A chef? Optometrist? Leadership practitioner? Suzette van der Westhuizen has followed a winding career path that has ultimately brought her to one clear purpose: helping people and organizations become healthier versions of themselves. Today, as a Business Advisor and Leadership Practitioner at THPC Group, Suzette helps leaders navigate workforce pressures while building cultures where both people and businesses can thrive.
“I believe organizations cannot achieve sustainable performance without a healthy, thriving workforce. Human wellbeing is not separate from business performance; it is fundamental to it. Without employees who are well, we are building the future of our organizations on very shaky grounds,” Suzette said.
Her philosophy is rooted not just in education, but in experience. Born and raised in South Africa, Suzette’s curiosity has taken her through an unusually diverse career. She dreamed of becoming a chef and graduated from one of South Africa’s most prestigious Cordon Bleu cooking schools. She decided she did not want to turn her hobby into a career, so instead of pursuing cooking professionally after graduation, she returned to school to study Optometry at the University of Johannesburg.
Reflecting on her experience as a practicing optometrist, Suzette shared, “I was always intrigued by the number of patients in their early to mid-40s who presented with Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Those chronic diseases often present themselves first in the eyes, and I always thought these patients were too young to have these diseases. It was only after I joined the corporate world myself that I started to understand the true impact of workplace pressure and organizational culture on employee health. I came to understand how these factors can contribute to the development of chronic diseases and, in some cases, lead to premature death among working professionals.”
After practicing optometry for several years, Suzette’s interest in the business side of healthcare led her to earn an MBA from Wits Business School in Johannesburg. She went on to study leadership coaching at Kingstown College in Dublin, Ireland, and lifestyle and wellness coaching through Harvard Medical School’s Executive Education Program.
Her career then expanded into business strategy and organizational performance, including consulting with Accenture and strategy work with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Along the way, she continued to see firsthand the toll workplace stress can take on people; an insight that would ultimately shape the work she does today. Suzette now draws on her background in healthcare, business, and leadership to lead workshops and strategy sessions and speak throughout the community about leadership, culture, employee wellbeing, and sustainable performance.
Suzette’s passion for people extends well beyond her professional endeavors. A nature lover, she has adopted a stretch of Old Chapin Road through Keep the Midlands Beautiful on behalf of the Governors Grant neighborhood. Family is equally important to Suzette. She shares her life with her husband, Sarel, their daughter, Lara, and their two miniature French Poodles, Tinkerbell and Georgie.
At the heart of Suzette’s work is a deep commitment to creating healthier, more people-centered workplaces. As she explained, “I want to contribute to a community where leaders understand that taking care of their people is not separate from running a successful organization. It is at the heart of it.”