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Work culture

The team

Geoff Jennett

Chief Executive Officer
Qualifications
BCom, BCom (Hons), HDipACC, past CA(SA)

Appointment date
1 September 2015

Geoff, a qualified chartered accountant by original training, had over 21 years’ deal-making experience in the financial markets, particularly in the structured capital markets and the corporate equity derivatives spaces, prior to joining Emira.

He has worked at FNB Corporate, Coronation Capital, Nedbank Capital and Absa Capital, and was the financial and operations director of Honey Fashion Accessories. Geoff joined Emira on 1 November 2014, becoming Chief Financial Officer with effect from 1 January 2015. He was then appointed as Emira’s CEO effective from 1 September 2015.

Greg Booyens

Chief Financial Officer
Qualifications
BCom, BCom (Hons), CA(SA)

Appointment date
1 January 2016

Greg is a qualified chartered accountant with over 19 years’ experience in finance and operations management, 11 of which have been in the listed property sector.

Greg completed his articles at PKF in South Africa and thereafter spent eight years in the United Kingdom where he gained experience in the financial services sector. Greg joined Emira on 1 January 2016.

Ulana Van Biljon

Chief Operating Officer
Qualifications
BCom

Appointment date
10 February 2012

Ulana has just over 28 years’ experience in the property industry, specifically in retail, property and asset management. She is experienced in both private and listed property fund environments.

As Chief Operating Officer of Emira, she is also responsible for the asset and operations management of its property portfolio. Ulana was appointed Executive Director on 10 February 2012 and Chief Operating Officer effective 1 September 2015.

She was the winner of the Standard Bank Top Woman Awards in the property category in 2019.

VUSI MAHLANGU

Independent Non-Executive Director
Qualifications
BSc Eng (Chem), MBA (Harvard Business School)

Appointment date
24 June 2010

Vusi is a former investment banker with over 24 years’ experience. He is a founder and director of Tamela Holdings (Pty) Ltd. Between 2005 and 2008, he was the CEO of Makalani, a JSE listed mezzanine fund. Prior to joining Makalani he worked for Investec and African Oxygen Limited.

JASANDRA NYKER

Independent Non-Executive Director
Qualifications
BBusSc (Finance), MBA (London Business School)

Appointment date
22 May 2019

Jasandra is the Chief Executive Officer of Nala Renewables, a global renewable energy investment and development platform. She was previously a Managing Director within the Power and Renewables team at Denham Capital and prior to that was the CEO of BioTherm Energy. With over 21 years’ experience in investing and building companies in the energy and technology sectors, she has previously worked in private equity, investment banking and strategy consulting in international markets. She also worked for PCG Asset Management in California, Lehman Brothers in London, as well as Brait Private Equity in South Africa.

She is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and has been listed in the Power Elites in 2017 and was winner of the Africa Utility Week, 2019 Outstanding Contribution to Power Award.

DEREK THOMAS

Independent Non-Executive Director
Qualifications
BCom (Hons) (Wits), MCom Economics (Wits), MSc Development Economics (SOAS, London)

Appointment date
15 August 2017

Derek is the co-founder of Letsema, an independent diversified holding company with long-term interests in management consulting and proprietary investments. Over the past 21 years, Derek has worked extensively across various capacities within the Letsema Group.

He was appointed as a Non-executive Director of Emira on 15 August 2017.

VUYISA NKONYENI

Independent Non-Executive Director
Qualifications
BSc (Inf Proc), BSc (Hons) Computer Science, Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting, CA(SA)

Appointment date
24 August 2011

Vuyisa has over 21 years’ experience in investment banking and private equity. He is a chartered accountant by training having served his training contract with PriceWaterhouse, which he completed in 1996. Subsequent to his training, he joined Deutsche Bank in 1997 where he gained investment banking experience primarily in corporate and project finance advisory work over a four-year period.

He has also served as the Financial Director of Worldwide African Investment Holdings (Pty) Ltd and the CEO of Kagiso Tiso Holdings (Pty)
Ltd, a position he held from 1 January 2012 until 31 December 2017. Vuyisa is now pursuing various private investment opportunities across a range of industry sectors and also serves as an independent non-executive director on one other JSE-listed company and investment committee member on two private equity funds.

JAMES TEMPLETON

Independent Non-Executive Director
Qualifications
Bcom (Hons), Chartered Financial Analyst

Appointment date
1 July 2020

James was employed at Barnard Jacobs Mellet, a prominent South African stockbroker from 1996 to 2003 where he covered various sectors including real estate. James was the CEO of Emira Property Fund from 2004 to 2015. He was appointed as the CEO of Castleview Property Fund, a REIT listed on the JSE’s AltX, in 2017.

DIRECTORS

Geoff Jennett

Chief Executive Officer

GREG BOOYENS

Chief Financial Officer

Ulana Van Biljon

Chief Operating Officer

ASSET MANAGERS

SIMON RILEY

W&E CAPE

ADRIAAN GRONUM

PTA

NATASHA DUKES

JHB Retail & Office

JOHAN REDELINGHUYS

JHB Office & Industrial

SANDRA KRUGER

KZN, Rural & Bloem Retail

BROKER CONSULTANTS

LOURENS PRETORIUS

Pretoria

ANGELA EFENDAKIS

Cape Town, Kwazulu Natal & Bloemfontein

MICHELLE NEEDHAM

Johannesburg

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

LUSINDISO DABULA

National