Laurence Rapp
Chief executive
BCom (Hons), Wharton Executive Programme

Laurence has extensive experience in the financial services environment, spanning investment banking, private equity, retail banking and insurance and asset management. For the past nine years, he has been a director of Standard Bank, most recently as the head of the Insurance and Asset Management division and, prior to that, in charge of the Strategic Investments and Alliances division.

Michael John Potts
Financial director
CA(SA), HDip Tax Law (Wits)

Michael was previously an independent advisor to the Bridge Capital Group on property transactions, property portfolio assembly, fi nancial structuring and capital raising. Prior to that, he was managing and fi nancial director of the South African group that forms part of the UK-based Hanover Acceptances Group and was involved in the restructuring of the South African group and the introduction of effective management reporting systems and strategic planning methodologies. Michael was also a non-executive director of Hanover Acceptances Limited (United Kingdom) and Outspan International Limited for six and seven years respectively. 

Hermina Christina (Ina) Lopion
Executive director
BSc, University of Stellenbosch
Sanlam Executive Development Programme, Manchester Business School

Ina has 20 years’ property experience and six years’ life insurance experience within the Sanlam Group. She is responsible for asset management of the Sanlam investment property portfolio and the Vukile group property portfolio.

Anton Dirk Botha
Chairman
BCom, BProc, BCom (Hons), Stanford Executive Programme

Anton is a director and co-owner of Imalivest, an investment group that manages proprietary capital provided by its owners and the Imalivest Flexible Funds. He also serves as a non-executive director on the boards of the JSE Limited, the University of Pretoria, African Rainbow Minerals Limited, Sanlam Limited and Sanlam subsidiaries. He is a past president of the Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut and is actively involved in organised business. 

Hendrik Schalk Conradie Bester
BCom (Hons), FIA, AMP

Hendrik was a senior general manager and later an executive director of Sanlam between 1997 and 2000. Before 1997, he held various positions in the Sanlam group. Other previous directorships include Gensec, Sankorp, Sanlam Unit Trusts, Sanlam Properties, SA Retail, SAGDB and Barnard Jacobs Mellet Holdings. He is a past president of SAPOA, a former director of the Board of Quantity Surveyors and served on the Van Huysteen Commission on government properties.

Peter John Cook
BSc Eng, MBA

Peter retired as an executive director of Sanlam’s fi nancial engineering subsidiary Sanlam Capital Markets (SCM) in 2005. He continues to serve on the board and board committees of SCM and other Sanlam subsidiaries. Peter was the deputy chief executive of Gensec Bank (now SCM) from 2001 to 2004 and the executive director responsible for fi nance, risk management and other support functions of investment banking group Genbel Securities from 1997 to 2000. From 1993 to 1997, Peter was the fi nance and administration director of the oil company, Engen. Prior to 1993 he held various executive fi nancial and investment positions in the mining fi nance house, Gencor.

Jonathan Mlungisi Hlongwane

Mlungisi is a director and shareholder of Isolenu Group Holdings, which owns a commercial property portfolio across the country, both in the unlisted and listed sectors. He has been involved in civic and community movements since 1979 and is the past national president of the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO). He serves as chairman of Lazarus Capital (Pty) Ltd.

Peter Sipho Moyanga

Peter is a well-recognised expert in the fi eld of franchising, property and business development. He was employed by McDonalds Corporation in 1995 where his initial function was as a senior property network developer responsible for strategic physical brand positioning. In 1999, Peter was appointed franchising manager for McDonalds (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd and later in 2001 he was promoted to multi department head, responsible for fi eld service, information and technology department, operations development and franchising.

Mervyn Hymie Serebro

Mervyn is the chief executive offi cer of Vusani Property Investments, a fully empowered privately held consortium embracing retail and offi ce properties. He spent 32 years with the OK Bazaars Group within which he held a number of key positions and directorships, including that of group managing director. Mervyn was integrally involved in the establishment of a South African Bone Marrow Registry after the untimely death of his son Darren of leukemia. He is also the vice chairman of Reach for a Dream.