Ferdi van Heerden appointed as CEO of Momentum Investments

• Bringing international investments knowledge home

Momentum Metropolitan has appointed Ferdi van Heerden as CEO of Momentum Investments, effective 1 September 2023. Ferdi will succeed Jeanette Marais, who has recently been appointed as Group CEO. As part of this appointment, Van Heerden will also serve on the Momentum Metropolitan Group Exco and various Momentum boards.

Van Heerden currently serves as CEO of Momentum Global Investment Management (MGIM) in the United Kingdom and on various Momentum Metropolitan boards internationally. He spent the bulk of his decades-long career at Momentum, during which time he played key leadership roles in acquisitions as well as large-scale business improvement and integration projects in many parts of the Group.

In addition to his B.Sc Honours in Mathematical Statistics, AMP (Advanced Management Programme) from INSEAD (France), and a diploma in general management from Reading University (Henley Business School), Ferdi gained his business experience by holding a range of executive roles in South Africa and abroad (UK, Switzerland). He is also a Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments (MCSI).

Van Heerden says that he is very excited to be given this opportunity: "I see this role as a great new challenge for me personally, but also an opportunity to use all the skills I have developed and experience I have gained over the years to lead the Momentum Investments team on its continued growth journey, building on the sound foundations of the past five years. There's much we need to do, with many challenges in a fast-paced changing world. I look forward to help navigate these challenges with our leadership team, and to help build our aspirations and dreams into reality. It will be a great privilege to work closely with all our Momentum Investments employees to build more of what is already a great company.”

Lulama Booi appointed as CEO: International

• Extending her positive impact on the Group

From 1 October 2023 Lulama Booi will join the Group Executive Committee as the executive responsible for Africa (Botswana, Ghana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia), India and more locally – Group Facilities. Lulama will also serve on the Metropolitan Exco to increase synergies between Metropolitan and Africa.

As Head of Balance Sheet Management (BSM), she played a critical role in formulating the BSM strategy and aligning it with the Group strategy. Lulama led various key strategic projects for the Group FD and CEO’s offices, including leading the Momentum Metropolitan iSabelo employee share ownership scheme from start to final implementation. She has served on a number of Group governance committees related to capital, investment decisions and product management.

A qualified Chartered Accountant, Lulama currently serves as a board member on the Momentum Metropolitan Foundation and iSabelo Trust. She completed the International Political and Economic Development Programme through Fordham University, the Momentum Metropolitan Senior Leadership Development Programme through Liz de Wet Leadership, the INSEAD Transition to General Management Programme in 2020 and the Alt-X Director Induction Programme through the Institute of Directors (IoD). In addition, her passion is to make a difference in people’s lives, and she qualified as a Certified Integral Coach® through the UCT Graduate School of Business.

Booi says: “It is an honour for me to have an opportunity to form part of the leadership of this amazing organisation. I joined the group twelve years ago, just after the merger of Momentum and Metropolitan and am privileged to have been part of this journey so far. I have been trusted with amazing opportunities for growth which have prepared me for this new challenge. The portfolio of businesses that I will be supporting are ably led by exceptional individuals whom I look forward to working with to further enhance our contribution to the Group.”

Says Jeanette Marais, Group CEO of Momentum Metropolitan: “I am excited about these new appointments to our Group Executive Committee – they both have excellent track records. Ferdi is a highly respected leader who has filled a range of executive positions in the Group, culminating in more than a decade of leadership in the international investments industry as head of our UK investment business. His executive track record is proof of his ability to see the bigger picture, provide strategic direction, and lead businesses to successfully execute their plans. Lulama has had a significant positive impact on the Group with regards to product development support, earnings generation, risk management, cash and liquidity management and capital optimisation.

“I am also particularly pleased that we appointed two of our own executives to Group Exco. This not only shows that we focus on growing our people, but it also enables continuity: Ferdi has been part of the Momentum Investments Exco for 13 years and Lulama joined us in 2011. They both truly understand our culture and the wider industry challenges.”