and investment portfolio are as equally a challenge to keep straight. Nearly two years ago, almost to the day, Isabel Dos Santos invested $102 million dollars/Euros into a glass manufacturing factory to create packaging for beer. This investment, with other private investors and the Technical Unit for Private Investment, was put together in Luanda, Angola. With Dos Santos’ 51% stake in the company and the Industrial Africa Development’s 49% stake, this will create 188 direct jobs while injecting needed capital to help secure the Angolan glass packaging/manufacturing industry.
The diversity and interest in “all-things-business” is awe inspiring to witness. Dos Santos is also proud of the taxes she pays to her country. Not only is she heavily invested in the future of Angola with her own investments, but her taxes also support in large portion the infrastructure and construction of roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals that are needed in the country. As Dos Santos stated in an interview held earlier last year, “I share the same vision and ambition…to turn Angola into a country that’s developed and sustained with capacity and resources.”
To wrap up this article, we’ll end how we began. Topping yet another list, Isabel Dos Santos was listed in My Millennial Guide as the Number One Inspiring Social Entrepreneur to Follow in 2019. Social Entrepreneurship, a hot topic among aspiring millennials, is simply understood as the business of doing good, or doing good through your business.
Isabel Dos Santos “contributes to multiple philanthropic initiatives such as the eradication of malaria from Angola, the provision of pediatric hospital services to indigent communities of Angola, various ‘Fun Days’ for underprivileged children, and scholarship opportunities for up-and-coming female stars at Unitel.”
Isabel Dos Santos is as integrated and involved in her entire country as most of us are in our local communities. It is impressive, nonetheless, to read about her adventures, share in her wisdom, and be edified in her doing good to others.
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