Executive Committee
The Massmart Executive Committee is the most senior executive decision-making body in the Group. The Committee deliberates, takes decisions or makes recommendations on all matters of strategy and operations. Within the parameters described by the Board-approved Massmart governance authorities, the decisions or recommendations are sometimes referred to the Board or its relevant Committee for final approval, while in other cases the power to take decisions is delegated to Divisional Boards or Executive Committees.
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Grant Pattison (41)Chief Executive Officer and member of the Social and Ethics CommitteeBSc (Eng) (Hons) (UCT) Grant graduated from the University of Cape Town as an electrical engineer. After four years with the Anglo American group and two years consulting with The Monitor Group, Grant joined Massmart as Executive Assistant to the Executive Chairman in 1998. He has since held various positions within the group, including Managing Director of Massdiscounters and Group Commercial Executive. He joined the Executive Committee in 2000 and the Board in 2004, becoming Deputy Chief Executive Officer in 2005, Chief Executive Officer Designate in 2006 and Chief Executive Officer on 1 July 2007. |
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Guy Hayward (47)Chief Operating OfficerBCom, CTA (UCT), CA(SA) Guy graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1986 and, after serving articles with Deloitte Haskins & Sells, qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1989. During the 1990s he held senior financial roles at Malbak and CNA Gallo in South Africa and at Goldman Sachs in London. He joined Massmart as Group Financial Executive in 2000 and was appointed Chief Financial Officer in 2001. Guy is also a Governor of Hilton College. |
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Ilan Zwarenstein (37)Financial DirectorBCom, BAcc, CA(SA) Ilan graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1997. After completing his articles in 2000, he remained with Grant Thornton where he served as a manager in Corporate Finance and in Audit. In February 2003, Ilan was appointed as a partner at Grant Thornton. He joined Massmart at the end of 2005 as Group Finance Executive and was appointed Company Secretary in 2006. In May 2012, Ilan was appointed as Financial Director. |
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Jan Potgieter (43)Divisional Chief Executive of Massdiscounters and Chairman of the Cellular ForumBCompt (Hons), CTA (Free State), CA(SA) Jan’s early career was spent in financial roles in various industries until becoming a business manager at Clover SA for three years. He then spent seven years at SA Breweries in senior financial roles, before joining the Massmart Group as Financial Director of Massdiscounters in 2005. In April 2007, he was appointed Chief Executive of Massdiscounters and a member of the Massmart Executive Committee. |
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Kevin Vyvyan-Day (47)Divisional Chief Executive of Cambridge Food, member of the Audit and Risk Committee and Chairman of the General Merchandise ForumBCom, BAcc (Wits), CA(SA) After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1989, Kevin consulted at both the Strategy Group (Deloitte) and Gemini Consulting. He joined UPD as Group Operations and Systems Director in 1995 and became Group Chief Executive Officer in 1996. Kevin joined Massmart as Divisional Chief Executive responsible for Makro and as a member of the Massmart Executive Committee in 2005. |
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Llewellyn Walters (48)Divisional Chief Executive of MassbuildBA, LLB (Wits) Llewellyn spent thirteen years in the banking industry where he held senior positions in a number of specialist financial institutions before joining ABSA. In June 2003, Llewellyn joined Super Group, a JSE-listed supply chain and logistics company where his last position was Divisional MD responsible for the group’s African operations. He joined Massmart in November 2008 as Divisional Chief Executive for Builders Warehouse and was appointed to the Massmart Executive Committee upon joining. |
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Robin Wright (56)Group Food Executive and Chairman of the Food and Liquor ForumBCom (Natal), CA(SA) After graduating from Natal University with a BCom degree and qualifying with his CA(SA) in 1978, Robin spent six years in retailing and wholesaling at WG Brown before founding CCW in 1985. In 1998, he sold a controlling interest in CCW to Massmart and was appointed to the Massmart Executive Committee. He led the acquisition and integration of Browns and Weirs, and has spearheaded the growth of the Division to become South Africa’s leading food wholesaler. |
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Jay Currie (38)eCommerce ExecutiveBSc (Natal) Following a period managing Mala Mala Game Reserve and founding a small IT solutions provider, Jay joined Business Connexion as a Network Engineer before taking a position with Massdiscounters as IT Technical Manager in November 1999. He was appointed to the Massdiscounters Board in 2002 as IT Director. In addition to his IT responsibilities, he assumed responsibility for the supply chain of that company in 2003 and was appointed to the Massmart Executive Committee as Group Commercial Executive in 2006. Effective June 2009 Jay has been appointed as Retail Director Masscash where he is responsible for the Cambridge Food business. He remains a member of the Massmart Executive Committee. |
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Doug Jones (39)Divisional Managing Director of Masswarehouse, Chairman of the Massmart Retirement FundsBCom, PGDA (UCT), CA(SA) After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1998, Doug moved to Canada with Deloitte. He worked for Coca-Cola Enterprises in Toronto for a number of years before returning to South Africa to join ABI (the Soft Drink Division of SAB Limited). Doug joined Makro as Finance Director in 2007 and became Commercial Director in 2010. Doug was appointed Divisional Managing Director in September 2012, and joined the Massmart Executive Committee at the same time. |
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Gareth (Joe) Owens (63)Divisional Chief Executive of New FormatsJoe joined Makro in 1971. He worked for the Checkers Group from 1978 to 1988 after which he returned to Makro as Merchandise Director. He was appointed Managing Director of Makro in 1993, Divisional Chief Executive of Makro in 1999, Divisional Chief Executive of Massbuild in 2005 and Divisional Chief Executive of New Formats in February 2008. Joe has 40 years of mass merchant, general merchandise and FMCG experience. |
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Pearl Maphoshe (44)Group Human Capital Executive, Chairperson of the HR Forum and member of the Sustainability and Transformation CommitteeBA (Hons), HDipEd (Durban-Westville), MA (London) Prior to joining Massdiscounters Pearl worked for Telkom and Old Mutual and for Umgeni Water as General Manager: Corporate Services. Prior to assuming responsibility for Human Capital on the Massmart Executive Committee from August 2007, Pearl was Director of Human Resources at Massdiscounters. She brings broad experience in managing and developing human capital to the Group. |
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Brian Leroni (48)Group Corporate Affairs Executive and member of the Sustainability and Transformation CommitteeBA (Wits), MPhil (Stellenbosch) Brian’s work experience includes executive positions at Masstores (Pty) Limited, an associate partner at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and Marketing Director at CNA. He joined Massmart as Group Projects Executive in September 2004 and was appointed Group Corporate Affairs Executive in September 2005. Brian joined the Massmart Executive Committee in July 2007. |
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Llewellyn Steeneveldt (43)Group Commercial Executive and Chairman of the TIP and Operations ForumsBSc Eng (Phys Met), GDE (Industrial), MBA Llewellyn graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1991 as a Physical Metallurgist. After seven years with Tongaat-Hulett group and three years with the Industrial Development Corporation, Llewellyn joined Massmart as Business Analyst in 2002. He has since held various positions within the Group, including Executive Assistant to the CEO and Managing Director of Builders Express. Llewellyn was appointed Group Commercial Executive and joined the Massmart Executive Committee in July 2009. |
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Mncane Mthunzi (39)Group Supplier Development ExecutiveBCom (Economics), PMD, GEDP (GIBS) Mncane is the former CEO of the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA). He has been the Managing Director of the Black Management Forum (BMF). Prior to joining the BMF he worked for Microsoft as Sales Executive. He was also a Senior Manager at PwC. He started his career at Accenture, where he worked in a number of industries both locally and internationally handling large-scale systems integrations and business solutions for a number of clients over a period of seven years. He serves as Independent Non-Executive Director in other Boards. |
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Michael (Mike) Spivey (48)Massmart General Counsel & Chief Compliance OfficerBsc (University of Arkansas, Masters in Law in International Banking and Finance (University of Boston), Juris Doctorate (JD) Mike began his Walmart career stocking shelves and pushing shopping carts at Store #1 in Rogers, Ark. while he was in high school. In 2003, he rejoined the company and has since advised multiple segments of the company in legal and compliance roles. Prior to joining Walmart, he served in senior legal and business development roles with the Export-Import Bank of the United States, served as a legal adviser to the Hungarian Foreign Trade Bank in Budapest and was an associate with the international law firm of Arent, Fox, Kintner, Plotkin and Kahn. |
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Neville Dunn (43)Divisional Managing Director Masscash WholesaleBcom, (UKZN), CA (SA) Neville graduated from University of Natal (Durban) in 1990 with a BCom in Accounting followed by a Post Graduate Diploma and after serving articles with Deloitte & Touche, qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1992. From 1995, Neville held various financial roles with Robertsons (Pty) Ltd and then with The Hub (a division of the Mr Price Group) and in 2002 joined Masscash as Financial Director, becoming Operations Director in 2008. In February Neville was appointed Divisional Managing Director, Masscash Wholesale. |



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