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Mustaq Ahmed Brey
Imraan Soomra
Hajra Karrim
Mustaq Ahmed Brey
CHAIRMAN
CA(SA)
Appointed to the board in 1995
Non-executive director
Member of the Remuneration and Nominations Committee
Mustaq is the Chief Executive Officer of Brimstone Investment Corporation Ltd, a company which he co-founded in 1995. A qualified Chartered Accountant by profession, Mustaq currently serves as the chairman of the Oceana Group Ltd, Life Healthcare Ltd and International Frontier Technologies SOC Ltd. He also serves on the boards of AON Re SA (Pty) Ltd, Equites Property Fund Ltd, FPG Property Fund (Pty) Ltd, House of Monatic (Pty) Ltd and Lion of Africa Insurance Company Ltd. He serves on and chairs various board committees including the audit committee of The Mandela Rhodes Foundation. Mustaq is an independent director and chairman of the finance committee of Western Province Cricket Association. He is also a trustee of the Jakes Gerwel Foundation and the founder of the Saabri & Ashrafi Relief Fund.
Imraan Soomra
Chief Executive Officer
BCompt (Hons) (Wits), CA(SA), PLD Harvard Business School
Appointed to the board in 2013
Member of the Risk Committee
Number of years' service - 8
Imraan is an experienced chartered accountant and has worked in a diverse set of industries during the course of this career. From 2003 until 2010, he worked with MultiChoice as head of channels of SuperSport International, and financial director of M-Net and SuperSport. He held the position of financial director of Netcare Limited’s Hospital Division from 2010 to 2013. Imraan served as Group Financial Director for Oceana from 2013 until his appointment as Chief Executive Officer on 1 August 2018.
Hajra Karrim
Chief Financial Officer
CA (SA), B.Com
Appointed on 1 November 2020
Hajra was appointed as Chief Financial Officer and executive director on 1 November 2020. She is a seasoned finance executive with an established record of strategic, financial and operational experience across multiple geographies.
She joins Oceana from TransUnion Africa Group, part of the New York Stock Exchange-listed TransUnion LLC Group. Hajra has held many executive positions, including that of CFO of the Electronic Media Network Limited Group of Companies (M-Net).
Hajra is a qualified CA(SA) and holds a B.Com honours degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Non-executive directors
Aboubakar (Bakar) Jakoet
Lesego Sennelo
Nisaar Ahmed Pangarker
Nisaar Ahmed Pangarker
Non-executive director
Appointed to the board on 1 March 2019
Member of the Social, Ethics and Transformation Committee and Risk Committee
Nisaar is currently a managing executive at Brimstone Investment Corporation Limited, a company he joined in 1995 as part of the founding team. Nisaar has expertise in the areas of marketing, corporate communications and investor relations. He holds a BBusSc (Finance) degree from the University of Cape Town and an MBA from the University of Stellenbosch. He serves as non-executive director on the boards of African Peoples Investment Company, Commlife Holdings, Lion of Africa Life Assurance Company, Die Suidoosterfees, Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and Cape Town International Convention Centre. Nisaar is also a board member of the Brimstone Legacy Fund. He serves as a trustee on the Oceana Empowerment Trust.
Lesego Sennelo
Non-executive director
CA(SA)
Member of the Risk and Social, Ethics and Transformation Committees
Lesego Sennelo is a qualified Chartered Accountant with vast experience in both the private and public sectors, spanning over 15 years. She has diverse professional experience including auditing, financial management, corporate governance, strategy development and implementation, project management, investment management, business development, stakeholder management, and people management.
Lesego is the Founder and Executive Director of Gosele Advisory Services. She served as the Managing Director of African Women Chartered Accountants Investment Holdings (AIH). Lesego’s other previous roles include Senior Management roles in Finance in both Public and Private Sectors.
She serves as a Non-Executive Director (NED) for Onelogix Group Limited, Ohorongo Cement, Redefine Properties Limited and Reef Tankers. Her prior NED roles include, among others, Sasfin Holdings Limited, Foskor, SAICA, AWCA, AWCA Investment Holdings (AIH) and Medshield (Audit Committee).
Lesego is the immediate past President of the African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA) Forum – A forum focused on accelerating of the advancement of African women Chartered Accountants. She is a Member of the International Women’s Forum (IWF), Eisenhower Fellowship, the Aspen Global Leadership Network, Africa Leadership Initiative, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) as well as the Institute of Directors (IoD).
Aboubakar (Bakar) Jakoet
Independent Non-executive director
CA(SA)
Appointed to the Board on 14 November 2019
Bakar was appointed as non-executive director on 14 November 2019. He is a chartered accountant and an experienced director.
He retired as CFO at Pick n Pay Stores Limited in September 2019 after many years of service. During this period, he held various positions, directorships and executive positions across the Pick n Pay group. Bakar currently serves as a non-executive director on the Pick n Pay Stores Limited Board.
Nomahlubi Victoria Simamane
Peter Gerard de Beyer
Peter John Golesworthy
Nomahlubi Victoria Simamane
Independent Non-Executive Director
BSc (Hons): UBS – Botswana
Appointed to the board in 2009
Chairman of the Social, Ethics and Transformation Committee and member of the Remunerations and Nominations Committee
Nomahlubi is the Chief Executive Officer of Zanusi Brand Solutions (Pty) Limited. She has extensive marketing and advertising experience both locally and internationally and has worked at BLGK Bates as Managing Director, Unilever in South Africa and Kenya as Marketing Manager and British American as Marketing Director in South Africa and USA.
She currently serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director for The Foschini Group Limited, Cashbuild Limited and Hollard Insurance. Ms. Simamane has been an Independent & Non-Executive Director of Oceana Group Limited since September 10, 2009. She has served on the boards of various Marketing and Communications committees including the Association of Advertising Agencies (AAA), Advertising Standards Authority's (ASA’s) Advertising Properties Committee and UNEP’s Advisory Committee.
She has received various awards including the Businesswoman of the year at the National Business Awards and BBQ as well as being named the Enterprising Women of the year in Fort Lauderdale in Florida, USA.
Peter Gerard de Beyer
Independent Non-Executive Director
BBusSc (Cape Town), FASSA
Appointed to the board in 2008
Chairman of the Remuneration and Nominations Committee and member of the Audit Committee
Peter joined Old Mutual in 1978, was appointed deputy managing director of Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) in 2000, and retired in November 2008. He sits on a number of boards, including Real People Investment Holdings and certain Old Mutual Group subsidiary companies. Peter is a fellow of the Actuarial Society of South Africa.
Peter John Golesworthy
Independent Non-Executive Director
Exeter University, UK (BA (Honours) (First Class) in Accountancy Studies), Chartered Accountant (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland)
Appointed to the board in 2021
Peter is a seasoned leader and has held various executive and board positions. He is currently the Lead Independent Director, Chairman of the Audit Committee and member of the Investment & Risk Committees at Life Healthcare Group Holdings Ltd. Peter previously served as an independent director on the boards of Old Mutual Finance (RF) Proprietary Limited and Masisizane Fund NPO. He also is a member of various investment committees encompassing private equity, credit and development impact funds (affordable housing and retirement accommodation). He is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa (F.Inst.D) and Treasurer of Scripture Union Western Cape Region, and member of the National Executive Committee.
Saamsoodein Pather
Thoko Mokgosi-Mwantembe
Zarina Bibi
Mahomed Bassa
Zarina Bibi Mahomed Bassa
Independent Non-Executive Director
BAcc and Dip Acc (UDW), CA(SA)
Appointed to the board in 2011
Chairman of the Risk Committee and member of the Audit Committee
Zarina serves as a non-executive director on the boards of the Investec Group, Woolworths Holdings, Vodacom South Africa and the JSE Limited. She is also non-executive chairman of Yebo Yethu Limited and represents the same on the board of Vodacom South Africa. Zarina’s previous positions include being: a non-executive director and Audit Committee chairman of Kumba Iron Ore, a director of Sun International, a director of the Financial Services Board, chairman of the Public Accountants' and Auditors' Board, chairman of the Auditing Standards Board; a member of the Accounting Standards Board, a member of the JSE's GAAP Monitoring Panel, a board member of the SA Institute of Chartered Accountants; Vice President of ABASA. Her past executive roles were that of executive director at Absa Bank, a member of the Absa Group Executive Committee and a Partner at Ernst & Young where she spent 17 years. Zarina was named Top Women in Business and Government in 2007 and Top Business Personality in Financial Services: Banking in 2008.
Saamsoodein Pather
LEAD INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
BBusSc, BCom (Hons), MBA (Cape Town)
Appointed to the board in 1996
lead independent director
Member of the Remunerations and Nominations committee and chairman of the Audit Committee
Since graduating from the University of Cape Town in 1973, Shams has been actively involved in investment management, which has included senior executive functions at Colonial Mutual Assurance Company, Southern Life and Real Africa Holdings. He is currently a director of Coronation Fund Managers and Lungisa Investment Holdings.
Thoko Mokgosi-Mwantembe
Independent Non-Executive Director
BSc. And Dip. Ed, MSc. (Medicinal Chemistry), Executive courses through Harvard and IMD in Switzerland
Appointed to the board in 2021
Thoko brings with her a wealth of strategic experience. She has held various leadership positions for more than 15 years and continues to contribute at board level. She currently holds a number of non-executive board positions for leading South African companies, such as Royal Bafokeng Platinum, Old Mutual Limited and Omnia Group. Her previous board positions were for Vodacom Group, ABSA Group, Aveng Group and SA Post Office. Thoko was named the Top ICT Businesswoman in Africa in 2005, and in 2007, she was named the Businesswoman of the year in the Corporate category. She has worked in senior positions for several worldwide pharmaceutical companies. Before establishing the Kutana Group, where she is currently the CEO, Thoko held senior positions at Telkom, Lucent Technologies and Siemens Telecommunications. She was also the CEO at Alcatel SA and HP SA.
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Oceana Group Limited
Imraan Soomra
Trevor Giles
Jillian Marais
Hajra Karrim
Hajra Karrim
Chief Financial Officer
CA (SA), B.Com
Appointed on 1 November 2020
Hajra was appointed as Chief Financial Officer and executive director on 1 November 2020. She is a seasoned finance executive with an established record of strategic, financial and operational experience across multiple geographies.
She joins Oceana from TransUnion Africa Group, part of the New York Stock Exchange-listed TransUnion LLC Group. Hajra has held many executive positions, including that of CFO of the Electronic Media Network Limited Group of Companies (M-Net).
Hajra is a qualified CA(SA) and holds a B.Com honours degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Trevor Giles
Group Executive: Business Development and Mergers & Acquisitions
BCom (DipAcc) (Kzn), CA(SA)
Number of years' service - 21
Trevor completed his articles with Deloitte (Pietermaritzburg) in 1995 and stayed on as manager before leaving to pursue a 2 year working holiday experience in London which included an 8 month contract at Imperial Chemical Industries Plc (ICI) head office. He returned to South Africa in 1999 and started his career at Oceana at BCP in May 1999. He has held various executive roles within the Group including the finance director of BCP and the Lobster, Squid and Fries division. Trevor transferred to Oceana Group in 2013 as Business Development Manager and was integrally involved in the Lusitania, Foodcorp and Daybrook acquisitions, culminating in a 7 month assignment as acting Daybrook CFO in New Orleans to assist with the transition before appointing a permanent US based CFO. He returned to Oceana in 2015 in his current position as head of Corporate Reporting and Business Development.
Imraan Soomra
Chief Executive Officer
BCompt (Hons), CA(SA), PLD Harvard Business School
Number of years' service - 8
Imraan is an experienced chartered accountant and has worked in a diverse set of industries during the course of his career. From 2003 to 2010 he worked with MultiChoice as head of channels of SuperSport International, and the financial director of M-Net and SuperSport. He was the financial director of Netcare Limited’s Hospital Division prior to joining the Oceana Group as the chief financial officer in July 2013, and his appointment as chief executive officer in 2018.
Jillian Marais
Group Executive: Risk and Compliance
BA LLB (University of the Western Cape)
Admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa
Appointed on 1 October 2018
Number of years' service – 9
Zodwa Velleman
Bronwynne Bester
Zodwa Velleman
Group Executive: Regulatory and Corporate Affairs
BA LLB (University of the Western Cape)
Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa, B Juris and LLB University of the Western Cape, 2019 final year registered LLM (Environmental Law) student at WITS.
Appointed on 1 July 2019.
Number of years' service – 2
Before joining Oceana, she was the CEO of the Vaping Products Association of SA (VPSA). Prior to her role at VPSA Zodwa was Board Member, Legal, Corporate Security and Corporate Affairs Executive Director for HEINEKEN SA. She also served as Company Secretary & Executive Director responsible for Legal and Corporate Security, Brandhouse JV (a Diageo led JV with Heineken Plc and Namibia Brewery Ltd). Zodwa is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa with international experience in litigation, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, corporate and commercial law across a range of industries including Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), petrochemical, fishing and pharmaceuticals. She served her articles and also worked for Edward Nathan Sonnenberg Africa before moving to Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, America’s third-ranked law firm based in New York City. Zodwa obtained her B Juris and LLB from the University of the Western Cape and is a 2019 final year registered LLM (Environmental Law) student at WITS. She also completed course work towards her Master’s Degree with the University of Stellenbosch focusing on Corporate Governance, Advance Corporate and International Trade Law. She also graduated Cum Laude in a Gibs Leadership Development Programme.
Bronwynne Bester
Chief People Officer
Masters’ Degree in Commerce, Wits University
Appointed on 1 July 2020.
Number of years' service – 0
Bronwynne was appointed as Chief People Officer on 1 July 2020. She joins Oceana from Masscash, a division of Massmart, where she held the position of Human Resources Director for nine years. Prior to this she was consultant for Accenture SA and MAC Group Consulting. She was, earlier in her career, an Associate lecturer at Wits University, and has spent some time in the UK in an HR role. On her return to SA she joined Massmart Holdings as the Group Human Capital Manager.
She has an active interest and passion for organisational development and effectiveness.
Bronwynne obtained her Masters’ Degree in Commerce from Wits University.
Africa Operations
Lourens de Waal
Suleiman Salie
Neville Donovan Brink
Neville Donovan Brink
Managing director
Blue Continent Products
Number of years' service – 24
Neville obtained his marketing qualifications with the Institute of Marketing Management in Johannesburg. He worked in various marketing and sales positions at Adcock Ingram, before moving to Federal Marine, and then Oceana as marketing director of the Oceana Fishing Division. Neville was appointed managing director of Oceana Lobster and Calamari Fishing in 2005 and assumed the position of managing director of Blue Continent Products from 1 February 2011.
Lourens de Waal
Managing director
Lucky Star Marketing and Sales
HND in Cost & Management Accounting (CapeTech)
Number of years' service – 8
Lourens worked for I&J from 1994 to 2000 as the administration manager and then national & export distribution manager. He joined Vector in 2000, holding the position of general manager for sales and distribution while it was part of the I&J business and was then appointed as customer and supply chain director at Vector Logistics in 2007. Lourens attended the Executive Development Programme of UCT & Michigan University and is a member of several international industry bodies. He joined Oceana on 1 December 2011.
Suleiman Salie
Managing director
Lucky Star Operations
BSc Mech Eng (Cape Town)
Number of years' service – 10
Suleiman graduated in 1989 and joined I&J in 1990 as a graduate engineer. After progressing into management positions in the engineering and production disciplines of I&J's processing plants, he was appointed operations director in 2004. In this position, which he held until 2010, he provided strategic leadership to I&J's fishing operations. He represents Oceana on a number of fishing industry associations.
USA Operations
Jay Erskin
Jay Erskin
President
Daybrook Fisheries
Number of years' service – 2
Jay was appointed as President for Daybrook Fisheries on 7 June 2019. He joins Oceana from The Hain Celestial Group, New York, where he held the position of Chief Supply Chain Officer for North America. Jay also held several senior leadership positions with brands such as The Kraft Heinz Company, Group Danone, Mars Petcare, and Chobani. He is an accomplished Operations and Supply Chain Executive with 20+ years of food, beverage, and consumer packaged goods experience. Jay obtained his Bachelor’s qualification in Aeronautics from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He also holds an MBA from the University of Texas.
Mustaq Ahmed Brey
CHAIRMAN
CA(SA)
Appointed to the board in 1995
Non-executive director
Member of the Remuneration and Nominations Committee
Mustaq is the Chief Executive Officer of Brimstone Investment Corporation Ltd, a company which he co-founded in 1995. A qualified Chartered Accountant by profession, Mustaq currently serves as the chairman of the Oceana Group Ltd, Life Healthcare Ltd and International Frontier Technologies SOC Ltd. He also serves on the boards of AON Re SA (Pty) Ltd, Equites Property Fund Ltd, FPG Property Fund (Pty) Ltd, House of Monatic (Pty) Ltd and Lion of Africa Insurance Company Ltd. He serves on and chairs various board committees including the audit committee of The Mandela Rhodes Foundation. Mustaq is an independent director and chairman of the finance committee of Western Province Cricket Association. He is also a trustee of the Jakes Gerwel Foundation and the founder of the Saabri & Ashrafi Relief Fund.
Imraan Soomra
Chief Executive Officer
BCompt (Hons) (Wits), CA(SA), PLD Harvard Business School
Appointed to the board in 2013
Number of years' service - 8
Imraan is an experienced chartered accountant and has worked in a diverse set of industries during the course of his career. From 2003 to 2010 he worked with MultiChoice as head of channels of SuperSport International, and the financial director of M-Net and SuperSport. He was the financial director of Netcare Limited’s Hospital Division prior to joining the Oceana Group as the chief financial officer in July 2013, and his appointment as chief executive officer in 2018.
Hajra Karrim
Chief Financial Officer
CA(SA), B.Com
Appointed on 1 November 2020
Member of the Risk Committee
Hajra was appointed as Chief Financial Officer and executive director on 1 November 2020. She is a seasoned finance executive with an established record of strategic, financial and operational experience across multiple geographies.
She joins Oceana from TransUnion Africa Group, part of the New York Stock Exchange-listed TransUnion LLC Group. Hajra has held many executive positions, including that of CFO of the Electronic Media Network Limited Group of Companies (M-Net).
Hajra is a qualified CA(SA) and holds a B.Com honours degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Non-executive directors
Aboubakar (Bakar) Jakoet
Aboubakar (Bakar) Jakoet
Independent Non-executive director
CA(SA)
Appointed to the Board on 14 November 2019
Bakar was appointed as non-executive director on 14 November 2019. He is a chartered accountant and an experienced director.
He retired as CFO at Pick n Pay Stores Limited in September 2019 after many years of service. During this period, he held various positions, directorships and executive positions across the Pick n Pay group. Bakar currently serves as a non-executive director on the Pick n Pay Stores Limited Board.
Lesego Sennelo
Non-executive director
CA(SA)
Member of the Risk and Social, Ethics and Transformation Committees
Lesego Sennelo is a qualified Chartered Accountant with vast experience in both the private and public sectors, spanning over 15 years. She has diverse professional experience including auditing, financial management, corporate governance, strategy development and implementation, project management, investment management, business development, stakeholder management, and people management.
Lesego is the Founder and Executive Director of Gosele Advisory Services. She served as the Managing Director of African Women Chartered Accountants Investment Holdings (AIH). Lesego’s other previous roles include Senior Management roles in Finance in both Public and Private Sectors.
She serves as a Non-Executive Director (NED) for Onelogix Group Limited, Ohorongo Cement, Redefine Properties Limited and Reef Tankers. Her prior NED roles include, among others, Sasfin Holdings Limited, Foskor, SAICA, AWCA, AWCA Investment Holdings (AIH) and Medshield (Audit Committee).
Lesego is the immediate past President of the African Women Chartered Accountants (AWCA) Forum – A forum focused on accelerating of the advancement of African women Chartered Accountants. She is a Member of the International Women’s Forum (IWF), Eisenhower Fellowship, the Aspen Global Leadership Network, Africa Leadership Initiative, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) as well as the Institute of Directors (IoD).
Nisaar Ahmed Pangarker
Independent Non-executive director
Appointed to the board on 1 March 2019
Member of the Social, Ethics and Transformation Committee and Risk Committee
Nisaar is currently a managing executive at Brimstone Investment Corporation Limited, a company he joined in 1995 as part of the founding team. Nisaar has expertise in the areas of marketing, corporate communications and investor relations. He holds a BBusSc (Finance) degree from the University of Cape Town and an MBA from the University of Stellenbosch. He serves as non-executive director on the boards of African Peoples Investment Company, Commlife Holdings, Lion of Africa Life Assurance Company, Die Suidoosterfees, Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and Cape Town International Convention Centre. Nisaar is also a board member of the Brimstone Legacy Fund. He serves as a trustee on the Oceana Empowerment Trust.
Nomahlubi Victoria Simamane
Independent Non-Executive Director
BSc (Hons): UBS – Botswana
Appointed to the board in 2009
Chairman of the Social, Ethics and Transformation Committee and member of the Remunerations and Nominations Committee
Nomahlubi is the Chief Executive Officer of Zanusi Brand Solutions (Pty) Limited. She has extensive marketing and advertising experience both locally and internationally and has worked at BLGK Bates as Managing Director, Unilever in South Africa and Kenya as Marketing Manager and British American as Marketing Director in South Africa and USA.
She currently serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director for The Foschini Group Limited, Cashbuild Limited and Hollard Insurance. Ms. Simamane has been an Independent & Non-Executive Director of Oceana Group Limited since September 10, 2009. She has served on the boards of various Marketing and Communications committees including the Association of Advertising Agencies (AAA), Advertising Standards Authority's (ASA’s) Advertising Properties Committee and UNEP’s Advisory Committee.
She has received various awards including the Businesswoman of the year at the National Business Awards and BBQ as well as being named the Enterprising Women of the year in Fort Lauderdale in Florida, USA.
Peter Gerard de Beyer
Independent Non-Executive Director
BBusSc (Cape Town), FASSA
Appointed to the board in 2008
Chairman of the Remuneration and Nominations Committee and member of the Audit Committee
Peter joined Old Mutual in 1978, was appointed deputy managing director of Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) in 2000, and retired in November 2008. He sits on a number of boards, including Real People Investment Holdings and certain Old Mutual Group subsidiary companies. Peter is a fellow of the Actuarial Society of South Africa.
Peter John Golesworthy
Independent Non-Executive Director
Exeter University, UK (BA (Honours) (First Class) in Accountancy Studies), Chartered Accountant (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland)
Appointed to the board in 2021
Peter is a seasoned leader and has held various executive and board positions. He is currently the Lead Independent Director, Chairman of the Audit Committee and member of the Investment & Risk Committees at Life Healthcare Group Holdings Ltd. Peter previously served as an independent director on the boards of Old Mutual Finance (RF) Proprietary Limited and Masisizane Fund NPO. He also is a member of various investment committees encompassing private equity, credit and development impact funds (affordable housing and retirement accommodation). He is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa (F.Inst.D) and Treasurer of Scripture Union Western Cape Region, and member of the National Executive Committee.
Saamsoodein Pather
LEAD INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
BBusSc, BCom (Hons), MBA (Cape Town)
Appointed to the board in 1996
Member of the Remunerations and Nominations committee and chairman of the Audit Committee
Since graduating from the University of Cape Town in 1973, Shams has been actively involved in investment management, which has included senior executive functions at Colonial Mutual Assurance Company, Southern Life and Real Africa Holdings. He is currently a director of Coronation Fund Managers and Lungisa Investment Holdings.
Thoko Mokgosi-Mwantembe
LEAD INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR
BSc. And Dip. Ed, MSc. (Medicinal Chemistry) , Executive courses through Harvard and IMD in Switzerland.
Appointed to the board in 2021
Thoko brings with her a wealth of strategic experience. She has held various leadership positions for more than 15 years and continues to contribute at board level. She currently holds a number of non-executive board positions for leading South African companies, such as Royal Bafokeng Platinum, Old Mutual Limited and Omnia Group. Her previous board positions were for Vodacom Group, ABSA Group, Aveng Group and SA Post Office. Thoko was named the Top ICT Businesswoman in Africa in 2005, and in 2007, she was named the Businesswoman of the year in the Corporate category. She has worked in senior positions for several worldwide pharmaceutical companies. Before establishing the Kutana Group, where she is currently the CEO, Thoko held senior positions at Telkom, Lucent Technologies and Siemens Telecommunications. She was also the CEO at Alcatel SA and HP SA.
Zarina Bibi
Independent Non-Executive Director
BAcc and Dip Acc (UDW), CA(SA)
Appointed to the board in 2011
Chairman of the Risk Committee and member of the Audit Committee
Zarina serves as a non-executive director on the boards of the Investec Group, Woolworths Holdings, Vodacom South Africa and the JSE Limited. She is also non-executive chairman of Yebo Yethu Limited and represents the same on the board of Vodacom South Africa. Zarina’s previous positions include being: a non-executive director and Audit Committee chairman of Kumba Iron Ore, a director of Sun International, a director of the Financial Services Board, chairman of the Public Accountants' and Auditors' Board, chairman of the Auditing Standards Board; a member of the Accounting Standards Board, a member of the JSE's GAAP Monitoring Panel, a board member of the SA Institute of Chartered Accountants; Vice President of ABASA. Her past executive roles were that of executive director at Absa Bank, a member of the Absa Group Executive Committee and a Partner at Ernst & Young where she spent 17 years. Zarina was named Top Women in Business and Government in 2007 and Top Business Personality in Financial Services: Banking in 2008.
Oceana Group Limited
Imraan Soomra
Chief Executive Officer
BCompt (Hons), CA(SA), PLD Harvard Business School
Number of years' service - 8
Member of the Risk Committee
Imraan is an experienced chartered accountant and has worked in a diverse set of industries during the course of this career. From 2003 until 2010, he worked with MultiChoice as head of channels of SuperSport International, and financial director of M-Net and SuperSport. He held the position of financial director of Netcare Limited’s Hospital Division from 2010 to 2013. Imraan served as Group Financial Director for Oceana from 2013 until his appointment as Chief Executive Officer on 1 August 2018.
Trevor Giles
Group Executive: Business Development and Mergers & Acquisitions
BCom (DipAcc) (Kzn), CA(SA)
Number of years' service - 21
Trevor completed his articles with Deloitte (Pietermaritzburg) in 1995 and stayed on as manager before leaving to pursue a 2 year working holiday experience in London which included an 8 month contract at Imperial Chemical Industries Plc (ICI) head office. He returned to South Africa in 1999 and started his career at Oceana at BCP in May 1999. He has held various executive roles within the Group including the finance director of BCP and the Lobster, Squid and Fries division. Trevor transferred to Oceana Group in 2013 as Business Development Manager and was integrally involved in the Lusitania, Foodcorp and Daybrook acquisitions, culminating in a 7 month assignment as acting Daybrook CFO in New Orleans to assist with the transition before appointing a permanent US based CFO. He returned to Oceana in 2015 in his current position as head of Corporate Reporting and Business Development.
Jillian Marais
Group Executive: Risk and Compliance
BA LLB (University of the Western Cape)
Admitted as an Attorney of the High Court of South Africa
Appointed on 1 October 2018
Number of years' service – 9
Zodwa Velleman
Group Executive: Regulatory and Corporate Affairs
BA LLB (University of the Western Cape)
Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa, B Juris and LLB University of the Western Cape, 2019 final year registered LLM (Environmental Law) student at WITS.
Appointed on 1 July 2019.
Number of years' service – 2
Before joining Oceana, she was the CEO of the Vaping Products Association of SA (VPSA). Prior to her role at VPSA Zodwa was Board Member, Legal, Corporate Security and Corporate Affairs Executive Director for HEINEKEN SA. She also served as Company Secretary & Executive Director responsible for Legal and Corporate Security, Brandhouse JV (a Diageo led JV with Heineken Plc and Namibia Brewery Ltd). Zodwa is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa with international experience in litigation, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, corporate and commercial law across a range of industries including Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), petrochemical, fishing and pharmaceuticals. She served her articles and also worked for Edward Nathan Sonnenberg Africa before moving to Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, America’s third-ranked law firm based in New York City. Zodwa obtained her B Juris and LLB from the University of the Western Cape and is a 2019 final year registered LLM (Environmental Law) student at WITS. She also completed course work towards her Master’s Degree with the University of Stellenbosch focusing on Corporate Governance, Advance Corporate and International Trade Law. She also graduated Cum Laude in a Gibs Leadership Development Programme.
Bronwynne Bester
Chief People Officer
Masters’ Degree in Commerce, Wits University
Appointed on 1 July 2020.
Number of years' service – 0
Bronwynne was appointed as Chief People Officer on 1 July 2020. She joins Oceana from Masscash, a division of Massmart, where she held the position of Human Resources Director for nine years. Prior to this she was consultant for Accenture SA and MAC Group Consulting. She was, earlier in her career, an Associate lecturer at Wits University, and has spent some time in the UK in an HR role. On her return to SA she joined Massmart Holdings as the Group Human Capital Manager.
She has an active interest and passion for organisational development and effectiveness.
Bronwynne obtained her Masters’ Degree in Commerce from Wits University.
Hajra Karrim
Chief Financial Officer
CA(SA), B.Com
Appointed on 1 November 2020
Member of the Risk Committee
Hajra was appointed as Chief Financial Officer and executive director on 1 November 2020. She is a seasoned finance executive with an established record of strategic, financial and operational experience across multiple geographies.
She joins Oceana from TransUnion Africa Group, part of the New York Stock Exchange-listed TransUnion LLC Group. Hajra has held many executive positions, including that of CFO of the Electronic Media Network Limited Group of Companies (M-Net).
Hajra is a qualified CA(SA) and holds a B.Com honours degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Africa Operations
Lourens de Waal
Managing director
Lucky Star Marketing and Sales
HND in Cost & Management Accounting (CapeTech)
Number of years' service – 8
Lourens worked for I&J from 1994 to 2000 as the administration manager and then national & export distribution manager. He joined Vector in 2000, holding the position of general manager for sales and distribution while it was part of the I&J business and was then appointed as customer and supply chain director at Vector Logistics in 2007. Lourens attended the Executive Development Programme of UCT & Michigan University and is a member of several international industry bodies. He joined Oceana on 1 December 2011.
Suleiman Salie
Managing director
Lucky Star Operations
BSc Mech Eng (Cape Town)
Number of years' service – 10
Suleiman graduated in 1989 and joined I&J in 1990 as a graduate engineer. After progressing into management positions in the engineering and production disciplines of I&J's processing plants, he was appointed operations director in 2004. In this position, which he held until 2010, he provided strategic leadership to I&J's fishing operations. He represents Oceana on a number of fishing industry associations.
Neville Donovan Brink
Managing director
Blue Continent Products
Number of years' service – 24
Neville obtained his marketing qualifications with the Institute of Marketing Management in Johannesburg. He worked in various marketing and sales positions at Adcock Ingram, before moving to Federal Marine, and then Oceana as marketing director of the Oceana Fishing Division. Neville was appointed managing director of Oceana Lobster and Calamari Fishing in 2005 and assumed the position of managing director of Blue Continent Products from 1 February 2011.
USA Operations
Jay Erskin
President
Daybrook Fisheries
Number of years' service – 2
Jay was appointed as President for Daybrook Fisheries on 7 June 2019. He joins Oceana from The Hain Celestial Group, New York, where he held the position of Chief Supply Chain Officer for North America. Jay also held several senior leadership positions with brands such as The Kraft Heinz Company, Group Danone, Mars Petcare, and Chobani. He is an accomplished Operations and Supply Chain Executive with 20+ years of food, beverage, and consumer packaged goods experience. Jay obtained his Bachelor’s qualification in Aeronautics from the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He also holds an MBA from the University of Texas.
