Classic Business

Leon Van Der Merwe, attorney and director at Centurion Group

Nadir Thokan, portfolio manager at Corion Capital & Caroline Cremen, portfolio manager at Adviceworx

In this weekly feature Michael Avery gets up close and personal with South Africa’s business and political economy leaders, to uncover what makes them tick, keeps them up at night and keeps them going through the Covid storm. This week’s guest has worn a hard hat most of his career. For almost four decades he’s worked in the mining industry, including his last position as Senior Vice President: Mining of Sasol Mining, and executive positions at Harmony, from 2003 to 2007, and at African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) and Pamodzi Gold.

He is a member and past president of the Association of Mine Managers of South Africa, and a member of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the South African Colliery Managers’ Association.

And he has been CEO since 2016 of the newest addition to the MSCI SA Index, Harmony Gold. Peter Steenkamp, shares, his story from Alberton to heading South Africa’s largest gold major and how to repair the broken mining industry in South Africa.

Warwick Lucas, CIO of Galileo Asset Management & Prof Raymond Parsons, from School of Business and Governance at North West University

Jason Jordaan, principal forensic analyst, DFIR Labs; Susan Potgieter, acting CEO of the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC)

and Craig Rosewarne, managing director of Wolfpack Information Risk

Heather Jackson, head of impact investing at Ashburton Investments

Sabine Dall’Omo, CEO of Siemens

Wido Schnabel, chairperson of SAPVIA (SA Photovoltaic Industry Association)

Have you noticed the new Thursday ritual? Long snaking cues outside bottle stores. Michael Avery speaks to Jeremy Sampson MD of Brand Finance Africa, about the two bans implemented by government on alcohol sales, which have been devastating for an industry that supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, contributes in a major way to the economy and tax revenue and also invests significantly in this country.

How has the lockdown impacted marketing? How the marketing of brands has adapted during this challenging time, how brands are catering to the growing trend of moderation and healthier lifestyles as well as other issues such as the impact the alcohol industry has on employment and economic growth in South Africa.

Covid-19 antibodies found in 37% of pregnant women and HIV-positive people in Cape. The data is likely to spark discussion about whether some regions have enough people with immunity for the virus to no longer easily spread. Prof Adrian Puren, Head of the Centre for HIV and STIs at the NICD talks to Michael Avery about the findings.