Based: Johannesburg

Francis is a trusted television personality who has featured on South Africa’s most-watched news programs for years. She has worked for the country’s top broadcasters including 702, eNCA and the SABC. In 2024 she returned to eNCA as a news anchor which was a happy homecoming since emedia provided her first television role.

Francis has built a reputation as an accurate, fair and ethical broadcaster who can handle breaking news, the fray of politics and business news. After starting her career as a computer programmer, Francis decided to go back to university and follow her passion for journalism. At Wits, she was elected as Editor-in-Chief of the student newspaper, Wits Student, and rose to the task of reviving the paper with political debate and comedic fun. At the same time, she joined the news department at 702 Talk Radio in 2001. As a reporter, she was involved in several investigations that led to exclusive reports, such as an expose of the sale of roadworthy licences and inspectors taking bribes. She left as a news anchor and member of the senior team.

After a brief stint in the corporate world as a communications manager, Francis re-entered the media as a morning-show presenter at eTV. When South Africa’s first 24-hour news channel was launched, she was there on the first day as a late-night news anchor on eNCA. In 2010, she was promoted to Business Anchor on the channel’s flagship evening show, NewsNight. Francis was head-hunted by the SABC to launch a new business show in 2013 and thereafter held various roles at the public broadcaster. She has been involved in covering major events such as the death of Nelson Mandela, several elections and a visit by then-Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, to China. She attended the WEF meetings in Davos in 2016 and 2018. As well as interviewing local newsmakers, she had engaged with global leaders such as the UN Chief Antonio Guterres, Bill Gates, Howard Schultz, Thomas Pickety and Mark Cutifani.

Francis holds a BA and BA Honours degree from Wits University and an MBA from the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS).  She was awarded a distinction for her thesis that showed that CEOs who build relationships with journalists and are accessible to the media can help their organisations withstand a crisis. She is also the co-author of When Crisis Strikes: Ten Rules to Survive (and Avoid) a Reputation Disaster.

Francis is married to John and spends the best part of her day being bossed around by their young daughter.