Rumisha Chaithram, a beacon of change in the mining industry, grew up in Lenasia South with dreams of becoming a teacher. However, life had other plans, leading her into the mining industry, a twist that became her true calling. Today, she serves as vice president for Australia & Southern Africa at Robit, driving strategy, market expansion, and operational excellence in one of the world’s most complex and traditionally male-dominated sectors. Rumisha holds an MBA and a Programme for Management Development (PMD) from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). She oversees end-to-end mining operations, ensuring equipment efficiency, safety compliance, and profitability across multiple sites. Her leadership emphasizes operational excellence while mentoring emerging leaders, particularly women and youth, to thrive in the sector. She is also the author of Women@Work: My Journey into a Macho World, a candid account of her experiences navigating the mining industry as a woman. Rumisha is a staunch advocate for diversity, inclusion, and the empowerment of women in technical industries. Her proudest achievements include publishing her book and successfully leading large-scale mining operations while creating a platform for women in the industry. She lives by the mantra: “Fail, and fail forward — every failure is a stepping stone to progress,” turning challenges into opportunities for growth and leadership.
QUALIFICATIONS
- MBA, Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
- Programme for Management Development (PMD), Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
ACHIEVEMENTS
- The proudest achievement – publishing a book, Women@Work and using my voice to contribute to conversations about gender, resilience, and leadership in mining.
- The most valuable lesson is to never stop learning and to remain comfortable with being uncomfortable. Those moments of discomfort are where real growth happens.
