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Board of directors

1. Laurence (Larry) Nestadt

Independent Non-Executive Chairman
Born: 1950

Larry has over 40 years’ experience in his long and successful corporate career, both in South Africa and internationally. Larry is a co-founder and former executive director of Investec Bank Limited. He assisted in the creation and strategic development of a number of listed companies such as Capital Alliance Holdings Limited, Super Group Limited, Hosken Consolidated Investments Limited, SIB Holdings Limited and Global Capital Limited. He is the past chairman on each of the boards of these companies.

Larry has also served on the board of directors of Softline Limited, JCI Limited and Abacus Technologies Holdings Limited. He was a former director of a number of non-listed companies, internationally and locally, viz, Stenham Limited (UK) and Prefsure Life Limited (Aus). Currently, Larry holds various directorships and is executive chairman of Global Capital Proprietary Limited, and chairman of Melrose Motor Investments, Moregolf Proprietary Limited, SellDirect Marketing Proprietary Limited and National Airways Corporation Proprietary Limited.

Larry is a respected senior member of the South African business community and his strategic vision, guidance and experience contribute significantly to the Board and its deliberations.

2. Brett Levy

Joint Chief Executive Officer
Born: 1975

Brett has an impressive entrepreneurial history having founded and operated many small businesses in the early 1990s. He has been involved across a wide range of industries, including the distribution of fast-moving consumer goods and insurance replacements for electronic goods. Brett’s business achievements have secured a number of prestigious nominations and awards, including the ABSA Bank Jewish Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2003) and the ABSA Jewish Business Achiever Non-Listed Company Award (2007), which he won jointly with his brother Mark. Brett was nominated as an Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur SA Finalist for 2007. In 2010 he received the Liberty Life Award for a Remarkable Success Story in the David Awards and was a finalist in the Top Young Entrepreneur category of the African Access National Business Awards. In 2011 he shared with Mark the Top Entrepreneur accolade in the African Access National Business Awards.

Brett is a director of various companies, including some local and global Group companies.

Board committee membership:

Executive Committee: Member
Investment Committee: Member
Social, Ethics and Transformation Committee: Member
Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee: Attendee
Remuneration and Nomination Committee: Attendee

3. Mark Levy

Joint Chief Executive Officer
BCompt (Unisa)
Born: 1971

Mark graduated with a BCompt degree from UNISA in 1993. After some years as a commodities trader, he decided to pursue a goal of becoming an entrepreneur, which skill and strength he has applied over the past several years in spearheading Blue Label’s impressive organic and acquisitive growth and international expansion. Together with his brother Brett, Mark won the ABSA Jewish Business Achiever Non-Listed Company Award (2007). He was nominated as an Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur SA Finalist for 2007. In 2010 Mark was voted Top IT Personality of the year by ITWeb and was a finalist in the Top Young Entrepreneur category of the African Access National Business Awards. In 2011 he shared with Brett the Top Entrepreneur accolade in the African Access National Business Awards.

Mark is a director of various companies, including some local and global Group companies.

Board committee membership:

Executive Committee: Member
Investment Committee: Member
Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee: Attendee
Remuneration and Nomination Committee: Attendee

4. Mark Pamensky

Chief Operating Officer
BCom (Wits), BCompt (Hons) (Unisa), CA(SA)
Born: 1972

Mark completed his articles at PricewaterhouseCoopers Inc. before moving to Mercantile Bank, where he worked in the corporate finance department. In 1999 he joined the boutique advisory firm, Nucleus Corporate Finance, before joining Blue Label in 2001. Mark has played an integral role in the Group’s strategic and operational management and much of its expanding telecommunications footprint can be attributed to his vision and leadership. Mark is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and the Young Presidents Organisation.

Mark is a director of various companies, including some local and global Group companies.

Board committee membership:

Executive Committee: Member
Investment Committee: Member

5. David Rivkind

Financial Director
BAcc (Unisa), CA(SA)
Born: 1972

David completed his articles at Papilsky Hurwitz and in 1999 joined Merrill Lynch International (UK) as financial controller. He later moved to Credit Suisse before returning to South Africa in 2002 to take up the role of financial director at Integr8IT Proprietary Limited. David joined the Group in 2004 as Chief Financial Officer before becoming Financial Director for Blue Label. He contributes significantly to the governance and reporting systems across the Group in support of its growth. David is a member of SAICA.

Board committee membership:

Executive Committee: Member
Investment Committee: Member
Social, Ethics and Transformation Committee: Alternate member to B Levy
Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee: Attendee
Remuneration and Nomination Committee: Attendee

6. Kevin Ellerine

Non-Executive Director
National Diploma in Company Administration
Born: 1968

Kevin joined the family business, Ellerine Holdings, in January 1991. After serving in various roles, in 1993 he was appointed as property manager of Ellerine Bros. Proprietary Limited, rising to managing director of the property division in 2000, a position he still holds today. He sits on the boards of the property and private equity companies in which Ellerines is invested. Kevin’s all-round business skill and acumen contribute to Board and Committee deliberations of the Group.

Kevin is a director of various other companies, including some Group subsidiaries.

Board committee membership:

Social, Ethics and Transformation Committee: Member
Remuneration and Nomination Committee: Member

7. Gary Harlow

Independent Non-Executive Director
BBusSci (Hons) (UCT), FCMA, CGMA, CA(SA)
Born: 1957

Gary graduated from the University of Cape Town in 1979, qualifying as a Chartered Accountant (SA) in 1982, an associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK) in 1983 and as a fellow chartered management accountant (UK) in 1996. His career was forged in merchant banking. In the early 1990s he was an adviser to the African National Congress and in 1992 was instrumental in the creation of Thebe Investment Corporation. Gary served as joint chief executive officer of Msele Corporate and Merchant Bank, South Africa’s first black-controlled merchant bank.

In 1996 Gary was appointed group chief executive officer of Unihold Limited, where he remains executive chairman. He led its transition from an engineering conglomerate to an international IT and telecommunications group, followed by a delisting through a management buyout. Gary continues to serve on numerous private and public company boards and is currently an independent non-executive director of Mvelaserve Limited and chairman of its audit, risk and compliance committee. He is also chairman and/or director of various Group subsidiaries.

Board committee membership:

Investment Committee: Chairman
Social, Ethics and Transformation Committee: Member
Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee: Member
Remuneration and Nomination Committee: Member

8. Neil Lazarus SC

SC Non-Executive Director
BA LLB (Wits)
Born: 1958

Neil graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1981 with a BA LLB degree. After completing articles, he was admitted as an attorney in 1983. He was admitted as an advocate in 1984 and practised at the Johannesburg bar. He was appointed as Senior Counsel by former President Mandela in 1998. He also served as an acting judge. As an advocate, Neil specialised in corporate restructures, mergers and acquisitions and was involved in some major corporate reorganisations both locally and internationally. Upon leaving the profession in 2000 he became a director of Corpcapital Limited, establishing its corporate finance business. Neil currently discharges both corporate finance and legal mandates for a number of local and international companies but spends most of his time on advisory work for Blue Label. Neil serves as a non-executive director on the boards of other public companies.

Board committee membership:

Investment Committee: Member
Social, Ethics and Transformation Committee: Member
Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee: Member
Remuneration and Nomination Committee: Chairman

9. Joe Mthimunye

Independent Non-Executive Director
BCompt Hons/CTA (UNISA), CA(SA)
Born: 1965

Joe qualified as a chartered accountant in 1993. In 1996, he co-founded Gobodo Incorporated, an accounting practice with eight other partners which in time became the biggest black accounting firm in South Africa. In 1999, he led a management buyout of Gobodo Corporate Finance from the accounting firm and re-branded it AloeCap Proprietary Limited, of which he is currently executive chairman. He also serves on the board of directors of various non-listed companies in which AloeCap Private Equity is invested.

Board committee membership:

Investment Committee: Member
Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee: Chairman

10. Jerry Vilakazi

Independent Non-Executive Director
BA (Unisa), MA (Thames Valley), MA (London) and MBA (California Coast University)
Born: 1961

Jerry is executive chairman of the Palama group of companies which he co-founded. He is also the chairman of Netcare Limited, State Information Technology Agency (SITA), Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency, Mpumalanga Gambling Board and Trubok Proprietary Limited. He also holds directorships at Goliath Gold Limited, Sibanye Gold Limited, Saatchi & Saatchi and Kazzi Corporate Wear. Jerry recently served as non-executive director of PPC Limited and currently serves as a member of the National Planning Commission and the Presidential B-BBEE Advisory Council. He is an adviser to Citi Bank.

Board committee membership:

Social, Ethics and Transformation Committee: Chairman
Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee: Member