SAIA Board

Thusang Mahlangu
(MBA, AIM, FIISA)

Thusang is the Chief Executive Officer of Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty South Africa Ltd. (AGCS). He joined AGCS in 2013 as Head of Market Management, focusing on developing sales and distribution across Africa. He subsequently became Head of Property in 2014 and grew the portfolio in key African countries. Thusang has 28 years of experience in insurance and risk management.

He is the Chairperson of the South African Insurance Association (SAIA). He serves on the board of the Insurance Institute of South Africa (IISA), as an executive committee member of the African Insurance Organisation (AIO) and as a trustee of the St. Alban’s College Foundation (SAC). He holds an MBA from Milpark Business School and an Associate in Management Practice (AIM) from the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. He is also a Fellow of the Insurance Institute of South Africa (FIISA).

Viviene Pearson
SAIA CEO

Viviene Pearson has been serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the South African Insurance Association (SAIA) since January 2016. She joined SAIA in 2004 as the Image and Reputation Manager and has since held several key positions within the organisation, including Motor Manager and General Manager for Projects and Insurance Risks.

Throughout her tenure at SAIA, Viviene has played a pivotal role in numerous industry initiatives, such as micro-insurance and consumer education, as well as leading various motor insurance projects. She was also instrumental in the establishment of the South African Insurance Crime Bureau (SAICB).

Before joining SAIA, Viviene had an accomplished career as a financial journalist, focusing on the insurance sector. Her professional journey began in the Diplomatic Corps in 1983, following the completion of her BA Honours Degree in Political Science and Journalism at the former Rand Afrikaanse Universiteit (RAU).

Currently, Viviene serves on the boards of several key industry bodies, including  SAIA, the National Financial Ombud Scheme (NFO), the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (INSETA)  and the Financial Sector Transformation Council (FSTC).

Danie Matthee
SAIA Board Deputy Chairperson
CEO Outsurance Insurance Company Limited

Danie joined OUTsurance in 2002 as a sales advisor, rapidly working his way up through the ranks. He was appointed to the EXCO in 2005 as the company’s Head of Sales. With over 20 years’ experience in the insurance industry, he was appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for OUTsurance and OUTsurance Life in 2017. Prior to this, Danie was Chief Executive Officer at Youi Insurance in Australia (2011 – 2017), a subsidiary of the OUTsurance Holdings Group and currently also serves as an Executive Director on the OUTsurance and OUTsurance Life Boards and Non-Executive Director of the South African Insurance Association (SAIA).

Qualifications:

• Dip (Financial Management)
• Dip (Labour Law)

Adriana Weilbach
Group Chief Financial Officer

Adriana was appointed Chief Financial Officer for TIH in June 2017, after serving as a non-executive director on the board of 1st for Women Insurance since 2012. Prior to rejoining the industry, Adriana spent nine years in corporate finance and investment banking, which includes holding the position of Chief Operating Officer of Credit Suisse in South Africa.  She initially gained her extensive insurance knowledge through her leadership of the Risk Finance Consulting and Captive Management division at Marsh in South Africa and a decade in various roles at Santam Ltd, including heading the Risk and Compliance division, managing international acquisitions and corporate finance activities, and serving as managing director of Santam’s Risk Finance insurance company.

Adriana is a registered Chartered Accountant and holds BCom Law and LLB degrees from the University of Stellenbosch as well as BCompt Hons degree (UNISA).

Carli Jacobs
Swiss Re Africa Limited

Carli Jacobs serves as the CEO of Swiss Re Africa and Head of Life and Health for Sub-Saharan Africa. She joined Swiss Re South Africa in 2018 as Head of Property and Casualty for Southern Africa, where she led the strategic repatriation of the Southern Africa business into Swiss Re Africa—reinforcing the company’s long-term commitment to the region.

In 2021, Carli took the helm of the Life and Health division, and in April 2023, she was appointed CEO of Swiss Re Africa. With 23 years of broad-ranging experience across the insurance industry—including roles in direct insurance, consulting, broking, and actuarial services—Carli brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to the role.

She is passionate about the South African insurance landscape, with a strong focus on sustainability and aligning Swiss Re’s global capabilities with local market dynamics. Her vision is to strengthen the resilience of the region through innovative insurance and reinsurance solutions.

Carli holds a Bachelor of Science in Financial Mathematics and is an Associate Member of the Actuarial Society of South Africa (AMASSA).

Charles Nortje
Old Mutual Insure

Since 1 April 2024, Charles has been appointed as Interim CEO of Old Mutual Insure (OMI) Group. OMI employs 2800 people in South Africa across numerous lines of P&C business, serving the retail, commercial, corporate and specialty market segments through multiple distribution channels. Total revenues in 2023 exceeded R20 billion. Old Mutual is one of the largest financial services groups in South Africa, and as such plays a central role in the SA economy.

Charles is the CEO of Credit Guarantee Insurance Corporation (CGIC), a position he has held since August 2013. CGIC is the leading trade credit insurance company on the Africa continent and is 75% owned by Old Mutual, with 25% held by our strategic shareholder Atradius, domiciled in Spain. Atradius is the second largest trade credit insurance company in the world with offices in more than 50 countries.

Easvarie Naidoo
Executive Director, Lloyd’s South Africa (Pty) Limited
Non-Executive Director, South African Insurance Association (SAIA)

Gideon Bochedi
Chief Executive Officer of Credit Guarantee Insurance Corporation (CGIC)

Gideon Bochedi is the Chief Executive Officer of Credit Guarantee Insurance Corporation (CGIC), bringing 25 years of leadership experience in credit insurance, debt restructuring, and claims management. His career at CGIC has been marked by progressive roles, where he has led special risk initiatives and championed operational efficiencies.

An ethical and values-driven leader, Mr. Bochedi is highly regarded for his ability to navigate complex challenges, negotiate mutually beneficial resolutions, and engage productively with stakeholders at all levels. Recognized for his keen ability to “read the room,” he consistently fosters collaboration and trust in every environment.

He maintains professional affiliations as an Associate Member of the Institute of Credit Management (ICM), a Member of the Turnaround Management Association of Southern Africa (TMA-SA), and a Member of the Business Rescue Practitioners of South Africa.

Lourens Botha
Guardrisk Group

Lourens Botha is the CEO of Guardrisk Group, appointed in September 2023. A Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)) with 30 years of experience in financial services, he specializes in insurance and risk management. Lourens also serves as a member of the Momentum Group Exco.

His career began at the FSB, where he worked for a decade, initially as a forensic investigator and later as head of the insurance division, overseeing financial supervision of insurance companies. He then joined Absa as Chief Risk Officer for the nonbanking financial services division.

Lourens joined Guardrisk in 2008 as Financial Director, playing a key role in the group’s transition when Momentum acquired it from Alexander Forbes in 2014. During his tenure as FD, he also served as CFO for Momentum Corporate, Momentum Short-Term Insurance, and the Momentum Non-Life Insurance Cluster.

Mohamed Motala
SCOR SE Africa Branch CEO & Representative

Mohamed joined SCOR in January 2008 as Managing Director for Non-Life and has dedicated seventeen of his thirty-year career to the company. He currently serves as SCOR’s CEO and Representative. Before his tenure at SCOR, Mohamed held positions at Credit Guarantee, Swiss Re Africa, and Absa Insurance Company.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS).

Mohamed is deeply committed to closing the Protection Gap and actively engages in initiatives and product development that support this goal. Notably, he was part of the SCOR team that launched the first insurance product designed to protect investments in nature restoration.

Mpumi Tyikwe
SASRIA

Mpumi holds a Post-graduate Diploma in Management (University of Wales) and brings over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry, having held key positions at esteemed organisations such as Santam, Standard Bank, Alexander Forbes, Land Bank Insurance Services, and Constantia Risk & Insurance. Throughout his career, he has played instrumental roles in driving business growth, championing innovation, and leading successful turnaround strategies for more than two decades.

His extensive expertise spans various critical areas, including claims optimisation, customer-centric approaches, financial capital efficiency, talent management, and the implementation of balanced scorecards to support strategic execution. Mpumi has consistently demonstrated a strong capability in developing and leading strategies, complemented by targeted interventions aimed at enhancing business growth and profitability.

Mpumi is particularly skilled in stakeholder engagement, leveraging effective dialogue to consistently deliver outcomes that align with the interests of both internal and external stakeholders. His professional foundation is deeply rooted in sound corporate governance. With exposure to both the private and public sectors, Mpumi has developed a nuanced understanding of governance frameworks recognising, for instance, how public sector policies such as the PFMA align with the principles of the King IV Code of Corporate Governance.

Pascal Siphugu
Land Bank Insurance Company Limited

Pascal Siphugu is a seasoned insurance practitioner with industry experience spanning over two decades. During this period, he has held various senior leadership and executive roles at major insurance companies in Southern Africa.

Before joining Land Bank Insurance, Pascal was the General Manager of Bancassurance at Absa Insurance, a role that he occupied for over five and a half years. 

He was also an Executive Director of Absa Risk Transfer Company (ARTIC), a cell captive insurance company owned by Absa Bank Limited. Pascal previously held the role of a Non-Executive Director at Swaziland Royal Insurance Company. He is an Associate of the Insurance Institute of South Africa with numerous academic and professional qualifications. 

Phillip Donnelly
Bidvest Insurance Company Limited

Phillip Donnelly serves as the CEO of the Bidvest Insurance Group. His career began in the automotive industry in the UK before he relocated to South Africa in 1990.

In 1992, he joined McCarthy Limited and, a decade later, was appointed as a Director of their Non-Life and Life insurance businesses. Phillip played a key role in diversifying these business segments and was appointed Managing Director of Bidvest Insurance in 2017.

In 2021, he joined the SAIA board and currently serves as a member of the Transformation Committee.

Robert Attwell
Discovery Insure

Robert Attwell is the Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Insure, a division of Discovery Limited. He also serves on the executive committee of Discovery Limited and is a Non-Executive Director at Cambridge Mobile Telematics. He further serves as a Director at the South African Insurance Association (SAIA).

Robert is a driven, goal orientated and persistent leader with experience in Life Insurance actuarial valuations and analytics. Before Robert was appointed as CEO, he was responsible for the corporate actuarial and procurement functions at Discovery Insure.

Robert loves time with his family, he enjoys time outdoors and spending time on his bicycle.

Shadrack Sivhugwana
Chief Executive Officer of Escap SOC Limited

Shadrack Sivhugwana, Chief Executive Officer of Escap SOC Limited, is a courageous, results-driven actuary with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has served on multiple company boards, led high-performing teams, and successfully collaborated across diverse environments to deliver measurable results. Recognised for his strong people leadership, technical depth, and commercial acumen, he blends analytical rigour with the courage to take prudent, calculated risks.

With deep actuarial expertise, Shadrack has applied advanced techniques to complex financial modelling and analysis, including embedded values, statutory reserves, asset-liability matching, and solvency investigations. His technical background spans employee benefits (both defined contribution and defined benefit schemes), annuity business, group schemes, and individual life assurance.

Notably, he played a pivotal role in revitalising the life division of Leadway Assurance, where he introduced embedded value calculations and developed reinsurance treaties that extended across Africa. His leadership in these initiatives demonstrates his ability to combine technical excellence with strategic vision, driving both operational transformation and sustainable growth.

Sharon Paterson
Infiniti Insurance CEO

Infiniti Insurance Chief Executive Officer Sharon Paterson is a wife and a mother. She holds a BA and HDE from Rhodes University in Grahamstown.

Sharon worked as a teacher psychologist at two schools in Grahamstown before taking time off to be a fulltime mother.  On returning to the workforce, she joined an Insurance Brokerage managing a group scheme. She later moved to work at one of the leading insurance companies in the country, where she was a senior executive heading up the commercial area in the broker division.

In 2007, she joined Infiniti Insurance as a general manager, and three years later, she was appointed to the position of executive director, a position she held until 2013 when she became the CEO of the company. Sharon is a hands-on CEO that is actively involved in all areas of the Company.  She is particularly passionate about the various sponsorships and the bursaries that Infiniti provides.

Sharon enjoys interacting with partners and service providers and most importantly assisting in counselling and resolving issues. She believes in hard work and mentoring and guiding her team to think out of the box and move forward into exciting and unchartered waters so that they can grow in their careers.  

Tavaziva Madzinga
Santam

Tavaziva Madzinga has been Group CEO of Santam since 1 July 2022. An Actuary by training, he has more than 20 years’ experience in the financial services industry. He has previously held positions as CEO of Britam Holding, a diversified investment business listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, as Chief Executive of Swiss Re for the UK and Ireland, as well as various leadership positions within the Old Mutual Group, that included leading the company in Southern and Eastern Africa, and in Nigeria.

Madzinga holds a Bachelor of Business Science in Actuarial Science degree from the University of Cape Town and an Masters in Data Science from the University of London. He has also completed advanced management training with INSEAD Business School and Harvard University. He is a Fellow of the Actuarial Society of South Africa and the UK’s Institute of Actuaries.

Terashni Pillay
Swiss RE Corporate Solutions Africa

Throughout her career, she has led business transformation and development across the South African insurance industry, in various executive positions.

She has ranked among the youngest executive and non-executive directors in the country.

Terashni regularly contributes to South African media and industry initiatives, driven by her ambition to empower and uplift women in the financial services sector and beyond. She is committed to making a difference for female entrepreneurs from all walks of life across Africa, positively impacting both their lives and businesses.

Currently, she serves as a strategic and philanthropic advisor to a non-profit innovation incubator for women in South Africa, where her influence continues to spark meaningful change in the education and technology sectors.

As a scientist and engineer, Terashni holds a degree in environmental science and chemical engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand and an MBA from the University of Pretoria (GIBS).

She also serves on several industry boards and is highly regarded for her insights on leadership, empowerment and meaningful impact.

Willem Lategan
Hollard Group CEO

Willie joined Hollard in November 2015 as Group Chief Financial Officer. He was subsequently appointed as CEO of Hollard Insure in September 2018 and as Group CEO on 1 July 2022. Prior to joining Hollard, Willie held the position of Chief Executive: Wealth, Investment Management and Insurance at Barclays Africa.

Willie is a Fellow of the Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA) and holds a BCom (Hons) from the University of Stellenbosch. He has completed the Advanced Management Programme at INSEAD. He also attended IMD and Singularity University.