Our Board of Directors

Qualifications:
CA(SA), PhD (Commerce) Honoris Causa
Appointed: January 1999
Classification: Executive director

Stephen is a founding shareholder of the Aspen Group and his responsibilities extend to include the strategic positioning and global transactions, geographic expansion and product diversification of Aspen in developed and emerging markets as a leading multinational pharmaceutical company.

Qualifications: CA(SA)
Appointed: January 1999
Classification: Executive director

A founder of Aspen, Gus is the Deputy Group Chief Executive of the Aspen Group. He is also a member of the Social & Ethics Committee and attends meetings of all of the other Board Committees by invitation. In addition to his other responsibilities, Gus also performs the duties of the Company’s Financial Director.

Qualifications: CA(SA), Advanced Programme in Management (Harvard Business School)
Appointed: April 2019
Classification: Lead independent non-executive

Ben joined Standard Merchant Bank in 1985 and, after having fulfilled various leadership roles in corporate and investment banking, was appointed as Chief Executive of Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking in 2001. In March 2013, Ben was appointed as Co-Chief Executive Officer of the Standard Bank Group Limited, and he retired from The Standard Bank Group on 31 December 2018. He currently serves as a non-executive director on the board of ICBC Standard Bank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc and Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc and as an independent non-executive director on the board of JSE Limited. He is a member of the Institute of Directors of Southern Africa and served on the board of the International Institute of Finance.

Ben is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Qualifications: CA(SA), MCom (Tax), CD(SA)
Appointed: July 2018
Classification: Independent non-executive

Linda serves as an independent non-executive director on a number of JSE listed boards, namely Momentum Metropolitan Holdings Limited and Omnia Holdings Limited. She chairs or serves on the audit committees of these boards and also serves on a number of their other board committees. In addition, she advises corporates in South Africa and Namibia on reporting, auditing and corporate governance. She is a member of the Investor Advisory Group of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board ("PCAOB") in the United States of America, a member of the King Committee, the chair of the Financial Reporting Investigation Panel of the JSE and an Honorary Professor, on a part time basis, at the University of Johannesburg.

Linda serves as the Chairman of the Remuneration & Nomination Committee, and is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee.

Qualifications: B.Eng (Hons)
Appointed: April 2019
Classification: Independent non-executive

Themba was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Kumba Iron Ore Limited, a member of the Anglo American Plc Group, in September 2016. Prior to this appointment, he held several senior executive positions at various companies, including Anglo American Coal South Africa, Rio Tinto Technology and Innovation, Rio Tinto Australia and Huntsman Tioxide Southern Africa.

Themba is a member of the Remuneration & Nomination Committee.

Qualifications: CA(SA), CD(SA), Advanced Taxation Certificate (UNISA), Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning (UOFS) and Advanced Diploma in Banking (RAU)
Appointed: September 2006
Classification: Independent non-executive

Sindi is the co-founder and retired chief executive officer of Nkonki Incorporated, having held the position from 1998 until her retirement through a management buyout in 2016. A Chartered Accountant by profession, Sindi is an expert in the areas of accounting, auditing and business management. Sindi is also a Chartered Director (SA) and has vast experience as a director in the public and private sectors, currently serving as a non-executive director of Discovery Holdings Limited, Metrofile Limited and Mercedes Benz SA (debt listed).  Her unlisted company boards include Tourvest Group and Gijima Limited.  She is an author of "The ACE Model-Winning Formula for Audit Committees" and the author  of "Creating Board and Committee Effectiveness". She is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Institute of Directors and is a guest lecturer at the GIBS Corporate Governance and Leadership Elective Course. Sindi was previously non-executive Chairman of Airports Company South Africa and a non-executive director of Woolworths Limited, Primedia Limited, Wiphold Limited, Ethos Private Equity, Institute of Directors, Alexkor Limited, Rebosis Limited, ATNS SOC Limited and previously chaired the BUSA Standing Committee on Transformation.

Sindi serves as Chairman of the Social & Ethics Committee and is a member of the Audit & Risk Committee.