Janine Hills: Founder and Executive Director Vuma Reputation Management

Written on 08/08/2019
Thriving Network

Meet our Top 50 Thriving Female Founder for 2019 Edition

Janine Hills is the Founder and Executive Director of Vuma Reputation Management, a company which offers comprehensive reputation management services.

Janine Hills’ passion for integrity and trust in business relationships is the foundation upon which she launched Vuma Reputation Management in 2005. She believes trust is key to improving business relationships with all stakeholders, and that it must be supported and enhanced by integrity in business practices, including transparency, discipline, accountability and fairness. Janine believes in being consistent, sincere, responsible, reliable, committed, clear and steady — and maintaining effective communication with all stakeholders at all levels, in good times and bad.

She values any opportunity to share with clients the fruits of nearly three decades of business experience, particularly her understanding of the principles of sound reputation management and good corporate governance. To help businesses fill skills gaps in reputation management and crisis control processes, she has built a culturally diverse team of experts who understand Africa and collectively have more than 85 years of experience in these areas. Janine has grown Vuma Reputation Management into an African company with global potential.

Janine’s extensive business knowledge, skill and intricate understanding of reputation management are the outcome of over 25 years of experience across various sectors of industry. She has 10 years of experience within the hospitality industry having worked for Southern Sun and Sun International. She has also worked at Vodacom and Primovie (a division of Primedia) and has sat on the boards of Kaizer Chiefs, Ster-Kinekor Home Entertainment and Ster-Kinekor Licensing. Janine was a former head of group communications for First National Bank’s (FNB) internal and external communications division, she was a founding member and part of the iconic team that drove and built the innovation of FNB’s eBucks and FirstRand Group. She was extensively involved in the formulation and the implementation of the multi-brand strategy, internal communications and e-commerce initiatives of the financial services group.

BOARDS & DIRECTORSHIPS

  • Brand South Africa
  • International Women’s Forum South Africa (IWFSA)
  • United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) – Influential Women’s Circle  
  • International Brand Reputation Community (INBREC) Global – Advisory Board - Switzerland
  • International Brand Reputation Community (INBREC) Africa – Chairperson
  • Brand and Communications Committee of Council (BCCoC) – University of South Africa UNISA

SOME OF HER NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

  • Finalist, Standard Bank Top Woman Awards (Fast Growth Woman-Owned SMME Award)
  • Finalist, Standard Bank Top Woman Awards (Top Female Entrepreneur of 2018 Award)
  • Winner, Gender Mainstream Women Empowerment in the Workplace Awards (non-JSE Listed Organisations category), 2015
  • Finalist, Standard Bank Top Women Awards (Female Entrepreneur category), 2015
  • Finalist, Standard Bank Top Women Awards (Top Gender-Empowered Company: Fast-Growth Women-Owned SMME category) 2014 & 2015
  • Nominee, Standard Bank Top Women Awards (Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government) 2015
  • Wrote and published a white paper on Gender Diversity and the Impact on a Board’s Reputation, Deakin University 2015
  • Finalist, Topco Media Business Awards (Fast-Growth category), 2014
  • Finalist, CEO Magazine Award for Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government, 2014
  • Winner, Global Awards for Brand Excellence (Brand Leadership category), 2012
  • Winner, BBQ New Innovative Business Award, 2012
  • Nominee, International Who’s Who of Professionals, 2009
  • Winner, CEO Magazine Meritorious Award, and finalist, South Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government Awards (communications category), 2008
  • Finalist, Topco Media Top Women Awards (entrepreneurship and excellence in Business and Public Service category), 2008
  • Marketing Director at Primemovie 1999
  • Board Member of Kaiser Chiefs Football Club, Ster Kinekor Theatres, Primemovie, Ster Kinekor Entertainment
  • IMM Sales Person of 1996 and Vodac Sales Person of 1996
  • Qualified in the Management Advance Programme (Wits Business School), 1992
  • Start-up employee of Vodac, Vodacom, 1991