Women in Charge: Ocean Basket CEO, Grace Harding brings soul to strategy

Grace Harding is a fearless leader, whose radical honesty, heartfelt leadership, and people-first philosophy are changing the way we think about power. From a shop assistant on the streets of Joburg to the head of a global brand, her journey is a masterclass in resilience, purpose, and unapologetic authenticity

For Grace Harding, leadership isn’t about the corner office or a carefully polished image but rather about showing up, being real, and leading with purpose. As the CEO of Ocean Basket, one of South Africa’s most beloved seafood brands, Grace is rewriting the rules of leadership with warmth, vision, and a deep commitment to human connection.

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In honour of Women’s Month, we sat down with Grace for a candid conversation on power, performance, and the daily rituals that keep her grounded.

Glamour: You began your career as a shop assistant in central Johannesburg and today you're the CEO of Ocean Basket. What moments or lessons from those early days still shape how you lead today?

Grace: Growing up in retail is abundant with lessons: the importance of being customer-centric. Know your customer, care about them, and give them what they want. Work hard and add value to the people around you. I always made sure the shelves were packed beautifully and the store was clean. Engage with people—your colleagues, neighbours, and guests.

Glamour: From the streets of Joburg to the boardroom, was there ever a turning point where you truly saw yourself as a leader?

Grace: I always saw myself as a leader. I had no choice. I was the leader of my family from the age of 10. I had a very unstable upbringing.

Glamour: You’ve described human engagement and communication as “hard skills” rather than soft ones. Why do you believe these skills are essential to modern leadership?

Grace: Human engagement skills are the REAL skills of tomorrow. Building self-awareness and the ability to relate to others, be open to all ideas, and conduct a harmonious tune are skills that no AI will ever do for us. The better we get, the better we teach AI and our future leaders.

Glamour: Ocean Basket is known not just for its food, but its culture. How have you cultivated a people-first environment in a traditionally high-pressure industry?

Grace: I believe that most great companies respect and care for their leaders. I learn so much from great brands around me. We’ve got to start using a new language. It’s not about what is first, it’s about holding all the things that matter; people (all people, including guests and communities…) and bringing value to all.

Glamour: You often talk about bringing “soul to strategy.” What does that mean to you in practical terms?

Grace: Do well by doing good. A strategy has no meaning until it connects to what people believe and need. If there is no connection, then all the instructions and projects and requests have no fertile ground to grow from.

Glamour: As a woman leading in a male-dominated industry, what barriers have you had to break, and what new standards are you trying to set?

Grace: I find no barriers. Be bold. Teach people how to treat you. Women do have an extra little superpower—and so do men.

Glamour: What does it mean to you to lead with purpose and passion as a woman in business today?

Grace: Leading with purpose is about the why—Simon Sinek speaks of this. People need to follow a purpose. They will not just follow instructions, and we don’t want people to follow blindly. Leaders are watched closely every minute of the day. If you ooze positivity and a can-do attitude, that becomes infectious. I don’t like to compare men to women, but I do believe that women have stronger access to empathy.

Glamour: How do you stay grounded and true to yourself in high-stakes environments where performance is everything?

Grace: Performance is everything for everyone. So is life. It’s about why and how you are driven to perform. Rassie Erasmus is someone I quote all the time. He is a leader of note. He leads with heart, enforces with clarity, and does not tolerate nonsense. Do your work, arrive prepared, do it for the country/group—and we will win. Simple.

Glamour: You co-founded The Restaurant Collective to support the sit-down restaurant sector. What inspired this initiative, and what impact has it had so far?

Grace: TRC was born during COVID with one of the greatest women of our restaurant industry in SA—Natasha Sideris of Tashas. We needed each other… and most other restaurant brands came on board. It was a great time for competitors to cooperate and stand together. I am a great believer in that. If we are all strong, the industry is strong. The restaurant industry has had no voice, and we are working to build this. We now partner with Fedhasa to form a broader hospitality bond.

Glamour: What’s your vision for the future of South Africa’s restaurant industry, especially when it comes to skills development and transformation?

Grace: We need to grow the industry—and we all know what needs to happen for that to happen. More restaurants, more people, and the whole value chain wins. Plus, we need to work harder to upskill the one-man-band restaurant owner. There is such an important place for them in our country.

Glamour: How do your travels and love for theatre inform the way you build teams, run restaurants, or inspire innovation?

Grace: Travel feeds my soul. It is full of what I love… diverse people, food, cultures. Life is a theatre. We are all on stage. I can escape for two hours and watch people with awe. I also think I’m a frustrated performer.

Glamour: What would you say is your proudest moment as CEO of Ocean Basket so far?

Grace: I am proud to be chosen to lead this brand. I am proud of how many people are able to build strong families because of what we do—and the industry as a whole. I felt really proud when the brand turned 30 this year. Proud to be associated with the gutsy founders who were driven and inspired by a great woman—Liza Lazarides.

Glamour: You’ve mentioned TED Talks as being on your bucket list. What message would you want to leave with the world from that stage?

Grace: Own your work, always wear lipstick, be humble, and remember that it’s NOT about you.

Glamour: What advice would you give to young women who feel called to lead but don’t yet see themselves reflected in positions of power?

Grace: The only power is impact. My position is not about power. If you do not add value and set a good example, that is how you lose power. Work hard. Genuinely care about others, about the world. Keep your skills sharp. Exercise, eat well.

Glamour: What's one daily ritual that helps you stay present and connected as a leader?

Grace: My 20 minutes of thinking about the day with my cup of hot water, lemon, collagen, and apple cider vinegar. Yum.

Glamour: If leadership is a performance, what role do you play best: director, lead actor, or stage manager?

Grace: Great question. Sometimes I’ve got to be a bit of each of them. But definitely the back-of-house role is my chosen one—orchestrating and fine-tuning it all. Can I be the orchestra conductor who sometimes beats a drum?

Glamour: What’s one word your team would use to describe your leadership—and one word you hope they feel?

Grace: They would describe my leadership as REAL. What I hope they feel is accomplished and whole.