Kershen Pillay
CEO of The Graduate Institute of Financial Sciences (GIFS)
Kershen Pillay, CEO of the Graduate Institute of Financial Sciences, is regarded as one of the foremost thought-leaders and trailblazers within the Financial Services Sector in South Africa.
Kershen cut his teeth in the financial services training arena when he took over the reins of Masifunde Training Centre (MTC) at the age of 27. Guided by his vision and passion, MTC evolved into one of the country’s top, multiple award-winning financial services training providers, feted for its quality, private, tailored, INSETA-accredited offerings.
Fast forward 14 years, and Pillay has now steered MTC into new waters with a re-brand to the Graduate Institute of Financial Sciences (GIFS). While continuing MTC’s brand of service excellence, GIFS is more closely aligned to Kershen’s vision to mobilise the power of education to bring about significant, positive change to create a better Africa for others to inherit.
Combining strategy with innovation, acumen with service excellence, and positivity with a strong sense of commitment to staff, students and stakeholders, Kershen is widely-recognised as an industry leader and innovator.
Kershen Pillay was named the TYI Top 100 Young African Innovator of 2018 and has notched up a string of awards and accolades during his 14 years in the Financial Services Sector including National Business Awards Finalist 2017 and Oliver Top Empowerment Finalist 2017.
Darryl Grater
Executive Head of The Insurance Institute of Gauteng (IIG)
Darryl Grater, Executive Head: Distribution Services at Discovery Insure is responsible for personal and commercial lines distribution nationally. His previous roles included Head of Claims, Procurement, Strategic Projects, Intermediary Services and Business Development. Darryl is also the current President of the Insurance Institute of Gauteng (IIG).
He has strong experience in creating new divisions, leadership, business strategy and innovation. He has created new business units and has led teams to achieve pleasing operational efficiencies, strong cost reduction and accelerated revenue results.
Darryl has direct involvement in call centres, claims (front office and back office), procurement and partner management, fraud-reduction, broker distribution, system design, staff remuneration design, and identifying viability of new ventures.
He received Top Student and Top Syndicate awards for MAP Programme (Executive Education) at Wits Business School and is currently completing his Masters Programme dissertation, specialising in Strategic Marketing (attained Dean’s List).
A proud South African, an avid gym enthusiast, and a dreamer, Darryl always strives for better results, and is inspired by the enormous possibilities the global community has to offer.
Charlene Lawrence
Leadership and Development Specialise MTN
Charlene Lawrence, was previously a Leadership and Development Specialist at Advtech reporting to their Group HR Director. Her career path was chartered at companies such as Telesure, Momentum, Desi Niche UK, Vodacom, Avon Justine and Edcon, amongst others. She also ran her own business for a short time, servicing companies such as McCarthy, Vodacom, Lensky Events, RAI Projects, First Car Rental and Protea Hotels.
Charlene qualified in 2002 from the University of Durban Westville with a Bachelor of Arts honour’s degree specialising in critical thinking, writing and research. This is where she first got the taste of performance improvement as a possible profession. Over the subsequent years, Charlene deliberately acquired strong leadership qualities, excellent communication skills, sound experience and expertise in learning, performance, cost optimization and project management.
Charlene’s experience in learning and performance improvement is extensive. She has managed teams in excess of 15 members, designed and implemented programmes ranging from leadership development, induction and onboarding to product, systems and processes. Her responsibilities have included the strategy development, execution, project management and cost optimization of all content development initiatives from needs analysis to implementation for both instructor lead, online and mobile learning programmes.
Charlene has introduced metrics and analytics that impact the business into her team’s way of work to determine the success of the initiatives they deliver. She has achieved success in reducing time to competence of new starters, reduction of staff turnover in call center consultants in their first year of employment and increasing the earning potential of sales staff in their first three months.
Describing herself as solutions-driven, Charlene’s key strengths lie in aligning development goals with business objectives. This enables her to develop learning strategies that are practical and executable to the business in which she operates, this presents MTN SA with an opportunity to take our learning and talent development strategy to a new level.
Bukhosi Khumalo
Client Executive – The Insurance Institute of Gauteng (IIG)
Bukhosi Khumalo is currently a Client Executive at Marsh Pty Ltd where his daily job involves working with people, which is his greatest passion.
Owing to his previous contributions in activities like the IIG from the age of 20, he is no stranger to the affairs of developing and inspiring others in the industry. He is a past member and President of the Risk Management and Actuarial Sciences Society and sits on the Insurance Institute of Bulawayo (IIB) board.
Bukhosi writes for some of the widest-read magazines on the continent on issues surrounding risk management and insurance. One of his biggest passions is to motivate the younger generation to see insurance as a career of choice rather than accident or coincidence as we work towards #InsuringTomorrow.
He holds a B.Com Hons. Degree in Risk Management and Insurance (Cum Laude), an AIISA, and is a general member of the CII (UK).
Melanie du Plessis
Human Resources Generalist
Melanie du Plessis, Human Resources Generalist, is a professional with over 16 years’ Human Resource Management experience, the last seven of which have been in the Insurance Industry. She has notable experience in strategic human resource planning, performance management, staffing, compliance, employment contract negotiations, employee benefits, compensation and payroll, training and development, and management coaching.
Melanie is currently busy with her E-MBA – Human Resource Management through the Westford Education Group and also completed a Certificate in Education and Training which assisted her to develop the requisite skills for her career. From the age of eighteen she supported herself with a variety of customer-facing roles, from reception and secretarial work at a prestige beauty school, to an HR Administrator for an International Security Company. Later in her career she gained more experience in senior roles and is currently the Group HR Manager for GENRIC Insurance Company Limited where she significantly increased productivity through her unique employee development initiatives.
Melanie is also involved in various youth development initiatives and recently joined the GIFS Global Foundation as it aspires to build a better society through career guidance, counselling services and training initiatives.
Tholani Dlodlo
General Manager for Sales And Distribution MTN
Thobani Dlodlo, General Manager for Sales And Distribution MTN is a University of Stellenbosch MBA graduate whose area of expertise is General Management with strong focus on P & L delivery, Marketing and Sales and Distribution strategy and execution, Supply Chain management, Route to Market Strategy, Operations excellence, Performance Management, Customer Service and Leadership. His other qualifications are Bachelor’s degree in business, IMM Diploma in marketing, Chartered Marketer Certification (CM) SA and a Scenario Planning & Strategic Thinking Certificate from Gibbs University.
Thobani has an extensive operational and executive management experience with leading world-class companies and entrepreneurial experience running his own business. He has business experience that spans over 20 years, 15 of which was at senior executive level.
He spent his formative years of his career with reputable companies in the FMCG Beverage sector such as Amalgamated Beverage Industries (ABI), Coca-Cola and South African Breweries now Inbev. He completed the prestigious Kusile Management Development Programme at Coca- Cola which he credits as having built his business and commercial foundation. He worked his way from Sales Manager up through General Management ranks and later as Executive Head of Division at Vodacom responsible for Emerging Markets Channel Strategy and Route to Market.
After a successful stint at Vodacom, in August 2014 he was head hunted by BAT South Africa to head their key market of Gauteng as Region Manager. Gauteng Region which contributed 40% of profits for BAT South Africa and was experiencing declining volumes, share and Route to Market challenges. He managed to hold share in a declining market, he defined and piloted a new RTM which was later adopted across the country reducing losses by 90%, improved customer service, enhanced reliability and reduced out of stocks whilst delivering good financial results.
Throughout his career and time in business, Thobani has had opportunities to turn-around underperforming business units, develop and lead winning multi-disciplinary teams, consistently achieved volume growth, market share and profitability as well as receiving accolades for excellence. Using his strong knowledge of the markets and trade relationships, he excelled in building new routes to market for exciting global brands. He also successfully led the creation and implementation of Vodacom’s emerging markets strategy in South Africa.
Natasha Maroun
National Head of The Insurance Institute Of Gauteng (IIG)
Natasha Maroun, National Head of The Insurance Institute Of Gauteng (IIG), has 27 years’ experience in the insurance industry. After completing her legal studies she started in the industry as a broker and then moved on to Hannover Re where she completed the graduate trainee programme. After a few years in the treaty department of Hannover Re she joined the Lireas team where she represented Lireas on boards of the Underwriting Managers where they were involved.
Natasha became a shareholder and managing director of Gem & Jewel Acceptances and after 6 years the company was sold to Zurich/Bryte. Since then, she has been the National Head of the Jewellery, Fine Art and Specie division of Bryte SA.
She has been on the Insurance Institute of Gauteng (IIG) council for 3 years, and is currently Head of the Impact and Transformation portfolio. Natasha has always been involved in mentoring, growing and developing bright young talent and has made it her personal mission to attract aspirant talent to the insurance industry. Natasha believes that her current portfolio within the IIG lends her to an even greater platform to help young stars rise.
She is passionate about family, friends and all things bling.
Tshepiso Chocho
Deputy President for The Insurance Institute of Gauteng (IIG)
Tshepiso Chocho is an Executive Manager for People Management at Sasria SOC Ltd. She is also the Deputy President of the Insurance Institute of Gauteng (IIG).
Tshepiso holds a Honours Degree in Industrial Psychology and is currently enrolled in the Senior Executive Leadership Programme with Harvard Business School. She has spent all but 2 years of her working career in the insurance industry (Long and Short Term), with most of that time working in the Human Capital space.