Powerhouse auctioneer leads by example

When Ariella Kuper stepped up to accept the Europcar Women in Leadership Award at this year’s Investec Jewish Achiever Awards, her message wasn’t about titles, business success, or individual achievement. Instead, she spoke about cancer, surrender, community, and learning to ask for help. 

“Nobody ever gets there on their own. You have to have people in your corner. Cancer taught me that surrender doesn’t mean weakness; it means recognising the strength you have around you – in your family, in those who love you, and in your community.” 

For Kuper, one of South Africa’s leading female auctioneers, the award represented a journey that has extended far beyond her professional success, encompassing philanthropy, community involvement, and a deeply personal experience that reshaped her understanding of what it means to lead. 

Her work includes handling vessels arrested in South African and Namibian territorial waters over unpaid debts. Once a High Court order is granted, she is appointed to auction the vessel internationally on behalf of financial institutions seeking to recover the money owed. 

Kuper has twice been named Charity Auctioneer of the Year by the South African Institute of Auctioneers. 

She got her big break in January 2016, at the same time she was first diagnosed with cancer. When the cancer returned in 2018, she learnt the lesson about surrender and accepting help that became important in both her personal and professional life. 

That philosophy influenced the development of her business. Recognising that buyers at auctions often have limited information about the assets they are bidding on, Kuper introduced comprehensive due-diligence reports to give them greater confidence. For vessels, this includes making a Master Mariner condition survey available to prospective buyers through a central repository of information. 

Just a few weeks before receiving the award, Kuper had been standing on the same stage raising just under R4.5 million for a school foundation. “Now I’m standing getting an award in recognition of exactly those actions, doing what I absolutely love doing,” she said. 

“Abraham, the first Jew, was someone who led by example. He went against the grain, and his legacy was defined not by what he said, but by what he did and the influence he had,” she told the Jewish Achiever Award guests. 

“As Jews, throughout history we have often found ourselves on the other side, and that’s why the lesson we take from Abraham is so important. It’s about being an ambassador and recognising the impact of our actions – whether in business, charity, community, or leadership. It’s through what we demonstrate as ambassadors that we make the greatest impact, and that’s what we do as a Jewish community, particularly here in South Africa,” said Kuper. 

She attributes her successes to those who have stood by her through the ups and downs, especially her husband, her sister, and her parents. 

Kuper said her success isn’t about awards or professional achievements, but the example she sets for others. 

“I want to be someone a mother can point to and say to her daughter, ‘I want you to be like Ariella.’ If I can be what a parent wants their child to aspire to, then I try my best to live up to that. I try to stand up and make a difference, despite everything thrown at me,” she said.