“Passion is a key ingredient to being an outstanding office professional.” These are the inspirational words of this year’s winner of the prestigious 34th annual OPSA Rexel South African National Office Professional of the Year Award, Magda Hamman who is the Professional Assistant to Charles Alexander, General Manager of Discovery. Magda was announced as this year’s winner at a glittering event held at the Mowana Spa at the Indaba Hotel, where Office Professionals from all over South Africa merged in celebration of Office Professional’s week and National Secretaries Day.
Achieving success as an Executive Assistant or PA, by no means occurs overnight. Skill, tact, people savvy, great communication skills and continuous self-development are key. It would be naive to assume that because you are a top level Assistant that you no longer need to develop yourself. Executives and managers alike are constantly under pressure to achieve targets and produce results. Their support team needs to be resilient and responsive to their individual personalities and moods. Office Professionals have to be strategists to ensure that their managers’ receive efficient and effective support at all times. Not an easy task by any measure!
Magda is the 4th Discovery PA to win this prestigious Award.
Pertunia Radebe of Stanlib won the OPSA Rexel Leadership Award. Louisa Kambile from the SA Post Office, received the Award for Communication and, Bianca Lucas of Swissgarde (Pty) Ltd won the title of OPSA Rexel Up-and-coming Office Professional of the Year.