Our Board

Mitch joined Massmart on 1 September 2019 as Chief Executive Officer. He has been with Walmart since 1995 and has held several important leadership positions, including global roles in Argentina, Korea, Mexico, Japan and the International Support Center. In his leadership roles, Mitch led all merger and acquisition activity for Walmart International, assumed responsibility for Superama Supermarkets in Mexico and ran operations for the India business prior to joining the Walmart US team. Mitch joined Walmart Japan in 2015 as Chief Operating Officer with responsibility for Store Operations, eCommerce, Marketing and Format Strategy segments of the Japan business. Mitch is fluent in Spanish and received his Masters of International Finance from Thunderbird School of Global Management and his Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from Wichita State University.

Prior to joining Massmart, Mohammed was Group Finance Director at Illovo Sugar, Africa since 2011. Before Illovo Sugar, he spent a decade in various executive finance roles within Anglo American plc. Mohammed is a qualified CA (SA) and has a BCom from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Daria E. Beckom is a seasoned retail industry executive with a 40-year record of driving exponential revenue growth, SKU diversification and private labels for two iconic American retailers: Walmart, Inc. and Sears, Roebuck & Co. She is a four-time winner of Walmart’s “Buying Team of the Year Award” (2001, 2002, 2019 and 2020) and was named “Champion MIP” for outstanding leadership and business growth before her retirement in January 2021. Prior to retiring from Walmart she was the Vice President, Divisional Merchandise Manager - Home Furnishings & Décor and holds a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies / Pre-Law.

Charles is the executive vice president of the Walmart U.S food division. He is responsible for the overall strategy, assortment, private brands and sourcing for all of Walmart’s U.S business food categories. Since assuming the role in 2015, and because of the size of the business he leads, Charles and his team have contributed significantly to 21 consecutive quarters of positive comparable sales performance at Walmart U.S.

Charles’ career at Walmart began as a cashier at Sam’s Club in 1988 while attending college at the University of Arkansas. After completing his degree, Charles began his full-time career as an assistant manager with Sam’s Club and progressed into further leadership roles in field operations. Charles briefly left Sam’s Club to work for the Canadian retailer, Hudson Bay, in 1998 and returned to Sam’s Club in 1999 as a director of operations. He then joined the merchandising team leading the fresh division. In 2001, he was promoted to vice president and divisional merchandise manager followed by senior vice president and general merchandise manager.

Charles’ international experience grew further when he served as the chief merchandising officer of ASDA, Walmart’s U.K. subsidiary. During his two years with ASDA, Charles brought renewed simplicity, clarity and purpose to the U.K. merchant team, and played an integral role in the price leadership and quality step-change experienced by U.K. customers. Charles returned to the U.S. in May 2012 to serve as executive vice president and chief merchandising officer for Sam’s Club, having sourcing and merchandising responsibility for the brand’s more than 650 locations nationwide.

Originally from Bentonville, Ark., Charles graduated from the University of Arkansas. He is on the board of the global Walmart Foundation, as well as the boards of Arkansas Children’s Hospital Northwest, the Razorback Foundation at the University of Arkansas, and Bentonville-based Arvest Bank.

JP was previously a Walmart-Appointed nominee on the Board until his resignation on 26 May 2017. With his extensive international retail experience and knowledge of the Massmart business, JP will add significant value to the Massmart business and Board discussions. He is currently the Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Walmart International with responsibility for International Technology, International Supply Chain and International Leverage, and previously held various senior executive roles including, more recently as Executive Vice President, Realty for Walmart U.S.A.

Kuseni Dlamini is the Chairman of JSE-listed Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd, the leading pharmaceutical manufacturer in the southern hemisphere with operations in over 50 countries. He was recently appointed co-Chairman of the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), one of South Africa’s leading business schools and is a member of the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce in SA. Kuseni is the former CEO of Old Mutual South Africa and Emerging Markets. Prior to this, he was the Head of Anglo American South Africa and a member of the Executive Committee of Anglo American plc in London and was Director of Anglo Platinum.
He is also the former Executive Chairman of Richards Bay Coal Terminal Company (RBCT) Ltd and a former Chairman of Anglo Operations (Pty) Ltd. As part of his career in mining he held a number of senior positions at Anglo Gold Ashanti and De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd in South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Kuseni is a graduate of the Universities of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, and Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar. In March 2008, he was named a ‘Young Global Leader (YGL)’ by the World Economic Forum and, during the same year and month, Miningx selected him as one of the top 100 most influential people in South African mining. In June 2008, the Mail & Guardian named him as one of the top 200 young people worth taking to lunch and in the same year and month, The Economist referred to him as “A Rare Commodity’. In 2010, the World Economic Forum appointed him a member of the Global Agenda Council on Economic Growth and Poverty Alleviation. In 2011, he was appointed co-Chairman of the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) Africa Summit which brings together Heads of States, leading politicians and business leaders to debate the state of Africa in a changing world on an annual basis.

Kuseni is active in professional bodies and charities, which include the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), Common Purpose and is the Deputy Chairman of the Council of the University of Pretoria and former Chairman of the Board of South African National Parks (SANParks).

Funke has previously served as Executive Director of Barloworld Limited, Chief Financial Officer of Tiger Brands Limited and Primedia Limited and Executive Director of Kagiso Trust Investments and Managing Director of its private equity business. She has also served as Independent non-Executive Director of Datatec Limited, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales Members’ Advisory Board for Africa, UAC of Nigeria Limited and as Audit Committee Chairman and Independent non-Executive Director of Transaction Capital Limited. She also previously served as interim CFO and Executive Director of Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services Limited, (formerly Etisalat Nigeria).

Lindiwe brings to the Board a wealth of accounting, operational management, investment banking, FMCG, retail and commercial real estate experience. She has previously held a variety of senior and executive leadership roles, including Group Chief Financial Officer of Petro SA and is currently the Managing Director of Petroleum Investments Partners. She is also a seasoned and experienced non-Executive Director, having held board roles in listed and non-listed entities in a number of sectors including in: retail, FMCG, construction, automotive and financial services. She currently serves on the Boards and Committees of large corporates, including Pioneer Foods Limited, Torre Industries Limited, Metrofile Limited and Sabvest Limited.

A Chartered Accountant (SA) and a Chartered Director (SA) since 2016, Sindi retired as an entrepreneur in October 2016 and is a Professional Director. Other Listed Company Boards include, Discovery, Sibanye Stillwater, Metrofile, and Mercedes Benz SA Limited. Her unlisted board portfolio includes Cell C Limited. Sindi has Authored 2 books, “The Ace Model – Winning Formula for Audit Committees” and “BCEM – Board and Committee Effectiveness Model” Her awards include: South Africa’s Businesswoman of the Year in 1998 by the Executive Women’s Club, Woman of Substance in 2008 by AWCA and Overall Professional Woman of the Year in 2015 by SAPSA.