Raksha Naidoo’s first day at the mining lab didn’t go as planned. Instead of the state-of-the-art laboratory she’d imagined, she found herself in an old canteen. By day four, she’d blown up equipment and started a small fire.
“My boss just laughed, helped me clean up, and somehow, I kept the job,” she recalls with a chuckle.
That inauspicious beginning launched a remarkable career that would see this biochemist become CEO of Particle Group and a champion for diversity in mining. Today, she serves as Chairperson for Women in Mining South Africa (WIMSA), fighting to make the male-dominated industry more inclusive.
The journey wasn’t smooth. As a young woman of color in mining, Raksha faced discrimination and judgment that nearly broke her. “Being exposed to discrimination and judgment has been part of my life,” she reflects. But supportive mentors who believed in her potential made all the difference.
Her manager’s simple phrase—”You can do whatever you want”—became a personal mantra. When challenges mounted and she considered leaving, her CEO’s promise to work together kept her fighting.
After leading a company through international expansion and transformation, Raksha discovered WIMSA—a connection that proved life-changing. “It put me in a space with other women who understood what I was going through,” she says.
Her advice to aspiring leaders is powerful: “Dreams look different for each one of us. Finding the courage to pursue them is one of the hardest things to do.”
Through her “Diversity and Inclusivity Champion Award” and ongoing advocacy, Raksha continues breaking barriers, proving that authentic leadership creates lasting change.
