The tyre industry has traditionally been male dominated, but that landscape is changing. At Super Tyres, one woman is proving that strong leadership, commercial experience and the ability to deliver results can cross industry boundaries.
Nytanya Loretz is General Manager of the Super Tyres group, a multi-brand retail operation trading under Super Tyres, BestDrive, Dunlop Zone and Hi-Q across KwaZulu-Natal. Her role spans sales, operations, finance, systems and marketing, with Nytanya reporting directly to the Managing Director.
Her days can take her from a branch sales review to a systems build or national marketing campaign, often all before lunch. Yet while her current role sits firmly within the tyre industry, her career journey began elsewhere.
Nytanya joined the tyre industry just over a year ago, following 14 years in IT, including three years as an Operational Director. Before that, she worked as a Regional Sales Manager in the waste industry. Across three very different sectors, one common thread has remained: she has built her career in traditionally male-dominated environments.
“As a woman who has always been in male-dominated industries, I have always had to work hard to prove myself by focusing on my performance and producing results,” she says. “Consistently delivering high results often cannot be argued with.”
That approach has served her well in her transition into an entirely new industry. For Nytanya, one of her proudest achievements in her role at Super Tyres has not been a particular deal or campaign, but the ability to make an immediate contribution despite being new to the industry.
“The biggest achievement has been coming into a new industry and being able to add value immediately, based on all the knowledge I have built up over the years in compliance, operational management, marketing and sales,” she says.
Her experience is a reminder that effective leadership is not necessarily industry specific. The operational discipline, compliance knowledge, commercial understanding and management experience developed over a career can be applied in new environments, bringing a fresh perspective and different skill set to the table.
Nytanya also believes that the landscape for women in leadership continues to evolve. “In all industries, women have risen to the occasion when put to the test,” she says.
While she may now be helping to lead the Super Tyres group, Nytanya is quick to acknowledge the women who came before her and the strong foundations on which the business has been built.
Super Tyres was co-founded by Jocelyn Horn, whose influence remains part of the company’s heritage. One of the business principles associated with Jocelyn continues to resonate today: “If you take care of the cents, the rands look after themselves.”
“I stand on the shoulders of women who did this work before I ever walked through the door,” says Nytanya. “Jocelyn built the foundation, and our women in leadership keep it standing every single day.”
For young women aspiring to leadership or business ownership, Nytanya’s advice is simple: “Stay focused on your goals, have a growth mindset, and always take up every opportunity to learn. It will stand you in good stead.”
Her own career journey is perhaps the best example of that philosophy in action. Moving from IT and waste management into the tyre industry, Nytanya has demonstrated that leadership is not limited by where a career begins. The skills, knowledge and experience gained along the way can open doors to entirely new opportunities.
As Women’s Month provides an opportunity to celebrate the contribution of women across industries and professions, stories such as Nytanya’s highlight the growing role women are playing in leadership, while also recognising the women who helped pave the way before them.