SAIA appoints new chairman
The South African Insurance Association (SAIA) recently announced that it has appointed Mr Themba Gamedze as the new Chairman of the SAIA. Mr Gamedze assumed this new role on 1 October 2013.
"The SAIA is proud to have a Chairman of Mr Gamedze’s calibre on board to assist the SAIA and its members to face and deal with the many challenges that the short-term insurance industry needs to face,” said Barry Scott, Chief Executive of the SAIA. "The short-term insurance industry plays an important role in the lives of individuals and businesses, as well as in the economy and society of our country and it is important that we remain sustainable and relevant. It is the firm belief of the SAIA Board that Mr Gamedze will be able to play a key role in this regard,” Scott added.
Gamedze is currently the Chief Executive: Strategic Projects at the Sanlam Group. He also serves as director on a number of boards, including that of Santam in the short-term insurance sector and a member of the SAIA, as well as boards within the Sanlam Group.
Gamedze is an actuary by profession and a Fellow of the Actuarial Society of South Africa. During the last four years he has assisted the Actuarial Society of South Africa by providing leadership, first as President-Elect and currently as President of this prestigious society. Gamedze was also the Founding President of the Association of South African Black Actuarial Professionals.
"I see the development of a vibrant actuarial profession in Africa as a major priority and represent the Society on the Board of the South African Actuarial Development Programme (SAADP) established by Mr Cyril Ramaphosa for the express purpose of attracting many more black professionals into the actuarial profession,” said Gamedze on the topic of one of his favourite interests.
Apart from several positions at Sanlam since 2003, Gamedze previously worked at HSBC South Africa as an investment analyst focusing on the insurance sector, and as a derivative structured products executive at both HSBC and the South African Merchant Bank AMB Capital. He also spent some time in his career at the Liberty Group, Metropolitan Life and Munich Re.
Gamedze read Pure Mathematics at the University of Warwick, Coventry, in the United Kingdom of England, and obtained a BA Honours (2i) in 1980 and an MSc in 1982.
"I am looking forward to my new role as the Chairman of the SAIA Board. The financial services sector holistically has a huge role to play in achieving a flourishing and economically active South Africa, and the short-term insurance industry is one of the key sectors to share in this responsibility. I would certainly use my knowledge and experience in the financial services sector, and especially in the broader insurance industry, to assist and encourage the short-term insurance industry to play its role to its full potential,’ said Gamedze.
"The SAIA welcomes Mr Gamedze on board and wishes him a long and successful journey in his new role,” concluded Scott.
The SAIA Board also announced the appointment of Mr Terry Ray of SCOR Africa Limited as Deputy Chairman.
