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Odette van der Haar (nee Roper)'s experience and knowledge, gained locally and abroad, is as a result of having worked for leading companies such as: African Technology Holdings, the South African Post Office, Siemens, BP Southern Africa, Rentworks and Mutual and Federal, holding various positions in marketing, strategy and business management.

Furthermore, as co-author of the industry's now legislated Charter for transformation which
Odette was instrumental in driving to effect transformation of the marketing, advertising and communications sector of South Africa, Odette is the industry representative for transformation on the Charter Council.

Odette is a Fellow of the Aspen Institute's Global Leadership Network African chapter African Leadership Initiative, she is highly respected in the advertising and communications sector, her opinion on industry matters is regularly sought and she is often profiled and quoted in the media.

She has been featured in publications such as the Financial Mail's Little Black Book (2008/2009 and 2010/2011), The Mail and Guardian's Book of South African Women (2008) and The Annual (2009/2010) to name a few, and she is often called upon to serve as a judge on numerous prestigious industry award programs. She has also been recognised professionally for awards such as: Woman of the Year, The Most Influential Women in Business and Government and The Most Powerful Women in SA Digital Marketing.

Vocationally, Odette was a custodian of the "Take a girl child to work" initiative. She is highly
involved in various community projects and charities including the building of an HIV/Aids VCT site in Noordgesig adjacent to Soweto, in Johannesburg.

Odette is a highly respected captain of industry with a Degree in Marketing Communications
majoring in Digital Marketing and a Higher Diploma in Business Management. She is an
advocate for creativity and its contribution to business success, effective marketing and
communications campaigns that contribute tangibly to a company's bottom line, corporate
governance, transformation and empowering women across all walks of life.

Her life's motto is "no regrets, only life lessons" and lives her philosophy of always chasing her better self by striving to a better person everyday than she was the day before.