Muchanyuka scales aviation dizzy heights

TINASHE MAKICHI

Winnie Muchanyuka, one of the treasured examples of few women across the world that have set a global example at top management level in aviation workplaces says the rise up the ladder did not come on a silver platter.

She had to “pull my weight and put in my blood, sweat and tears”.

Muchanyuka has spent more than three decades in the aviation sector.

 She is the South African Airways (SAA) country manager for Zimbabwe and has scaled dizzy heights at management level in a male- dominated aviation industry.

Armed with a Master of Science Degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management from the University of Zimbabwe and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Gloucestershire and currently reading for a PhD in Tourism with the University of Pretoria, Muchanyuka has also emerged as one of the few trailblazing and goal-oriented female executives who have left an indelible mark in the aviation world.

She rose gradually through the ranks from being a sales representative, to middle level management and senior managerial positions up to her present position as the head of SAA in Zimbabwe.

“I must say it is a male dominated industry especially at management level. I have been fortunate over the years the males I have worked with have treated me as an equal and have been very supportive, some have been very instrumental in my career growth,” Muchanyuka told Business Times.

“However, it is not to say that I had it easy but I had to pull my weight and put in my blood, sweat and tears to realise the success that I have achieved. I work in the commercial division of the airline and revenue generation and profitability are what we need to deliver, this is a high-pressure environment as this is a very competitive business.”

Born and bred in Harare, Muchanyuka went to school in Chinhoyi where she did her ordinary level at Chinhoyi High School.

After her advanced level, she joined Air Zimbabwe. She would spend 3 years at the national flag carrier, working in the reservations call centre and later the Harare city ticket office.

The executive moved to Swissair where she worked as a sales representative for seven years. She then joined SAA in 2000, rising to country head for Zimbabwe from a sales executive position.

The executive has established relationships with customers and business partners and other stakeholders to an extent that getting “support I need in the market has been without much labour” due to her experience.

The SAA office in Zimbabwe was awarded best performing office in 2012 given her hard work and that of her team.

Over and above that, Zimbabwe has remained in the top 5 of SAA’s most profitable routes.

Muchanyuka sits on the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe board, the School of Tourism and Hospitality at the Chinhoyi University of Technology board and on the advisory board of Amena Africa, an aviation consultancy entity.

She is a huge fan of the outdoors.

“I love travelling and will plan to see at least a new country every year, I love to read as well. I enjoy cooking and entertaining friends and family and I spare time to do some community work or outreach programmes at my local church,” the executive said.

She said Covid-19 has affected the travel and tourism industry in the same manner the 2004 tsunami devastated Banda Aceh in Indonesia.

“What we saw was unprecedented and some airlines across the world have closed doors for good or have gone into business administration. Economies were adversely affected due to local lockdowns as well as border closures, thus lowering or deleting disposable incomes for nationals to travel,” the executive said.

She sees the saving grace  for the aviation sector on the human need to travel as people will not remain confined to their home countries and will itch to travel as soon as it is humanly possible and safe to do so.

“That need to get to places will help airlines rebuild their businesses but it will be a few years before air travel can return to levels close to what we experienced pre-Covid 19,” the executive said.

Muchanyuka is an ardent reader of Christian books. She says “my faith forms the foundation” of her life while she also reads self-developmental books as well as autobiographies.

She has a strong belief that self-development is critical as people can’t be taught everything in a classroom or boardroom and, developing one-self cannot be outsourced.

The executive noted that autobiographies teach her about the lives of accomplished people and from them she learns a thing or two that can be applied in her life.

Muchanyuka’s mother has been her source of inspiration and to date, she remains mama’s girl despite being a mother of two in her own life.

“On inspiration, undoubtedly it has been my mother, although if you had asked me this question 10 years ago I would have given you a different answer.

But as I look at how I have evolved as a woman, a mother and an executive, I see a lot of my mum’s teaching and traits in me.

“Putting God first, the ambition, the drive, the “can do” attitude, how to handle money and fame, to put my children ahead of myself, the value of education, the value of humility and the ability to adjust to the level of the people around me, the extroverted yet introverted character is all my mother, I am truly Winnie wa Mai Winnie,” Muchanyuka said.

She is a mother of two boys and a Seventh Day Adventist by faith.