2023 South Australian 50 most influential and inspiring women over 50

Women concerned about becoming invisible in the workforce as they age can follow the lead of our 50 most influential and inspiring game-changers aged over 50. See the full list.

Meet 50 of SA’s most influential and inspiring women over 50.

They’re some of the state’s most influential faces across the public, private, not-for-profit, business and hospitality sectors – and show no signs of slowing down.

The Advertiser/Sunday Mail has compiled 50 of South Australia’s most prominent female leaders in their 50s, each with vast experience in their industries and game-changing impacts on our state.

From instrumental roles across sporting codes, pioneering voices for Indigenous women and young girls in STEM industries and prominent hands in shaping the politics of our nation, these women have made immeasurable contributions in their fields.

Explore the full list below – we think they’re equally inspiring so have listed in alphabetical order.

Breaking the ‘invisible at 50’ barrier

Inspiring and never shy and retiring, four South Australian women are putting themselves out there to show women should not be seen as invisible at 50.

Mary Hamilton, Cynthia Sajkunovic, Hitaf Rasheed and Nikki Govan are all leaders in their fields and profiled in the The Advertiser/Sunday Mail’s 50 over 50.

Mary Hamilton, 52, who describes herself as the “black sheep” of her family business Hamilton Wines, said women could become invisible as they aged (no) thanks to “all of the societal constructs that exist that don’t actually favour women”.

As a jill of all trades, who is “stomping vineyard rows in beautiful McLaren Vale one day, to pouring Hugh Hamilton wines in New York City the next”, she considers herself lucky.

“I have built my own little paddock to roam around in,” she said.

While she realised it wasn’t always easy in certain jobs she said women concerned about becoming invisible as they age should follow her lead.

“Build your own paddock where you can be somebody who has relevance … being relevant is great for your self-esteem and your career prospects as well because when they thin the herd, you don’t want to be the one (to go), if you keep yourself relevant that’s less likely.”

Mary Hamilton, Cynthia Sajkunovic, Hitaf Rasheed and Nikki Govan are four of our 50 inspirational women over 50. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Ms Sajkunovic, who is a real estate agent Ouwens Casserly in Eastwood, is “fresh into 50: having celebrated her milestone birthday with a group of friends at this year’s Monaco Grand Prix.

“It was on my bucket list,” she said, adding she was loving life: “I have a greater knowledge of the world and people and career-wise it’s more enjoyable than ever before.”

While Ms Sajkunovic is in an enviable position now, enjoying repeat business and referrals, she recognises she did the hard yards at the start of her career.

There were barriers including “then old school tie” club, but she broke them down. “I love challenge,” she says.

Being in 50s ‘liberating’

For Nikki Govan, who is the co-owner of hospitality hotspots Star of Greece and Victory Hotel, being in her 50s was liberating.

Ms Govan said she was now at the “most exciting” time in her career, thanks to her roles across different boards which include that of Adelaide Economic Development Agency, which is a subsidiary of Adelaide City Council.

“I feel like I am coming into my own,” the now 53-year-old said, adding she now recognised being a “people person” was a great asset.

“We often feel school and university or (the work we do in) our early 20s define you, but find what you love and you’ll be good at it,” she said, adding “I’m at an age where being a people person is okay.”

For South Australian Tourism Commission executive director of events Hitaf Rasheed age is just a number.

At 53, she felt as though she was still in her 20s and “contemporary”, she said, adding she had been lucky to work in “very supportive” environments or ones where she could “push through” during her career.

“In footy I was the first female media manager and that was challenging to start with in a number of ways,” she said of her decade as Port Adelaide’s general manager of communications.

The secret to her success was “building trust”, she said: “But that’s the same for every role, you have to build trust with people you work with, it doesn’t matter who you are,

that said, the burden of proof is higher for women, but I’m hoping that’s becoming less and less.”