From executives taking on new roles to rising stars making their mark, we keep financial advisers updated on the people shaping the future of the sector.
New appointments at Bonitas Medical Fund
Vurhonga Rikhotso has been appointed the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). She takes over from CFO, Luke Woodhouse whose contract has ended. However, to ensure a streamline handover process, he will continue to consult until end-June 2025.
Rikhotso is an accomplished and results-driven Chartered Accountant with 16 years’ experience in both the public and private sectors. Her expertise spans financial reporting, risk management and strategic leadership. She has a proven track record in governance and financial oversight, having held leadership roles in organisations such as Transnet and the Auditor General of South Africa. She also served on the Board of Bonitas, where she was instrumental in providing strategic oversight and promoting financial stewardship.
Lee Callakoppen, Principal Officer of Bonitas says, ‘Vurhonga’s appointment aligns with our continued focus on transformation and securing leadership excellence to drive Bonitas’ strategic goals and financial sustainability.’
Shane Perumal, currently head of operations, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO) also effective 1 February. With over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) specialising in Healthcare Management, Perumal has driven operational effectiveness and optimised business processes within the Scheme.
“We are delighted to have a new CFO and COO on board and look forward to the continued success of the Scheme, as we evolve to meet the needs of our members,” said Callakoppen. “We know Rikhotso will continue to guide our financial operations to maintain our sustainability and Perumal’s expertise will strengthen our service offering.”
Webber Wentzel announces strategic appointments
Webber Wentzel has announce the appointment of a group of accomplished professionals to its team. These strategic appointments underscore the firm’s commitment to growth and the expansion of its capabilities across key practice areas, including Banking, Corporate, Commercial and Dispute Resolution. The new partners will join the firm in phases between January and June 2025.
Expanding expertise
Kathryn Gawith has rejoined Webber Wentzel as a consultant in the Dispute Resolution Business Unit. Kathryn first joined the firm in 2016 as a partner and is highly regarded for her expertise. She has played a pivotal role in high-profile litigation matters, particularly in auditor liability, and her return brings invaluable insights and experience that will further strengthen our Dispute Resolution Practice and enhance the value we offer to our clients.
Lerato Nkanza joined the firm in January 2025 as a partner in the Banking, Projects & Regulatory Business Unit. A highly skilled Debt Capital Markets and Treasury practitioner, Lerato brings extensive experience in debt securities transactions, regulatory advisory, and deal execution across Southern, East, and West Africa, as well as North America. Her expertise, proven track record and ability to foster and maintain strong relationships will be pivotal in strengthening the firm’s relationships with key financial institutions and supporting the development and succession planning of the Debt Capital Markets team.
Alfred Sambaza will join the Forensic Services team as a partner in March 2025. With over two decades of experience in forensic and fraud advisory services, strategic governance, and expert accounting, Alfred’s appointment will enhance the firm’s capacity to manage complex forensic investigations, delivering comprehensive multidisciplinary solutions. His addition supports the firm’s long-term strategy to develop a leading forensic capability and will support Lionel van Tonder who leads the Forensics team at Webber Wentzel.
Returning to the firm in March 2025, Samantha Farren will join as a partner in the Commercial Business Unit. With over 25 years of experience in commercial property law, Samantha specialises in property finance, renewable energy, and large-scale property developments. Her deep relationships with corporate clients and extensive expertise in complex transactions will bolster the firm’s Real Estate Practice while supporting the Projects team’s focus on renewable energy. Samantha’s integration into the firm will further solidify Webber Wentzel’s position in the property market, providing clients with holistic, full-service capabilities.
Joining the firm in May 2025, Livia Dyer will take on the role of partner in the Commercial Business Unit. With a strong background in South Africa’s regulated sectors – particularly telecommunications, media, and technology – Livia’s expertise in broad-based black economic empowerment, licensing, and regulatory compliance will help clients navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment. Her track record of delivering impactful results will further enhance the firm’s client service offering.
Leadership reflections
Christo Els, Senior Partner of Webber Wentzel, says: “These appointments reaffirm our unwavering commitment to investing in top-tier talent and expanding our capabilities to meet the evolving needs of our clients. Each of these individuals brings exceptional expertise and a fresh perspective, strengthening our ability to provide world-class legal solutions across critical practice areas.”
Gareth Driver, incoming Senior Partner from 1 March 2025, added: “We are thrilled to welcome these outstanding professionals to Webber Wentzel. Their diverse experience, deep industry knowledge, and client-focused approach align perfectly with our vision for the future. I am confident that their contributions will drive our continued success and innovation.”
STANLIB’s new Head of Money Market announced
STANLIB Asset Management has appointed Eulali Gouws, a highly qualified and experienced portfolio manager who has been with STANLIB since 2015, to take over from Ansie van Rensburg as Head of Money Market on 1 March 2025.
Eulali’s promotion reflects a considered succession plan that has been under way for several years, in line with the Fixed Income division’s commitment to create a diverse team with deep expertise. She was identified as Ansie’s successor in 2019. Since then, she has been mentored by Ansie and has co-managed the Money Market team, assuming increasing responsibilities, to ensure a smooth transition.
Eulali, who holds a BCom(Hons) in Accounting from the University of Johannesburg, is a qualified chartered accountant and registered CFA Charterholder. She also holds a Certificate in Investment Performance Management (CIPM) from the CFA Institute. As an expert in her field, Eulali has participated in the South African Reserve Bank’s Zaronia and Repo Committees.
In her new role, Eulali is supported by the award-winning STANLIB Fixed Income team. With more than R300 billion in assets under management, this team manages the largest fixed income portfolio in SA.
“Having worked closely with Eulali for several years already, we have every confidence in her ability to lead the Money Market team,” Mphaphuli said. “She has brought fresh perspectives to her role, while honouring the proven investment philosophy established by the STANLIB Asset Management Fixed Income team.”
Ninety One appoints Leong Kae Xiang
Ninety One has appointed Leong Kae Xiang as Director, playing a crucial role in the development and management of Ninety One’s infrastructure debt portfolio in South and South East Asia. In this new role Kae Xiang will be responsible for originating, structuring, and executing infrastructure debt transactions across South and South East Asia, as well as managing relationships with key stakeholders. Kae Xiang is based in Singapore. Ninety One is the manager for the Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund (EAAIF), a Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) company.
EAAIF provides long-term commercial debt to deliver inclusive and impactful infrastructure projects in Africa and Asia. Prior to joining Ninety One, Kae Xiang was Director, Client Coverage Group at Clifford Capital, responsible for the origination, arrangement and execution of infrastructure financing globally across the debt capital spectrum.
Previous experience
Kae Xiang joined Clifford Capital from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation where he was Vice President, Structured Finance Department, responsible for originating and executing debt arranging and financial advisory mandates for power, energy TMT and infrastructure projects in Asia. Kae Xiang began his career at CTBC Bank where he was an Assistant Relationship Manager in the Corporate & Institutional Banking team.
He has a BSC in Quantitative Economics and Quantitative Finance from Singapore Management University. Martijn Proos, Co-Head of Emerging Market Alternative Credit, Ninety One: “Kae Xiang’s deep technical knowledge and extensive experience in infrastructure debt transactions will play a pivotal role in advancing our growth strategy across South and South East Asia. His expertise in originating, structuring, and executing complex infrastructure deals, coupled with his deep understanding of emerging markets, positions him as a key asset in driving sustainable and impactful investments. Infrastructure development in these rapidly growing markets is essential to supporting long-term economic growth, and Kae Xiang’s expertise and insight will help us continue to unlock value for our investors.”
OM Bank appoints new CEO
OM Bank has received approval from the South African Reserve Bank’s Prudential Authority to appoint Clarence Nethengwe as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the country’s newest bank, effective immediately.
“OM Bank is a crucial component of the Group’s Integrated Financial Services (IFS) strategy to empower all South Africans to move towards financial wellness. By approaching financial services to improve the lives of our customers and communities, Clarence’s leadership experience serves as a powerful foundation for OM Bank to flourish by prioritising ethical practices, empowering customers and communities, fostering inclusivity and accessibility, and building trust and transparency,” said Old Mutual Group CEO, Iain Williamson.
Paycorp appoints John Chaplin to Board
Paycorp, an international payments provider, has appointed John Chaplin as a Non-Executive Director to its Board. Chaplin brings over 30 years of global retail payments and fintech expertise, further strengthening Paycorp’s governance and strategic oversight.
Chaplin has played a pivotal role in the evolution of the payments industry, with extensive experience across card payments, mobile transactions, and B2B financial solutions. His career spans executive and board-level positions at some of the world’s leading payments and fintech organisations.
“We are thrilled to welcome John to Paycorp’s Board,” said Steven Kark, co-founder and CEO of Paycorp. “His extensive experience in fintech and payments, combined with his track record of scaling and transforming businesses, will be invaluable as we continue to grow and enhance our payment solutions. John’s global perspective and industry expertise align perfectly with our vision of delivering world-class payment solutions.”
Previous experience
Previously, Chaplin served as Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Visa, where he led the high-volume, high-availability European processing business. He also held global business development roles at First Data, driving initiatives such as interconnecting payments networks across multiple countries and developing debit card processing solutions. As Chairman of Ixaris Payments, he helped establish the company as one of the largest payments providers to travel agents globally.
Chaplin has provided strategic advisory services to Helios Investment Partners, a leading African private equity fund, and has played an instrumental role in scaling and transforming several payments companies. As Chairman of Global Processing Services, he helped drive its growth into a global issuer processor, powering fintech leaders such as Revolut and Starling before its sale to a private equity consortium in a landmark deal exceeding $400 million. He has also served on the boards of Sentenial and T-Pay Mobile, overseeing their growth and successful acquisitions.
Current position
Currently, Chaplin is Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee for Interswitch, the largest payments company in West Africa. He also chairs the Global Payments Innovation Jury, an initiative that brings together leading fintech and payments CEOs to produce influential industry reports.
Chaplin’s deep knowledge of domestic payment networks and regulatory frameworks across markets, including South Africa, Australia, France, India, Turkey, the UAE and Vietnam makes him a valuable addition to Paycorp’s Board.
Chaplin holds a BSc in Economics & Economic History from Loughborough University and a Masters in Management from Henley Business School.
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