GROUP GOVERNANCE

Board of directors

  • Chairman


    Gareth Ackerman (56)#Δ
    BSocSci, CMS, Associate Fellow at Green Templeton College, Oxford
      Chairman
      Corporate governance committee chairman
      Nominations committee chairman
      Appointed       1990

      An executive at Pick n Pay for 15 years, Gareth headed up various divisions of the Company before being appointed to the Board in 1990. He became a non-executive director in 1999, and from 2002 to 2010 served as Chairman of Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF. In 2010 he was appointed Chairman of Pick n Pay Stores Limited.

      Other listed company directorships:
      Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.

  • Executive Directors


    Richard Brasher (52)
    Bsc (Hons)
    Richard van Rensburg (52)
    CA(SA)
    Aboubakar (Bakar) Jakoet (58)
    CA(SA)
      Chief Executive Officer
      Appointed       2013
      Years of service: 1
      Richard joined Pick n Pay after a 26-year career at Tesco in the United Kingdom. Richard’s experience includes being involved in the development of Tesco’s house brand strategy, the modern convenience food category, the strategy of varying store formats, and the development of both the international supplier base and Tesco’s loyalty programme.       Deputy Chief Executive Officer
      Appointed 2009
      Years of service: 5
      Richard has extensive experience in retail and information technology, with Woolworths, Massmart and Affinity Logic. In 2009 he joined the Board of Pick n Pay as an independent non-executive director. In 2011, Richard became deputy CEO. In this role, Richard takes responsibility for the e-commerce, information systems and property portfolios of the Group.       Chief Finance Officer Appointed 2011
      Years of service: 29
      Bakar joined the Group in 1984, working in the national finance office, heading up special projects and new business. He was appointed divisional director in 1993 and served on the retail board as chief finance controller since 1995. He was appointed as CFO and a member of the Board in 2011. In addition to his responsibilities at Pick n Pay, Bakar is a member of the University of Cape Town Council, and Deputy Chair of the UCT Finance Committee. He is a director of the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, and chairs their audit committee.

  • Jonathan Ackerman (47)
    BA Marketing and Management
    Suzanne Ackerman-Berman (51)
    BA, Fellow: Aspen Business Institute; First Movers
    Suzanne Ackerman-Berman (51)
    BA, Fellow: Aspen Business Institute; First Movers
      Appointed 2010
      Years of service: 22
      Returning to South Africa after studying and working in the USA, Jonathan joined Pick n Pay in 1992. Having worked in many divisions, Jonathan ensures that the wellbeing of Pick n Pay’s customers is the primary motivating factor for any strategic decision taken in the Company in his current role as Customer Director on the Group Executive. In March 2010 he was appointed to the Board as a representative of the controlling shareholder.

      Other listed company directorships: Alternate director of Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.       Social and ethics committee chairman
      Appointed       2010
      Years of service: 19
      Following broad executive experience in the Company, Suzanne was appointed Director of Transformation on the Group Executive in 2007. In addition to her executive contribution to the Company, in March 2010 she was appointed to the Board as a representative of the controlling shareholder.

      Suzanne is very active philanthropically and is a passionate proponent of enterprise development. She is chairman of the Ackerman Pick n Pay Foundation, and head of the Pick n Pay Small Business Incubator.

      Other listed company directorships:
      Alternate director of Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.       Social and ethics committee chairman
      Appointed       2010
      Years of service: 19
      Following broad executive experience in the Company, Suzanne was appointed Director of Transformation on the Group Executive in 2007. In addition to her executive contribution to the Company, in March 2010 she was appointed to the Board as a representative of the controlling shareholder.

      Suzanne is very active philanthropically and is a passionate proponent of enterprise development. She is chairman of the Ackerman Pick n Pay Foundation, and head of the Pick n Pay Small Business Incubator.

      Other listed company directorships:
      Alternate director of Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.

    • Non-executive directors


  • David Friedland (60)
    CA(SA)

    David Robins (60) 
    BBusSci
      Appointed 2013
      David was the audit engagement partner and relationship partner at KPMG for several listed companies, as well as large owner-managed companies, principally in the retail sector. David has been associated with Pick n Pay as an external auditor since 1977, and was the audit engagement partner from 2000 to 2007.

      Other listed company directorships: Investec Limited, Investec plc, The Foschini Group Limited.       Appointed 2002
      David joined the Group in 1994 and was appointed to the Group Enterprises board in 2005 as the executive responsible for expansion outside of South African borders. In 2002 he was appointed as Deputy Chairman of the Group and as an executive director of the Company. During 2008 he retired from his executive position. He remains on the Board as a non-executive director and as a representative of the controlling shareholder.

      Other listed company directorships: Alternate director of Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.

    • Independent non-executive directors


  • Hugh Herman (73)
     

    Jeff van Rooyen (64) Δ
    CA(SA)

    Lorato Phalatse (52) ‡^
    BA (Hons), MA
      Attorney
      Lead independent non-executive director
      Remuneration committee chairman
      Appointed       1976
      Hugh was a partner at law firm Sonnenberg Hoffmann Galombik before joining Pick n Pay in 1976. He was Managing Director of Pick n Pay from 1986, before joining Investec Bank in 1993. Hugh was appointed Group Chairman of Investec Bank Limited in 1994, a position from which he retired in 2011. Hugh was appointed honorary life president of the Investec Group and remains Chairman of various subsidiary companies in the Investec Group.

      Other listed company directorships: Growthpoint Properties Limited, Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.       Audit committee chairman
      Corporate finance committee chairman
      Appointed       2007
      Jeff is a founding member and former president of the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa, and is the former chairman of the Public Accountants and Auditors Board (now IRBA). Jeff also represented the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) on the Eastern, Central and Southern African Federation of Accountants. In addition, Jeff is a founder member of the National Black Business Caucus and a former director of the Small Business Development Corporation. Jeff was appointed as a member of the Standing Advisory Committee on Company Law in 2000. Jeff is presently a member of the Advisory Committee of SAICA and the Advisory Committee, Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences of the University of Pretoria. He is also Chairman of the Financial Reporting Standards Council and CEO of Uranus Investment Holdings (Proprietary) Limited.

      Other listed company directorships: MTN Group Limited, Exxaro Resources Limited, Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.       Appointed 2010
      Lorato began her working career in the FMCG sector at Unilever and at Johnson & Johnson. After moving to Nedperm in the retail banking sector, she was seconded to the Women’s Development Bank. One of the founders, and the first CEO of Nozala Investments Proprietary Limited, she sat on the boards of companies such as Tsebo/Fedics, Kyocera and Afripack. Lorato has also spent time in the public sector with both provincial and national government, ultimately heading up the Private Office of the President of South Africa. Lorato is Chairman of the Bidvest Group and sits on the Masisizane board.

      Other listed company directorships: The Bidvest Group.
    • Chairman
      Corporate governance committee chairman
      Nominations committee chairman
      Appointed       1990

      An executive at Pick n Pay for 15 years, Gareth headed up various divisions of the Company before being appointed to the Board in 1990. He became a non-executive director in 1999, and from 2002 to 2010 served as Chairman of Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF. In 2010 he was appointed Chairman of Pick n Pay Stores Limited.

      Other listed company directorships:
      Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.

    • Company Secretary


  • Debra Muller (52)
    Company Secretary
      Attorney
      Appointed 2010
      Years of service: 8
      Debra was admitted as an attorney in 1988. From 1994 she assisted Pick n Pay as a legal consultant and was appointed in 2006 as inhouse legal adviser, working with contractual and compliance issues. Appointed as Company Secretary to the Pick n Pay Group in 2010. Debra also heads up the legal department.

  • Gareth Ackerman (56)#Δ
    BSocSci, CMS, Associate Fellow at Green Templeton College, Oxford
      Chairman
      Corporate governance committee chairman
      Nominations committee chairman
      Appointed       1990
      An executive at Pick n Pay for 15 years, Gareth headed up various divisions of the Company before being appointed to the Board in 1990. He became a non-executive director in 1999, and from 2002 to 2010 served as Chairman of Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF. In 2010 he was appointed Chairman of Pick n Pay Stores Limited.
      Other listed company directorships: Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.

  • Richard Brasher (52)
    Bsc (Hons)
      Chief Executive Officer
      Appointed       2013
      Years of service: 1
      Richard joined Pick n Pay after a 26-year career at Tesco in the United Kingdom. Richard’s experience includes being involved in the development of Tesco’s house brand strategy, the modern convenience food category, the strategy of varying store formats, and the development of both the international supplier base and Tesco’s loyalty programme.

  • Suzanne Ackerman-Berman (51)
    BA, Fellow: Aspen Business Institute; First Movers
      Social and ethics committee chairman
      Appointed       2010
      Years of service: 19
      An executive at Pick n Pay for 15 years, Gareth headed up various divisions of the Company before being appointed to the Board in 1990. He became a non-executive director in 1999, and from 2002 to 2010 served as Chairman of Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF. In 2010 he was appointed Chairman of Pick n Pay Stores Limited.
      Other listed company directorships: Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.

  • Richard van Rensburg (52)
    CA(SA)
      Deputy Chief Executive Officer
      Appointed 2009
      Years of service: 5
      Richard has extensive experience in retail and information technology, with Woolworths, Massmart and Affinity Logic. In 2009 he joined the Board of Pick n Pay as an independent non-executive director. In 2011, Richard became deputy CEO. In this role, Richard takes responsibility for the e-commerce, information systems and property portfolios of the Group.

  • Jonathan Ackerman (47)
    BA Marketing and Management
      Appointed 2010
      Years of service: 22
      Returning to South Africa after studying and working in the USA, Jonathan joined Pick n Pay in 1992. Having worked in many divisions, Jonathan ensures that the wellbeing of Pick n Pay’s customers is the primary motivating factor for any strategic decision taken in the Company in his current role as Customer Director on the Group Executive. In March 2010 he was appointed to the Board as a representative of the controlling shareholder.
      Other listed company directorships: Alternate director of Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.

  • Aboubakar (Bakar) Jakoet (58)
    CA(SA)
      Chief Finance Officer Appointed 2011
      Years of service: 29
      Bakar joined the Group in 1984, working in the national finance office, heading up special projects and new business. He was appointed divisional director in 1993 and served on the retail board as chief finance controller since 1995. He was appointed as CFO and a member of the Board in 2011. In addition to his responsibilities at Pick n Pay, Bakar is a member of the University of Cape Town Council, and Deputy Chair of the UCT Finance Committee. He is a director of the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, and chairs their audit committee.

  • Debra Muller (52)
    Company Secretary
      Attorney
      Appointed 2010
      Years of service: 8
      Debra was admitted as an attorney in 1988. From 1994 she assisted Pick n Pay as a legal consultant and was appointed in 2006 as inhouse legal adviser, working with contractual and compliance issues. Appointed as Company Secretary to the Pick n Pay Group in 2010. Debra also heads up the legal department.

  • David Friedland (60)
    CA(SA)
      Appointed 2013
      David was the audit engagement partner and relationship partner at KPMG for several listed companies, as well as large owner-managed companies, principally in the retail sector. David has been associated with Pick n Pay as an external auditor since 1977, and was the audit engagement partner from 2000 to 2007.
      Other listed company directorships: Investec Limited, Investec plc, The Foschini Group Limited.

  • Hugh Herman (73)
      Attorney
      Lead independent non-executive director
      Remuneration committee chairman
      Appointed       1976
      Hugh was a partner at law firm Sonnenberg Hoffmann Galombik before joining Pick n Pay in 1976. He was Managing Director of Pick n Pay from 1986, before joining Investec Bank in 1993. Hugh was appointed Group Chairman of Investec Bank Limited in 1994, a position from which he retired in 2011. Hugh was appointed honorary life president of the Investec Group and remains Chairman of various subsidiary companies in the Investec Group. Other listed company directorships: Growthpoint Properties Limited, Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.

  • Jeff van Rooyen (64) Δ
    CA(SA)
      Audit committee chairman
      Corporate finance committee chairman
      Appointed       2007
      Jeff is a founding member and former president of the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa, and is the former chairman of the Public Accountants and Auditors Board (now IRBA). Jeff also represented the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) on the Eastern, Central and Southern African Federation of Accountants. In addition, Jeff is a founder member of the National Black Business Caucus and a former director of the Small Business Development Corporation. Jeff was appointed as a member of the Standing Advisory Committee on Company Law in 2000. Jeff is presently a member of the Advisory Committee of SAICA and the Advisory Committee, Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences of the University of Pretoria. He is also Chairman of the Financial Reporting Standards Council and CEO of Uranus Investment Holdings (Proprietary) Limited.
      Other listed company directorships: MTN Group Limited, Exxaro Resources Limited, Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.

  • David Robins (60) 
    BBusSci
      Appointed 2002
      David joined the Group in 1994 and was appointed to the Group Enterprises board in 2005 as the executive responsible for expansion outside of South African borders. In 2002 he was appointed as Deputy Chairman of the Group and as an executive director of the Company. During 2008 he retired from his executive position. He remains on the Board as a non-executive director and as a representative of the controlling shareholder.
      Other listed company directorships: Alternate director of Pick n Pay Holdings Limited RF.

  • Lorato Phalatse (52) ‡^
    BA (Hons), MA
      Appointed 2010
      Lorato began her working career in the FMCG sector at Unilever and at Johnson & Johnson. After moving to Nedperm in the retail banking sector, she was seconded to the Women’s Development Bank. One of the founders, and the first CEO of Nozala Investments Proprietary Limited, she sat on the boards of companies such as Tsebo/Fedics, Kyocera and Afripack. Lorato has also spent time in the public sector with both provincial and national government, ultimately heading up the Private Office of the President of South Africa. Lorato is Chairman of the Bidvest Group and sits on the Masisizane board.
      Other listed company directorships: The Bidvest Group.

  • Audrey Mothupi (43) *
    BA (Hons)
      Appointed 2013
      Audrey held various positions as a management consultant before being appointed as head of strategy at SABC for two years for the Public Broadcasting Service. Audrey then joined Liberty Life, within the Standard Bank Group, where she achieved the position of Chief Executive: Group Strategic Services, before moving to Standard Bank. At Standard Bank, Audrey was head of inclusive banking, taking responsibility for the provision of banking services to the unbanked communities. Audrey has recently joined Systemic Logic Group, an advisory/ innovation company, as the Chief Executive Officer. She is also a Fellow of the African Leadership Initiative as part of the Aspen Leadership Network.
      Audrey is active in charities assisting education and vulnerable children.

  • Ben van der Ross (67) *#‡
      Attorney
      Appointed       2000
      Ben was admitted as an attorney and conveyancer in 1970. He practised law for his own account until 1988, and continues to consult for Van der Ross Motala Attorneys. He is a former director of the Urban Foundation and Independent Development Trust, and former CEO of the South African Rail Commuter Corporation Limited, as well as Business South Africa. He was a commissioner of the Independent Electoral Commission for South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994. Ben serves as Chairman of Strategic Real Estate Management Limited.
      Other listed company directorships: Distell Group Limited, FirstRand Limited, Lewis Group Limited, MMI Holdings Limited, Naspers Limited.

  • John Gildersleeve (69) #
      Appointed 2013
      John has many years of experience in retail, and is a director and chairman of various companies in the United Kingdom. During his 20 years as an executive director of Tesco, John was responsible for personnel, marketing, store development and commercial operations. He was closely associated with Tesco’s international expansion. John is currently Chairman of British Land Company PLC, the second largest property company in the United Kingdom. He serves as the Deputy Chairman of both Carphone Warehouse PLC and Talk Talk PLC, and as Chairman of Freston Road Ventures LLP.
      Resident in the United Kingdom, John will be travelling to South Africa to attend board meetings.

  • John Gildersleeve (69) #
      Appointed 2013
      John has many years of experience in retail, and is a director and chairman of various companies in the United Kingdom. During his 20 years as an executive director of Tesco, John was responsible for personnel, marketing, store development and commercial operations. He was closely associated with Tesco’s international expansion. John is currently Chairman of British Land Company PLC, the second largest property company in the United Kingdom. He serves as the Deputy Chairman of both Carphone Warehouse PLC and Talk Talk PLC, and as Chairman of Freston Road Ventures LLP.
      Resident in the United Kingdom, John will be travelling to South Africa to attend board meetings.

* Member of audit committee
# Member of remuneration committee
Δ Member of corporate governance committee
‡ Member of nominations committee
^ Member of social and ethics committee
 Member of corporate finance committee