Some women are born into leadership, others grow into it through grit and grace. And then there are those like Dr. Annamare Wolmarans, women who carry the silent strength of mountains, rising slowly, firmly, and undeniably. Her story doesn’t open with boardrooms or big dreams, it begins in the dust and determination of South Africa’s mining towns, where the only way to lead was to prove oneself, again and again, in a space where few women were ever seen, and even fewer were heard.
“I was born in Sasolburg and raised in the mining town of Phalaborwa,” she shares, and already the layers of her journey start to unfold. After marrying, she moved to a small town close to the Botswana border called Ellisras, now known as Lephalale. That move marked the beginning of a transformation—one that would carry her from a typing pool in a coal mine to the founder of one of South Africa’s most empowering leadership institutions.
A Woman Among Machines and Men
Dr. Wolmarans’ career began humbly, typing in the office of Iscor Coal Mine. But she never let the confines of that job define her. “I worked my way up to being appointed a maintenance planner,” she says. A few months later, she made another move, this time to the mine’s IT department as a computer training officer.
That shift wasn’t just professional. It ignited a realization: “I soon realized that my career will not progress any further without me studying to obtain a formal qualification such as a degree.” And so, at the age of 32, with two small children and a full-time job, she enrolled for a B.Com Informatics degree through UNISA, South Africa’s long-distance learning university.
Studying while working and parenting wasn’t easy, but it was pivotal. “Studying broadened my horizon and my career got momentum.” She eventually rose to become Manager, Information Management for Grootegeluk Coal Mine, a powerful title earned not by chance, but by relentless commitment.
The Birth of Atlega Institute
As her role expanded and she began leading a large team, Dr. Wolmarans saw something stark and missing in the mining world: leadership training that truly addressed the unique challenges faced by women. “It was after taking up the position… that I realized that there is a huge need for leadership training for Women in Mining and in general for Women in Leadership,” she recalls.
Out of that realization, a new path was born—not just a job, but a calling.
“Because training, upliftment and development of people is my passion, I developed a training course for Women in Leadership and Mining which at first I only presented to my own team.” The response was overwhelming. Soon, the mine’s training department invited her to expand the course to more women across the company.
That moment was the spark. When she later took early retirement, Dr. Wolmarans founded Atlega Institute—a space committed to empowerment through training, mentorship, and coaching. Headquartered in South Africa, the Institute offers tailored programmes that include Women in Leadership, Women in Leadership and Mining, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Managing Your Career as a Business, Power Intelligence and Conflict Management, Emotional and Spiritual Intelligence, and Ikigai Leadership.
She adds, “We also assist individuals with setting up a life plan and guide them to execute the life plan to grow and enhance all aspects of their life, such as their career, finances, health, spirituality and relationships.”
Building a Business with Purpose and Persistence
But moving from corporate into entrepreneurship wasn’t without its trials.
“I worked in a corporate environment for 34 years where everything is just easier and more accessible and funding is more readily available. I had to change my corporate mindset and adapt to an environment where money and resources is scarcer.”
One of her most important lessons? “Marketing and the way you market your products and services is of the essence.” She’s committed to building without borrowing: “I try my utmost best to do as much as I can with the money and resources that I have available without lending money and going into debt.”
For her, success is rooted in planning. “It is important to have a business plan and a strategy of what you want to accomplish coupled with action steps and timelines. The plan and the strategy needs to be revisited and adapted according to the circumstances of the business on a regular basis.”
Notable Milestones and a Vision for the Continent
Though Atlega Institute is still in its infancy, less than two years old, it is already carving a reputation for its thoughtful, powerful approach to leadership training. “Our vision is to take our training, mentorship and coaching services to beyond the borders of South Africa to not only our neighbouring countries but also to the rest of Africa.”
This dream of expansion isn’t just talk. Dr. Wolmarans is already booked to speak at two key conferences: the Women in Leadership: Government & SOE’s event in May, and the Women and Leadership in Mining conference in August.
Each talk is a step forward for her mission: bringing human-centered, soul-conscious leadership education to more women and men, across the continent.
The Human Behind the Title
Despite the strength she carries, Dr. Wolmarans remains deeply grounded. Her wisdom is practical, shaped by lived experience rather than textbook theory. “They need to have a realistic business plan, a vision and a strategy of how they want to achieve what they are setting out to achieve,” she says when asked what advice she’d offer new entrepreneurs.
“My impression is that many new startups just dive into doing something without doing market research, a business plan and having a strategy. They just hope everything will work out for the best.” Hope, she believes, should be accompanied by intention and action.
She is also excited about emerging training topics like Spiritual Intelligence and Ikigai Leadership, areas that many institutions overlook, but which she believes are vital for balanced and effective leadership in today’s world.
In a world where too many are told to “stay in their lane,” Dr. Annamare Wolmarans built her own road and then extended it so others could follow. From the typing pool of a coal mine to speaking on national stages about leadership and legacy, her life is proof that transformation is possible at any stage, and for anyone willing to walk with purpose.
She didn’t wait for permission. She didn’t rely on shortcuts. She built something bold, intentional, and beautiful—brick by brick, with the same quiet determination that took her from Phalaborwa to the forefront of leadership development in South Africa.
And through Atlega Institute, her impact is only just beginning.
