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360º PERSPECTIVES | ISSUE 7 | 2020/2021
Still ‘loving it’ after 25 years » Jo-Ann de Wet’s first step on her successful corporate career path began in 1990 when she started her first year of BCom studies at UWC majoring in business economics and industrial psychology. ER FUTURE HUSBAND Denver was also studying at UWC at the time. Today, the couple are proud parents of four sons: Brent (25), Daniel (18), Matthew (14) and Antonio (10). After completing her studies at UWC, De Wet started as a trainee manager at McDonald’s in Cape Town in 1995, the first year of operations in South Africa of the iconic company. Originally from Heidelberg, De Wet grew up in Kensington in Cape Town and was initially reluctant to relocate. But, as the number of franchises rapidly grew, she accepted the inevitable move to Johannesburg where her career has flourished. “In 1997, I set my sights on becoming the first female local director of operations for McDonald’s South Africa,” says De Wet. “Over the years, I expanded my operational experience and exposure across different departments within the company. I completed numerous
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UWC alumna Jo-Ann de Wet is chief operations officer at McDonald’s South Africa.
operations and leadership qualifications at the McDonald’s Hamburger University,” she says. With the company offering many opportunities for growth and the encouragement of a very supportive family, she became skilled in most aspects of the fast-food industry, including budgeting, business planning, operations management
