EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Antoine Van Buuren

Group Chief Executive Officer

Qualifications:

(BCom, MBA)

Antoine entered the healthcare sector in 2004, when he jointly founded WAD Holdings. He was the CEO of WAD subsidiary companies Pharmacy Direct, a courier pharmacy business, and Curasana Wholesalers, a pharmaceutical wholesaler. Prior to founding WAD Holdings, he spent 15 years with the Total Group in South Africa and internationally, including holding general management positions responsible for logistics and retail. Antoine joined the AfroCentric Group effective 1 August 2015 and was subsequently appointed as the Group CEO.
Kevin Aron

Medscheme Holdings Chief Executive Officer

Qualifications:

CA (SA)

A Chartered Accountant and Henley (UK) MBA graduate, Kevin Aron completed his articles at Ernst & Young before starting his career at SA Druggists and then Healthcare Management Systems. A move to Medical Services Organisation followed during which he was appointed as Financial Director and then as Chief Operating Officer. During his tenure at Medscheme, Kevin has led the Sales, Marketing and Operational Business units and now leads the South African, Africa and International operations of Medscheme.
Hannes Boonzaaier

Group Chief Financial Officer

Qualifications:

CA (SA)

Hannes Boonzaaier completed his articles with KPMG in 1999. During his tenure with KPMG, he gained experience in valuations, due diligence reviews and commercial structuring of business transactions. He then joined Medscheme as a Financial Manager and over the past 12 years has been involved with Medscheme and the AfroCentric Group in various client operations. His success in leading Group Finance along with his knowledge of the business fulminated in his appointment as the AfroCentric Group Chief Financial Officer effective 1 August 2015.
Lee Callakoppen

Executive Director: Human Capital

Qualifications:

(Masters in Human Resources Management)

Lee has extensive experience in Human Resources having served at Executive level in a number of retail, telecommunications, media and healthcare organisations. Having achieved his degree in Information Science through the University of Johannesburg, he later qualified as an Industrial Sociologist in 1999 after completing his honours. He then furthered his education in Business Management and completed Global Executive Development Programme. He is currently in the process of completing a Master’s Degree in Human Resources, with his thesis focusing on the Impact of rewards on motivation. He began a career in operational management within the retail sector before moving into Human Capital, holding positions in various industries ranging from retail to telecommunications and media. Lee held the position of HR Executive for the Primedia Content Division before joining Medscheme in 2007. As Executive Director: Human Capital and Transformation, Lee is currently responsible for continually focusing on transforming the organisational culture to enhance performance, learning and innovation and creating a fun an enabling working environment.
Gawie Erasmus

Executive Director: CEO – Pharmacy Direct

Qualifications:

CA (SA)

Gawie has a successful track record of more than 15 years in leading and transforming business divisions, finance teams and delivering complex operational solutions in South Africa and across the African continent. Gawie was appointed CEO of Pharmacy Direct in January 2016. Previous positions include the CEO of Activo Health since January 2014 and CEO of SDT Financial Software Solutions. Under Gawie’s leadership, Pharmacy Direct has yielded positive growth in the CCMDD programme for the National Department of Health. He is a Chartered Accountant and completed his articles with KMPG in 1999.
Grace Khoza

Executive Director: Group Marketing and Corporate Affairs

Qualifications:

(Masters in Media Policy and Economics – London School of Economics)

Grace Khoza has a wealth of experience at executive level in the private and public sectors. A recipient of the Nelson Mandela Scholarship, she holds a master’s degree in Media Policy, Communication and Economics from the London School of Economics and a BA (honours in Journalism) from Rhodes University.

Prior to joining the AfroCentric Group, Grace held the position of Public Relations and Marketing Manager at Bain Management Consulting. She also served as the Head of Strategic Communications and Marketing within the Department of International Relations and Cooperation for a number of years, overseeing the communication, branding and marketing of the country across 126 embassies.
Dr Nomalungelo Nyathi

Executive Director: Health management

Qualifications:

(MBChB)

Nomalungelo (Lungi) Nyathi qualified as a Medical Doctor in 2003. She has worked extensively as a medical practitioner, in the private as well as the public sector. She originally joined Medscheme in 2010 and successfully led the GEMS managed care and Aid for Aids business units until 2015. Therafter, Lungi has been providing strategic and clinical healthcare consulting to key role players in the health sector.

Lungi returned to Medscheme in June 2016 as an Executive Director specialising in Health Management. Lungi is responsible for the ongoing development and enhancement of the health risk management strategy, new products and solutions, clinical and health risk thought leadership, as well as public health strategy.
Aklaaq Mahmood

Executive Director: Business Development

Qualifications:

(B Acc Sci, MBA)

Aklaaq Mahmood has more than 10 years’ experience in the healthcare industry as the Deputy CEO of LA Health Medical and the former Principal Officer of ProSano Medical Scheme. An MBA graduate from the University of Stellenbosch, he received the Dean’s merit award for the highest achievement attained in the strategy component of the programme. Aklaaq has served on the Board, Audit Committee and Pension Fund of Global Health Medical Scheme. He has also been a member of various other committees and forums, including Chairperson of the Audit Committee of the City of Cape Town and a member of the Risk Committee and Mayoral Performance Evaluation Panel.
Anthony Pedersen

Executive Director: Managing Director – Helios IT Solutions

Qualifications:

CA (SA)

Anthony Pederson is a Chartered Accountant and began his career at Arthur Andersen. A move to the Momentum Group as CFO followed, first for the Medical Scheme Administrator company and thereafter for the Group Benefits company. In 2007, he relocated to Mauritius where, as General Manager of Momentum Health, he was responsible for establishing the new insurance business. Previously, he managed the international operations for Medscheme. Effective 1 May 2016, he was appointed Managing Director of Helios IT Solutions.
Vijay Pillay

Executive Director: Group Technology

Qualifications:

(BComm, MBA)

Vijay has previously worked across numerous IT roles at Spoornet Information Systems, before joining the Nedcor Technology and Operations division. He was later appointed as CIO for FNB Homeloans at an Executive level, and was seconded to FNB Direct Channels and Contact Centres, to oversee the new technology refresh program incorporating open source technologies.

Vijay was recently appointed as the Group Technology Director for AfroCentric Health, having previously occupied the role of Managing Director for Helios IT Solutions within the Group.
Tim Rametse

Executive Director: Managing Director – AfroCentric Health Solutions

Qualifications:

(Labour Relations)

Having studied Labour Law and Tax at the University of Pretoria, Tim was employed in the Employee Benefits Department of the Public Service Commission. After moving to National Sorghum Breweries, he joined Pretoria Medical Brokers, where he was rapidly promoted to Executive Director of the Healthcare division. He then joined Polmed as the medical scheme’s Chief Operating Officer. Tim joined Medscheme in 2006 and a new Managing Director for AfroCentric Health Solutions which includes managing the International operations in Mauritius.