South Africa's PA of the Year 2010 announced

PA at FNB bags coveted PA of the Year Award

Debbie de Jager, PA to FNB’s Smart Solutions CFO, Mike Arthur, recently received the prestigious title of South Africa’s PA of the Year 2010. After undergoing a 3rd round of judging, Debbie’s victory was announced at the closing ceremony of the exclusive PA Summit which took place at the Protea Hotel Fire and Ice in Melrose Arch.

Asked about her job as a PA, Debbie explained: “Being a PA is one of the roles I play in life. It’s part of who I am. It’s like being a mother and a wife – whether I’m with my family or not, I’m always my husband’s wife and my children’s mother. As a PA, I always represent my company and my boss. Being a PA is so much more than just assisting with the typing of communication and arranging meetings. Becoming someone that your boss and office truly depend and rely on is someone every PA should strive to become. My main focus as a personal assistant is in the title: assisting. I am, in essence, a helper to someone who will not be able to play his game to the best of his ability without my assistance or help. To be the best assistant my boss could ever wish for, I have to assist him firstly according to his requirements and secondly I have to be innovative enough to assist him in ways in which he didn’t even realize he needed assistance. To achieve this, I will have to go beyond what my role requires and do it to the best of my ability.”

On the PA-Boss relationship in the CFO’s office, Debbie says “I am privileged to be working for one of FNB’s best bosses! We have an excellent business relationship. Mike allows me to work flexi-hours, while I’m also spending time looking after the FNB PA Forum. By the same token, he knows that whenever he needs anything done, I will go out of my way to assist him – even if it requires working until late or on weekends. Our PA-Boss relationship is definitely one of ‘give-and-take’ and as much as I assist him, he motivates and encourages me to do my best!”

As Founder and chairperson of the FNB PA Forum, Debbie believes in the words of H.E. Luccock that “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.” Networking among PAs is vital for any organizations’ growth and success. The FNB PA Forum is a group of 250 FNB PAs country-wide, whose main focus is the success of our company and the development of our PAs. In essence, every boss at FNB has 250 PAs working for him or her, as we assist one another to achieve the unachievable! PA expertise and experience remain in the Bank, as we have built a “Corporate Memory” on our PA Forum website for generations of PAs to come. PAs within FNB are no longer working on their own – we are part of a group of professional women making a difference”.

Says Judy van der Merwe, chair of the panel of judges: “Recognising ‘excellence’ is critical both for the incumbents of any profession, as well as for the profession itself.

“In South Africa, thankfully, we have Awards for many professions: we recognise people who in their different fields and endeavours, clearly set standards; raise standards and elevate the excellence bar of the profession they’re in.

She adds that whereas lauding and applauding is good for the soul, it’s even of greater value to a marketplace hungry for heroes and heroines!

“What we sometimes forget, is that behind those heroes and heroines is someone holding their worklife together; quietly ensuring they do what they supposed to do, ensuring they are where they are supposed to be; they have the information they need to have! That someone is a PA – an efficient PA – often the unsung heroine!” Judy says.

It is precisely to ensure that unsung heroines do not remain unsung, that six years ago Dictum Publishers, with the support of ICAP, launched an Award exclusively for the PA. Continues Judy, “We are proud of the work that this Award is doing in making a clear statement to the marketplace about the role of the PA, as someone who needs to have her or his moment of glory, of recognition and of reward!

“For the past five years, we have witnessed the profession’s evolution first hand, and we have showcased the exemplars to the marketplace. This year’s six finalists are awesome PAs, boasting an impressive warehouse of skills. We congratulate all six and salute the titlebearer for 2010, Debbie de Jager.”

The PA of the Year, and the finalists, received prizes from founder Sponsor Croxley, Parker Pens, Sappi, Brent Personnel, Protea Hotel Fire and Ice Melrose Arch and ICAP.