
South Africa: Old Mutual appoints CEO designate
Old Mutual has appointed Old Mutual Board independent non-executive director and industry specialist, Jurie Strydom, as chief executive officer of Old Mutual, subject to the requisite regulatory approvals.
Old Mutual has appointed industry leader Jurie Strydom as CEO designate
He succeeds current chief executive officer Iain Williamson, who announced his retirement in February to take effect 31 August 2025.
The appointment follows a rigorous and expedited process by the Old Mutual Board.
Benefit to Old Mutual
'The board was looking for an experienced financial services CEO with strategic grip, an exceptional operational track record, and who had led diverse teams, driven successful transformation, and understood financial technology - and we found someone who ticked these boxes,' says Old Mutual Board of Directors chairperson, Trevor Manuel.
'Jurie is a proven leader with outstanding experience of building and leading diverse teams at large and complex insurance and financial services companies.
"As a board member, Jurie has demonstrated exceptional strategic vision and has a clear focus on the critical business levers necessary to implement the company's strategic priorities, enhance our market position, and achieve growing profitability.
"He is highly regarded in the industry as a leader who can deliver operational efficiencies, disciplined capital allocation, and continue implementing the financial technology and product innovations that serve our clients and business partners.
As CEO, his well-established network of strategic relationships will continue to benefit Old Mutual.'
'It gives me great pleasure to make this announcement in the milestone month that we celebrate Old Mutual's 180th birthday. This great organisation has been led by many exceptional individuals over the decades, now we pass that baton from one of those leaders to the next.'
Top management and board experience
A qualified actuary and graduate of the University of Cape Town, Strydom also holds an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is qualified as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) from the CFA Institute in the US.
A highly experienced leader with decades of top management and board experience in financial services and insurance, he has served as CEO of Sanlam Life and Savings, Regent Insurance Group, Alexander Forbes Life, and was Executive Director at Imperial Holdings.
'It is a great privilege to be appointed as the CEO of Old Mutual at an exciting time in the company's history.
"The company has a strong foundation, exceptional and diverse talent, a proud history, and a promising future as a provider of innovative insurance, banking, and financial services products that create value for our customers and contribute to our country's shared prosperity.
I look forward to working with my colleagues and engaging with the diverse range of partners and stakeholders who work with us to drive strategic implementation, innovation, operational resilience, and financial performance,' says Strydom.
A smooth transition
To ensure a smooth transition, he will begin working closely with Williamson until Old Mutual's Annual General Meeting (AGM) concludes on 30 May 2025, and he will officially assume the CEO role on 1 June 2025.
Williamson will continue as board director until the conclusion of the AGM, and then remain available to advise and support the CEO and Board until his retirement.
Manuel thanked Williamson for his outstanding leadership, dedication and resilience. Williamson has spent 32 years with the Old Mutual Group, the last five as CEO.
'Iain has been a true leader, consistently stepping up to provide calm and firm direction whenever the company faced challenges or while the country was in crisis, as happened during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Under his leadership, Old Mutual has become a strong, resilient, and innovative company that embraces new technology and is expanding into new areas of financial services and banking. We thank and recognise Iain for his leadership over many years, and for his continued support for Old Mutual'.
'Jurie has shared his deep commitment to building on this strong foundation, driving operational excellence and ensuring that Old Mutual remains at the forefront of financial services innovation.
As he steps into his new role, I have no doubt that he will inspire confidence and lead our organisation to greater heights,' says Manuel.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
The cost of extinction - new tech calculates financial fallout of biodiversity loss
As the world celebrates World Environment Day today, 5 June, one European fintech company has set out to answer what is essentially a million dollar question: "What is nature really worth?" Developed by Estonia-based 'tech for good' company Endangered Wildlife OÜ, the Biodiversity Valuator is a cutting-edge software tool that calculates the financial value of species and ecosystems — from apex predators to pollinators. The platform, backed by AI and credible scientific data, gives governments, corporates, and investors the ability to measure nature's real-world value in rands and dollars. 'We've created a tool that puts biodiversity on the balance sheet,' says CEO, Shana Vida Gavron. 'It's a way to see the invisible cost of extinction.' Not just about carbon While carbon credits and emissions targets dominate today's environmental headlines, biodiversity loss has remained a vague and often invisible issue. But that's changing fast, especially as ESG and nature-related financial disclosures become global regulatory expectations. Gavron adds: 'Biodiversity loss is harder to measure than carbon, but just as critical. Our platform gives decision-makers a way to quantify their impact — and their opportunity to act.' Shark disappearance comes at a cost To show how it works, Endangered Wildlife OÜ assessed the value of the Great White Shark population in South Africa's Western Cape, where sightings have plummeted in recent years. The study, commissioned by California NGO Shark Allies, found the sharks' disappearance could cost the region more than R4.3bn ($241m) in lost ecological and economic value. Key findings included: - Tourism impact: Shark diving alone was worth over R1 billion in 2019, supporting hundreds of jobs. - Media appeal: Great Whites are international stars of Shark Week, documentaries, and marine campaigns, drawing global attention (and dollars). - Ecosystem ripple effects: Without Great Whites, seal numbers have surged — putting new pressure on fish stocks and commercial fisheries. Conservation that counts The tool is already being used by companies like Bwildi, a conservation-focused expedition company connecting donors to high-impact wildlife projects — from elephant collaring to rare species discovery. By partnering with Endangered Wildlife OÜ, they provide guests with personal biodiversity impact reports, quantifying the ecological value of their support. One collared lion, for instance, contributes an estimated $1.4m in ecosystem services. These trips aren't just bucket-list experiences — they're legacy investments. 'When people can see the value of their contribution in black and white, it changes everything,' says Gavron. As the world faces a looming biodiversity crisis, tools like the Biodiversity Valuator bring us closer to understanding the true cost of doing nothing — and the value of investing in nature. Because in an age of extinction, nature might just be our most powerful currency. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (


Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
South Africa: Turkcell opposes MTN's Constitutional Court appeal in $4.2bln Iran licence case
Court to decide whether long-running dispute proceeds to trial in South Africa. Turkcell's subsidiary, East Asian Consortium B.V. (EAC), has filed papers opposing MTN's application to the Constitutional Court for leave to appeal a recent Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ruling. The SCA judgment, handed down in April, confirmed that South African courts have jurisdiction to hear EAC's $4.2bn civil claim against MTN over an allegedly tainted telecom licence in Iran. Background to the dispute The case relates to Turkcell's long-standing allegations that MTN and its former executives used bribery to secure a GSM licence in Iran that was initially awarded to Turkcell in the early 2000s. MTN has denied wrongdoing. Turkcell's filing is the latest development in a case that has seen years of procedural delays and jurisdictional challenges. Arguments against MTN's appeal In its submission, Turkcell argues that MTN is attempting to delay proceedings and avoid a trial. The company also questions MTN's ongoing reliance on the Hoffmann Report—an internal investigation commissioned by its board—as evidence of exoneration, saying it lacked the independence and transparency of a court process. Turkcell further rejects MTN's argument that Iranian courts would offer a fair and appropriate venue for the dispute. Next steps The Constitutional Court must now decide whether to grant MTN leave to appeal. A decision is expected within three months. Turkcell is represented by Vasco de Oliveira Incorporated, with counsel Alistair Franklin SC and J.J. Meiring. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (


Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
China's BYD to nearly triple South Africa dealers' network by next year
Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD plans to nearly triple its dealership network in South Africa by next year as it looks to grow its market share in the country, a senior executive told Reuters. BYD's move comes at a time of growing competition in Africa's largest automotive market, where sales of new energy vehicles are rising and other Chinese companies - such as GAC, Chery and GWM - are also making inroads. Launched in 2023, with its BYD battery electric Atto 3 vehicle, the automaker has about 13 dealerships. "By the end of the year, we will have about 20 dealerships around the country. The aim is to expand that to about 30, 35 the next year," Steve Chang, general manager of BYD Auto South Africa told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday. BYD currently offers six models in the South African market, with its plug-in hybrid Shark pick-up, hybrid Sealion 6, and pure electric Sealion 7 SUV models launched in April, completing its hybrid and electric dual-powertrain strategy. The dealership expansion will help BYD become a fairly well-known brand and capture more buyers across a country that is slowly transitioning to electrified vehicles. In 2024, sales of new energy vehicles - a term that describes battery-powered fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid cars - rose to 15,611 units from 7,782 units in 2023, according to data from the automotive industry body Naamsa. While the share of NEVs to total car sales is still low, BYD is hoping to capture the market early on, in preparation for a meaningful transition, Chang said. "We want to educate and cultivate the market of South Africa and make sure that the South African consumers can catch up with the rest of the world," Chang added. The uptake of electric vehicles and investment in Africa is quite slow relative to emerging market peers due to limited charging infrastructure, unstable power supply and high import duties compared to fossil-fuelled cars. But BYD sees potential. "South Africa is actually one of the most important automotive markets in the Southern Hemisphere. It's probably the biggest market in all of Africa, so it's a market that we have to look at and see how we can develop the market," Chang said. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (