Maria Ramos Biography
Maria Ramos was born on 22nd February 1959 in Lisbon, Portugal. She is a South African entrepreneur, the Chief Executive Officer of Barclays Africa Group Limited.
Maria Ramos Early Life
Maria Ramos was born in Portugal, she emigrated to Mozambique and then South Africa with their children in the mid-60s in search of better opportunities. Ramos was just six when her family began their new life in Vereeniging. Ramos matriculated in 1977 and went to work for Barclays in Vereeniging as a waste clerk, which involved collecting paperwork such as deposit slips and cheques, from behind the tellers and manually processing them.
In the search for a scholarship, Maria Ramos discovered that her bank had a scholarship scheme where they supported employees to complete a university commerce degree. Upon applying, she discovered that it was only open to men. A long battle ensued, with Maria Ramos surmounting various obstacles in her attempt to get the rules changed; eventually, she was told that if she sat the basic exams and passed, they would consider her. She drove from Vereeniging to Johannesburg three nights a week after work to evening classes held by the Institute of Bankers, and passed the exam in record time, earning herself a Banker’s Diploma.
Maria Ramos Education
- In 1983 she obtained an Institute of Bankers’ Diploma (CAIB).
- In 1986 she obtained a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits).
- In 1987 she obtained a Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Economics from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits).
- In 1992 she obtained a Master of Science (Economics) from the University of London.
Maria Ramos Career
2009 – Present: Chief Executive Officer at Barclays Africa Group Limited.
Chief Executive Officer of Absa Bank Limited.
2011: Independent Non-Executive Director at Sabmiller PLC, South Africa.
2007 – 2009: Independent Non-Executive Director at REMGRO Ltd.
2004 – 2008: Independent Director at SANLAM Ltd
2004 – 2009: Group Chief Executive Officer at Transnet Limited
1996 – 2003: Director-General of the National Treasury.
1996 – 2003: Director-General of Finance, Government of South Africa.
1994 – 1995: Research Officer at London School of Economics, South Africa.
1994 – 1995: Research Officer at Centre for Research into Economics and Finance, London School of Economics and Political Science.
1992 – 1993: Project Leader of Inflation Project, ANC, Macro Economic Research Group.
1991 – 1994: Lecturer of Economics at the University of the Witwatersrand.
1990 – 1994: Economist at the Department of Economic Planning, African National Congress.
1990 – 1994: Research Associate at the Centre for Study of South African Economics and International Finance, London School of Economics and Political Science.
1989 – 1991: Lecturer of Economics at the University of South Africa.
1989 – 1990: Co-ordinator at the Centre for Development studies.
Maria Ramos Awards and Honors
- She is a recipient of honorary doctorates from the Stellenbosch and Free State universities.
- She has successively been ranked in Fortune magazine’s annual survey of the 50 most powerful women in business for a number of years running, having most recently been ranked 11th in the EMEA Region for 2015.
- In 2011 she was named CNBC Africa Woman Leader of the Year.
- In 2010 she was awarded the Wits Business School’s Management Excellence Award.
- In 20o5 she was named the Sunday Times Business Times Business Leader of the Year.
- In 2001 she was named the Businesswoman of the Year by the SA Businesswomen’s Association.
- 1991: British Council Scholarship: Helen Suzman Award.
Maria Ramos Family
- In 2008 Maria Ramos married Trevor Manuel, a South African politician.