Rebotile Bopape – GC Powerlist
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Africa 2015

Rebotile Bopape

GM legal: Southern Africa Region | Multichoice Africa

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Africa 2015

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Rebotile Bopape

GM legal: Southern Africa Region | Multichoice Africa

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‘No one day is the same’, Rebotile Bopape says of her corporate counsel role. ‘We get involved in every single element of the business, so we have a helicopter view of what’s going on and where’.

When Rebotile Bopape was promoted to general legal manager two years ago, MultiChoice Africa’s now award-winning team did not have a legal department. Currently responsible for 10 countries across the region, Bopape has taken an active role in establishing processes and checks, and says one of her biggest obstacles throughout has been bringing legal into the foreground of the decision-making process.

‘The legal department is seen by many people mainly as a department that delays or hinders transactions. Persuading people that we are partners to the business and making them aware of the implications of things not being done right was a challenge – but we managed to change the mindset of our colleagues’.

During her time in the role, she has supported the launch of key business products, including “BoxOffice”, and has been praised highly for her strategic management of a historic piece of litigation. Though attitudes are improving, Africa remains a patriarchal society, she says, and preconceptions on race and gender remain entrenched in the business world.

‘Being a young black female from South Africa is a big challenge. In the other African countries a lot of the males view women as the care-givers and if you’re the only female in the boardroom, telling the men you are not willing to accept their terms is not always received well. The trick is to always remain strong and never be intimidated. You just need to get on with your job’.

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