Sun City owner Sun International has appointed Vanessa Olver as CFO and finance director from January 2027 to succeed Norman Basthdaw, who is set to retire.
Basthdaw, who will reach normal retirement age in April 2027, joined Sun International in 2013 as head of corporate finance and new business development and was appointed CFO and finance director in March 2017.
“Throughout his tenure he has played a pivotal role in shaping the group’s strategic and financial trajectory. His leadership has extended well beyond the finance function, encompassing portfolio optimisation, corporate transactions and the execution of strategic initiatives that have strengthened the group’s resilience, competitiveness and long-term value creation,” the company said in a statement on Thursday.
Olver brings more than 25 years of senior finance leadership experience in listed companies, with a distinguished career marked by strong commercial impact across banking, technology and financial services, Sun International said.
Her previous senior executive roles have included finance director for Standard Bank Africa, CFO and deputy CEO at Business Connexion, and chief enablement officer for Rest of Africa at Absa Group.
She currently serves on the boards of Investec Ltd and Investec Plc as an independent non-executive director, and Quantum Change, which assists clients in enabling their strategies in Africa.
Olver is a qualified chartered accountant through the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.
While Basthdaw will relinquish his role as CFO on January 1 2027, he will remain available until April 2027 and will work closely with Olver to effect a smooth transition, the company said.
In June, Sun International said in a voluntary update it expected to report revenue growth of about 6% for the six months to end-June, in line with its previously communicated guidance.
During the period and in line with the group’s capital allocation framework, it executed a share buyback programme, repurchasing 5.1-million shares for R256m.
Business Day
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