Steyn grew up and attended school in Pretoria. She enjoyed sports so much that she went on to study physiotherapy at the University of Pretoria in 1994. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She quickly realised she could not see herself working in a small room as a physio and she switched to sports management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She enrolled for several additional subjects, including marketing and financial management, before finding logistics management was right up her alley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After 11 years of studies, she completed her PhD in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services in 2005. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Steyn said that obtaining her PhD before 30 was one of her big dreams. The other was becoming a Springbok athlete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She obtained her South African colours in the heptathlon before that age. The combined track and field contest consists of seven events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are the 100-metre hurdles, 200-metre sprint, 800-metre run, long jump, high jump, shot put, and the javelin throw. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Steyn said her experience in the heptathlon prepared her well for a life in business. “It’s not just one event, it’s seven different events you need to train for,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She compared this to needing to be an expert in a wide range of areas at Capitec. “One meeting is about marketing, one is about finances, another is about data, and then it’s about operations.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Steyn’s early career was in logistics, starting as a supply chain solutions designer at Barloworld Logistics a year before completing her doctorate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In June 2007, she switched to customer operations manager at Nike to gain more hands-on experience in a logistics department. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The role fit in well with her background in sports and her love for the Nike brand. She said one interesting challenge was ensuring Nike’s apparel was readily available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Move to Stellenbosch and dream of working for Capitec<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Stellenbosch-Capitec.jpg\")
Capitec’s offices in Stellenbosch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn January 2011, she returned to Barloworld to head up sales. That would only last a few months, as she took up a new role at Imperial Logistics in July 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Initially working as a business development manager, she was promoted to strategic clients executive in June 2013 and in July 2014, business development director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2018, she moved to Stellenbosch primarily because she really wanted to live in the small Western Cape town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She frequently had to fly between Cape Town and other parts of Africa for her job, and eventually decided to take an executive role at Pioneer Foods to spend more time at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over time, she developed a new dream: To work at Capitec, which is headquartered in Stellenbosch. At the time, the bank’s share price was surging due to rising investor confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Steyn bumped into a friend who put her in contact with people who knew former Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie and operations manager Henk Lourens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She initially started in integrated business planning in 2020 and oversaw the development of Capitec Connect from August 2021. It launched in September 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Capitec Connect’s growth has been remarkable. As of March 2026, it had reached 1.5 million active subscribers, about 50% more than the next biggest bank-based MVNO, which launched six years earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In January 2011, she returned to Barloworld to head up sales. That would only last a few months, as she took up a new role at Imperial Logistics in July 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Initially working as a business development manager, she was promoted to strategic clients executive in June 2013 and in July 2014, business development director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2018, she moved to Stellenbosch primarily because she really wanted to live in the small Western Cape town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She frequently had to fly between Cape Town and other parts of Africa for her job, and eventually decided to take an executive role at Pioneer Foods to spend more time at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over time, she developed a new dream: To work at Capitec, which is headquartered in Stellenbosch. At the time, the bank’s share price was surging due to rising investor confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Steyn bumped into a friend who put her in contact with people who knew former Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie and operations manager Henk Lourens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She initially started in integrated business planning in 2020 and oversaw the development of Capitec Connect from August 2021. It launched in September 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Capitec Connect’s growth has been remarkable. As of March 2026, it had reached 1.5 million active subscribers, about 50% more than the next biggest bank-based MVNO, which launched six years earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n