Nandi Matomela started her career as a graduate at General Motors South Africa in 2013, never expecting the journey to take her where it has. Today, she is department executive: corporate affairs at Isuzu Motors South Africa, having built more than a decade of experience across communications, marketing and brand strategy.
Nandi Matomela | image supplied
From navigating the transition from GM to Isuzu to leading major product launches and developing her own leadership style, Matomela says some of her biggest lessons have come from the people who saw potential in her before she saw it herself.
For #WomensMonth, Matomela reflects on her career in the automotive industry, the experiences that shaped her leadership and why creating space, sponsorship and opportunities for women is essential to developing the next generation of leaders.
What has the journey from graduate to department executive taught you?
“You are more capable than you think.”
When I joined GM as a graduate in 2013, I came in with my entire career mapped out. I had a three-year plan, a five-year plan, and I thought I had it all figured out.
But nothing prepared me for working under a leader who saw potential in me that went far beyond anything I had planned for myself. That, more than anything, shaped the direction my career would ultimately take.
I was dropped into the deep end. It was very much a case of ‘swim or drown’. What I loved about that approach was that I was given the space to figure things out and make mistakes in a safe environment. I got the opportunity to learn, not only about the business, but about myself and what I was capable of.
The journey to where I am today hasn’t been a straight line. There have been years when you feel like you’re winning, everything clicks, you’re growing, you’re confident, and you feel like you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. Then there are other years when you’re simply skating through, holding on, figuring things out as you go and wondering whether you actually know what you’re doing.
But what I’ve come to realise is that both experiences are important in shaping who you become. The difficult years taught me resilience and humility. The good years taught me what I was capable of. Somewhere in between, I learned the importance of trusting myself and believing in myself.
If there is one thing this journey has taught me, it is that growth rarely follows comfort or the plan you write for yourself. More often, it follows the people who see something in you before you see it in yourself; the people who challenge you, push you further than you intended to go and sometimes put you in situations that make you question whether you’re ready.
Often, those are the very experiences that change your career and ultimately change you.
How did being part of the transition from GM South Africa to Isuzu shape your career?
The GM exit from South Africa was one of the most difficult experiences of my career. I was young, in my first real job, and I’d found what felt at the time like a second family. We were a close team from very different backgrounds, but we connected beyond just work. To this day, we remain close.
That experience taught me resilience and the value of true succession planning. My manager at the time took a voluntary separation package, but because we’d worked so closely, he had already created space for me to run projects on my own.
He kept me involved and informed on everything, internally and with the media, so that when he left, I was able to carry on seamlessly, without a single dropped ball.
He created space and opportunity for me to learn, and that benefited me and ultimately the organisation I moved on to.
Which career milestone are you most proud of, and why?
I’ve planned and executed many media launches, events and advertising campaigns throughout my career. I’ve won awards, for example, for executing the launch of the seventh-generation Isuzu D-Max, which was attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
But my proudest moment has come from the last year and a half, watching my team evolve and grow into a group that trusts and protects each other, but most importantly, can lead without me needing to be in the room.
What challenges have you faced as a woman building a career in the automotive industry?
Honestly, while it is a male-dominated environment, I’ve been privileged to work for a company that has created space for different voices to be heard. So, if I’m honest, most of the challenges I’ve faced have been less about the industry and more about myself.
One piece of advice from a vice president shifted that for me: don’t come to work with the mindset of, “I’m a Black woman in this industry”. Come to work with the mindset that you’re an experienced professional with value to offer.
That reframed how I showed up. Instead of walking into rooms bracing to prove myself, I walked in focused on the value I was there to add.
How has your approach to leadership evolved as your responsibilities have grown?
My approach has evolved from controlling the process and leading from the front to trusting my abilities and the people around me, coaching them well enough that I can lead from the back.
This means providing them with all the tools that will set them up for success. In that way, I know I have achieved my role as a leader.
What do you think the automotive industry can do better to develop women into senior roles?
Create space for women in leadership.
Throughout this interview, I’ve cited leaders who shaped my career, and many of them are male. Working in a male-dominated environment can be daunting, but when men are aware of that and intentionally create space for women to grow, it changes what’s possible.
It’s not about lowering the bar or ticking a box; it’s about actively sponsoring women into rooms and decisions they might not otherwise have access to, and then trusting them to deliver.
That’s the shift the industry needs more of: not just hiring women into senior roles, but building the mentorship and sponsorship that gets them there in the first place.
Who have been the people or experiences that have shaped you as a leader?
Along the way, I’ve encountered many experiences, both good and bad, and having an executive coach beside me has shaped how I respond to situations either way.
Listening to Brené Brown’s views and discussions on leadership has also laid the foundation for the kind of leadership I resonate with. One thing I’ve learned is to always ask myself: what am I meant to learn from this situation or this person?
Every situation prepares you for your next role.
I can’t pinpoint one specific experience that shaped me most, but when I reflect today, I’m grateful for the difficult ones. Those are the ones that truly shaped who I am.
From past leaders who developed me, to my current leader who balances me, to my current team who keep me grounded through their authenticity, each has played a part in shaping who I am as a leader.
What advice would you give young women starting out in automotive and corporate affairs?
The automotive industry has so much to offer; it’s just a matter of what you choose to do with it.
Be a sponge. Ask questions. Take up space. And always ask yourself: what value can I bring to this project? Don’t be shy to share it.
The best thing you can do for yourself is believe you deserve to be there and take up every opportunity to learn and grow.
Corporate affairs especially gives you that chance. You’re exposed to both internal and external stakeholders, and in some cases you get the privilege of interacting with vice presidents and executives early in your career. Use that access.
Ask questions, observe how they think and don’t be afraid to let them see the value you bring too.
