SAIA Board

(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 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 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 to 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)

Abdul Vally leads the strategic direction, operational performance and sustainable growth of Coface South Africa, ensuring alignment with Group objectives and the dynamics of the local market.

As CEO, he is responsible for translating Coface’s global strategy into country-level execution, overseeing underwriting, risk management, commercial development and key stakeholder engagement. He drives collaboration across business functions to support an integrated and high-performing organisation.

Abdul plays a key role in strengthening Coface South Africa’s market position through disciplined underwriting, robust risk governance and sustainable commercial performance. He works closely with the leadership team to balance growth ambitions with portfolio resilience and long-term value creation.

With a strong focus on clients and sustainable growth, Abdul supports informed decision-making and reinforces Coface South Africa’s position as a trusted risk partner.

No spelling or grammatical corrections were required.

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).

Andrew Coutts is a seasoned insurance executive with more than 20 years’ experience in the financial services and insurance sectors. He began his career at Ernst & Young, where he completed his articles in 1999, before joining JP Morgan as a Debt Capital Markets Marketer, including a period in London.

In 2004, Andrew joined FNB Insurance Brokers as Managing Director: Commercial. He joined Santam in 2009 and held several senior positions, including Head of National and Outsourced Brokers and Executive Head: Intermediated Business. In 2023, he was appointed CEO of Santam Broker Solutions before assuming the role of CEO of Hollard Insure in 2025.

Andrew holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Commerce and Law and an Honours degree in Accounting and is a Chartered Accountant. He has also completed advanced studies in Management Practice and Change Management through the UCT Graduate School of Business and INSEAD in France.

He currently serves on the boards of Hollard SA and iTOO Risk Solutions and has held various leadership and directorship roles across the insurance industry.

Antoinette Shand is the Managing Director of Lombard Insurance Company Limited and holds a key leadership role within the global Cert Group, which operates short-term insurance businesses across three continents. She also serves as a non-executive director on several Underwriting Management Agency (UMA) boards.

Antoinette joined Lombard in 2019 and previously served as Executive Head: Partnerships, where she was instrumental in driving portfolio growth. Her career spans international insurance markets, mergers and acquisitions, financial structuring, business strategy and marketing.

She holds an Executive MBA from IE Business School, as well as a BA Honours and a Bachelor of Commerce from Stellenbosch University. Antoinette is also actively involved in initiatives focused on local economic development and educational upliftment.

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).

Easvarie joined Lloyd's South Africa, which is the representative office for Lloyd's of London underwriters, on 1 September 2019 as the Head of Compliance and was promoted to the position of Lloyd's General Representative from 1 April 2020. Easvarie also serves as an Executive Director on the Board of Lloyd's South Africa and as a non-Executive Director on the Board of SAIA.

Easvarie is an admitted attorney and holds B.Proc and LLB degrees from the then University of Natal (now the University of Kwa-Zulu-Natal). Easvarie is also the 2017 first place holder of the Senior Leadership Development Programme at the University of the Witwatersrand Business School. Easvarie has over 20 years' experience in financial services and previous employers include SAIA, Old Mutual Insure and African Bank.

Easvarie also serves on the committee of Gauteng Women in Insurance from January 2023.

Gideon Bochedi is the Chief Executive Officer of Credit Guarantee Insurance Corporation of Africa Limited (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. Recognised 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.

Linda Seroka is Chief Executive Officer of the Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa (ECIC), where she leads the organisation’s mandate to support South African exporters and enable trade and investment. She brings more than 25 years’ experience across strategy, finance, operational transformation, infrastructure and complex stakeholder environments.

Her career includes senior executive roles at Transnet National Ports Authority, Deloitte Consulting and Barloworld, where she led strategy, commercial growth, business development and major business transformation initiatives. Linda holds an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science, a BCompt Honours and a Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting from the University of Natal, as well as a YPO/Harvard Presidents’ Programme certificate obtained in 2024. Her leadership is grounded in disciplined execution, institutional resilience and a commitment to sustainable African growth and competitiveness.

Lourens Botha is the CEO of Guardrisk Insurance Company Limited, appointed in September 2023. A Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)) with 30 years of experience in financial services, he specialises 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 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 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 and 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.

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, 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.

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 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 a 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.

Zelda Mostert is a Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)) with a Master’s degree in Financial Management from the University of Pretoria. She holds the Certified Director® designation from the Institute of Directors in South Africa and is a Fellow of the Insurance Institute of South Africa.

She has more than 30 years’ experience across the insurance, mining, construction and banking sectors and has played a key role in numerous mergers and acquisitions. Her career includes senior executive and board roles, including serving as CFO of Great Basin Gold Limited, as a non-executive director of Keaton Energy Holdings Limited and as Harmony Gold Limited’s representative on the Board of Rand Mutual Assurance.

Zelda joined Chubb South Africa as CFO in 2013 and was appointed Country President in 2023. She is recognised for her strategic leadership, cross-functional collaboration and commitment to delivering strong business outcomes with integrity.