From Millennium Miss SA to stylish and popular TV personality to accomplished businesswoman: Jo-Ann Strauss has followed a stellar career path that has sparked and kept South Africa’s interest and attracted global attention too. As a very popular Master of Ceremonies and Speaker, she has charmed audiences from around the world while making an impact in the corporate world with her business.

Born and raised in Cape Town, this Stellenbosch University graduate holds a B.Comm Law degree – and that’s on top of her glamorous globe-trotting accomplishments, which include representing South Africa at the Miss World Pageant in Puerto Rico and modelling alongside supermodels Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Elle McPherson and Helena Christensen in Barcelona.

But, that was just the start of the meteoric career of South Africa’s darling Jo-Ann Strauss. She presented the popular Afrikaans magazine show “Pasella” for four years before moving onto “Top Billing” – Mzantsi’s glamorous offering. As one of the presenters on Top Billing, Jo-Ann has been the guest of Miramax at the Sundance Film Festival, attended Elton John’s Fundraising concert in Vienna and has interviewed Charlize Theron, Antonia Banderas, George Clooney and Bono from U2 – among others. She’s graced the covers of most of South Africa’s top magazines, won the Duku Duku Award for most stylish female presenter and has received numerous nominations and awards for best presenter.

As one of South Africa’s top female MCs, Jo-Ann is in high demand as a host for prestigious events, among the most memorable being President Thabo Mbeki’s “Transformation” events, during which Jo-Ann and President Mbeki co-delivered the keynote address. She has also hosted the International Islamic Finance and Investment Conference, which was attended by the President of Malaysia, and the World Conference on Computers in Education.

Shoprite Checkers once again appointed her to host the prestigious Woman of the Year Awards and Woolworths have a contract with her to MC high profile events Woolworths events throughout the year. And, Jo-Ann Strauss is the face of the ABSA Premier Invitational, which will see top clients of ABSA competing around the country in prestigious golf days attended by Premiers in each region. This new date on the corporate golfing calendar is billed to become one of the must have annual invitations.

Seriously against apathy, child abuse, ignorance and corruption, Jo Ann is well known on the charity circuit and involved in Mzantsi-Afrika and various corporate social investment projects. She’s a passionate campaigner for the alleviation of poverty and for the rights of all people to education, health-care and housing and was one of a host of international celebrity MCs at a charity fund raiser for Zimbabwe in Florence last year.

What a lot of people don’t know is that Jo-Ann is an astute businesswoman. She’s a Director in a Broad-Based BEE Venture Capital Company called Partnership Investments and was appointed as a Director on the Western Cape Board of Ubuntu-Botho, a division of Sanlam. She is also the chairperson of the Partnership Foundation Trust which equips learners with much needed skills for building South Africa.

A beauty with brains, Jo Ann is equally at home as a speaker or MC for prestigious corporate occasions, charities and fashion events.