CEO FirstRand Limited, effective 01 January 2006
BACKGROUND : Grew up on the family farm in Greytown, Natal.
SCHOOL : Maritzburg College
UNIVERSITY : Stellenbosch - 1974. MComm majoring in Economics and Finance.
CAREER :
1974 to 1978 Investigating Officer at Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)
1978 to 1986 Founding Shareholder with 2 colleagues, GT Ferreira and Laurie Dippenaar, of Rand Consolidated Investments Ltd (RCI). RCI took over Rand Merchant Bank in 1985.
1987 to 1991 Started Australian Gilt Securities in Sydney in the days of sanctions. Renamed RMB Australia and now involved in Private Equity, Resources and the Energy markets in New Zealand and Australia. Returned to South Africa in 1991.
1992 to 1999 CEO of Rand Merchant Bank. In 1992 RMB Holdings took over Momentum Life and started a number of other companies such as Discovery Health, Origin and OUTsurance.
June 1999 – 2005 CEO of FirstRand Bank. In 1998, RMBH merged its financial interests with those of Anglo American. As the largest shareholder with 25%, and in terms of an agreement with Anglo, RMBH assumed management control of the newly formed group.
From Jan 2006 CEO FirstRand Limited. FirstRand consists of insurance and banking interests and the major entities are First National Bank, Rand Merchant Bank, WesBank, Momentum, OUTsurance and Discovery.
DIRECTORSHIPS RMB Holdings Ltd, FirstRand Limited, FirstRand Bank Limited, Momentum Group Ltd, Discovery Holdings, Remgro Ltd, Cricket SA
INTERESTS : Watching sport, playing golf, art, wildlife
FAMILY : Married to Jeanne. Two grown children – Kevin and Nicola