Rod Pearson Obituary

Roderick Peter Ross Pearson, known as Rod, passed away at 80 years old on 8 January 2025 following a long battle with Parkinsons. Rod was born in England in October 1944 & moved to South Africa with his parents at 7 years old, first living in Durban before later settling in Johannesburg. 

Rod attended Durban's Glenwood Boys High School, representing his school in rugby, athletics & cross country. He was lead drummer of the 1st bugle band and won the individual drumming competition at the Durban band competition. He was in the debating team & was the school’s’ representative at the Jan Hofmeyer speaking competition & at the Old Boys annual dinner which provided an insight into the art of drinking beer!

Captain Pearson was commissioned in the tank regiment Natal Mounted Rifles (now Queen Nandi Mounted Rifles), later becoming a staff officer in 7^th Division HQ and was staff officer GSO3 Ops (Operations) of 101 Task Force in the war in Angola. There he managed to fulfil his one remaining ambition in the army – to take a ride in a chopper!!

Insurance has entranced him for most of his life as it involves so many aspects of business & law – appreciation of how risk affects companies, the delicacies of underwriting & the occasional lunch! He qualified as an Associate & then Fellow of the Chartered Insurance of London (FCII) which entitled him the South African qualification FIISA and he was also an America's Associate of Risk Managers (ARM).  He was in insurance broking for over 50 years, initially handling insurance & risk requirements of large & mega accounts, working for most of his career in the same company albeit with change of identity through mergers or acquisitions - Minet, MIB, Glenrand MIB and finally AON. He worked in London on an exchange basis and often visited on behalf of his employer, as well as attending multiple RIMS (Risk & Insurance Management Society) conferences in North America.  

He was heavily involved in the Broker Association, chairing the Regional, Fire & Accident and Short-Term Executive Committees as well as serving on various ad hoc committees. He served on the committee of the national education body (IISA) & was elected Vice President of SA and was chair of the Society of Fellows. To support the development of future generations of insurance professionals, he mentored young professionals, gave many lectures on legal cases, legislation, new commercial & market developments, chaired/spoke at Technical Forums and lectured to The Insurance Institute & at University of Witwatersrand. He was asked to join the Editorial Board of COVER Magazine and was regularly quoted in financial magazines such as Financial Mail, daily papers, radio & TV including being interviewed on TV after 9/11. 

Outside of work, Rod was an enthusiastic member of community service club Round Table, serving as Table Chair on the area Executive Committee and chair of Zoo Lake Carols by Candlelight. He was also a keen runner and hiker, completing 22 Comrades Ultra Marathons, receiving a silver medal in 2 and 2 Two Oceans Marathon, one with silver and numerous other running races including Great Wall of China Marathon, London Marathon and Big Sur Marathon in California. He represented Transvaal & Gauteng at Cross country, Road & Masters Athletics. He revelled in hiking in the Drakensberg mountains & climbing to the top of the main berg at 3377m.

Rod Pearson's life will be celebrated on 15 February by his family - partner Elizabeth Higginson, daughters Lauriel O'Neill and Tam Tomlin, Son-in-laws Neil O'Neill and Justin Tomlin and grandchildren Paige Tomlin and Bradley O'Neill.  

(The memorial service is to be held at The Branston Country Club on Saturday 15^th February at 5pm)

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Rod was indeed a stalwart of the insurance industry, always ready to assist in sharing knowledge and growing skills, writing numerous technical articles, sometimes on short notice. He may be gone, but his legacy as a technical expert in the insurance industry will live on for many years. 

My deepest condolences to his family and friends.

Tony van Niekerk, COVER Editor

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