Trustees

Bertie van Wyk

Chairperson

Bertie van Wyk has been elected Chairperson by the Trustees of the new Management Board. After obtaining his M.Comm in 1978, Bertie worked at the Old Mutual Investments Division (now OMIGSA). more info

In 1989 he transferred to Employee Benefits, where he rose to the position of Senior Regional Manager. He built up Old Mutual’s business in the USA from 1995 to 1997, following which he held various senior positions in Old Mutual Employee Benefits, including Chief Executive of Employee Benefits from 2003 to 2005.

In 2005 he assumed the role of Executive General Manager: Corporate Market, responsible for the front-office functions across all of Old Mutual’s corporate businesses, until his retirement in 2006.
Wahida Parker

Vice Chairperson

Wahida has been elected Vice Chairperson by the Trustees of the new Management Board. She earned her B.Proc in 1985 and is today, among other things, an Independent Trustee of the Old Mutual Pristine Retirement Fund. more info

In the intervening period, she has been an Independent Principal Officer of the Verso Umbrella Fund, Member of the Consumer Tribunal Western Cape, Director (non-executive) of HWB Communications, Work Dynamics and The Arbitration Forum (Pty) Ltd., and a former Executive Member of both the Black Management Forum Western Cape and Black Lawyers Association Western Cape.

In addition to her Higher Diploma in Corporate Governance, Wahida is also a Certified Forensics Examiner in the field of forensic auditing and a liquidator with the Master of the Supreme Court.
Karabo Morule

Karabo is currently a Strategy & Marketing Executive (Retail Affluent Segment) at Old Mutual in Johannesburg. more info

She previously held the position of Associate: Insurance Securitised Products at J.P. Morgan in London, having worked at J.P Morgan in Johannesburg after completing her studies at the University of Cape Town. Karabo obtained her B. Bus. Sc. degree in Actuarial Science (Finance Option) with First Class Honours in 2003.

She then enrolled for a Postgraduate Diploma in Actuarial Science to complete additional subjects towards qualifying as an actuary, which she did in 2006 through the Faculty of Actuaries (Scotland). She is a fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and is also registered with the Financial Services Authority.
Jeremy Andrew

Jeremy is an internationally respected pension-fund actuary who has been closely involved with legislative and regulatory developments affecting retirement funds in South Africa.more info

A qualified valuator of every type of retirement fund, Jeremy worked at Liberty Life from 1977 to 1988, by which time he had become the General Manager of Specialised Corporate Consulting. In 1998 he became Chief Actuary to the Financial Services Board, where he helped draft surplus-apportionment and minimum-benefits legislation.

Jeremy is a past member of the Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA) and currently serves on the ASSA’s Professional Conduct Committee.
Chris Liddle

Chris spent over three decades in the Life and Employee Benefits divisions of Southern Life. By the time of his departure in 1998, he was the Executive Director of both divisions.more info

From 1999, he has served as an Independent Trustee on the Boards of Retirement Funds sponsored by Old Mutual, including the Evergreen funds.

Among other positions, he is the Director and Chair of the Galaxy Investment Trust and BoE Link Nominee companies, as well as the Director of Catalyst Employee Benefit Consultants (Pty) Ltd.
Shirley Mabusela

Shirley is a Trustee and Board Member of the Centre for Education Policy Development, Freedom Park Trust, Human Rights Institute of South Africa, Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund and Centre for Human Rights of the University of Pretoria. more info

She is also the Chair of HydoWSA, a consortium of women-owned companies that focus on renewable energy and mining.

A former Chair of the South African Human Rights Commission, Shirley holds a BA Social Work Degree from the University of the North, as well as a Management Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Social Work Practice from Wits.
Pierre Pretorius

A member of the Old Mutual Employee Benefits EXCO since 2004, Pierre started his career as an attorney, following which he became a Senior Legal Adviser to Transnet in 1984. more info

By 1993 he was Transnet’s Chief Legal Adviser and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Transnet Pension Fund. In 1996 he became the Principal Consultant and Director of Old Mutual Actuaries & Consultants (OMAC).

Pierre is a former Trustee of the Old Mutual Staff Medical Aid Fund and the Caremed and the Galaxy Retirement Funds. He is currently a serving trustee of SARAF and a senior Corporate Legal Adviser for Old Mutual.
Krishna Patel

Krishna is currently a Senior Finance Manager (Corporate segment) at Old Mutual in Cape Town where he influences the strategic direction of finance functions across the corporate business. more info

After achieving a distinction in his BCom degree at UCT and then doing his post graduate diploma in accounting, Krishna was offered a 3-year training contract at KPMG. On completing the 3 year article programme, he became Audit Supervisor and later promoted to Audit Manager.
In 2002 he joined Old Mutual where he has moved through the ranks within the Corporate Finance segment from Financial Accountant to his current role as Senior Finance Manager. Krishna also holds a Certificate in Advanced Leadership from the UCT Graduate School of business, where he passed with a distinction.

Principal Officer

Cheryl Mestern

Cheryl Mestern has been elected as Principal Officer by the Trustees of the new Management Board. Cheryl set up her own practice as an independent Principal Officer and trustee in 2005. more info

Prior to that, she spent 3 years at BP as Principal Officer of their Medical Aid and Pension Funds. Cheryl has been in the financial services industry for more than 24 years, 15 years of which were with Old Mutual and four with the Rennies Group where amongst other duties, she fulfilled the role of Principal Officer of the Medical Aid. She has held office as Trustee of a number of other retirement funds and medical aids and is currently a Trustee of the Ruth Prowse School of Art.

Cheryl holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and is an Associate Financial Planner with the Financial Planning Institute.