Board of Directors
Executive Directors
Sean Joubert
Joined Tourvest on 1 January 2018 as chief executive. Previously chief operating officer of UK-registered Quintica and before that was chief financial officer of Dimension Data (Middle East and Africa) and managing director of the Dimension Data Systems Integration Business for the Middle East and Africa. Sean was with the Dimension Data Group for 21 years. Educated at the University of Johannesburg, he is a chartered accountant by profession.
Blacky Komani
Joined the group in 2006. Previously the general manager for the Americas of SA Tourism, a managing director of Miami-based tour operator Karell Travel and chief executive officer of 1time Holdings. Blacky is responsible for Tourvest’s Duty Free on the ground.
Luvhengo Neswiswi
Joined the group in May 2005. Previously a senior manager at Deloitte & Touche. Luvhengo holds a BComm and a CA(SA).
Judi Nwokedi
Joined the group as chief operating officer in February 2014. Previously the managing director of public broadcasting at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), a chief executive of Motorola Sub-Saharan Africa, and a senior vice-president of AREVA in South Africa. Judi holds a BSocScience.
Non-Executive Directors
Robert Gumede
Robert Gumede was born in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga Province. He started working from the age of 7 (seven) as a golf caddy, gardener and sold secondhand clothing to help his single parent mother and grandmother to put a plate of food on their table and pay for his and his siblings schooling, during the years of apartheid in South Africa.
Gumede is a self-made serial entrepreneur, a proud Pan Africanist, a Philanthropist and the founder and Executive Chairman of the diversified Guma Group of Companies. Guma Group is a proudly 100% African owned and led business group owning inter alia, Gijima (the 3rd largest IT services company and the largest 100% Black owned IT company in South Africa).
Guma Group through TVT Africa Tourism Holdings owns 51,03% (majority) of Tourvest Group, a global integrated Tourism and Hospitality Group, Guma Railways Solution, Guma Mining (Copper & Cobalt), Guma Red Rocket Energy (Renewables), Guma Infrastructure (Construction, Engineering & Consulting), Guma Healthcare, FRT Aviation, Guma Properties & Development, etc. to name but a few. Its business operates globally spanning 32 African countries and on every continent through its various operating companies.
Guma Group has positioned itself as a gateway to African business opportunities for investors from the West, Middle East and Asia.
In 2009, Gumede was appointed by the then Minister of Tourism as Chairman of the Tourism Panel of Experts which formulated the South African Tourism Act 3 of 2014. He is also a member of the BRICS Business Council appointed by the government of South Africa, the Chairman of the USA-South Africa Business Chamber based in Atlanta (USA) and a former co-Chairman of the Russia-South Africa Business Council.
Gumede is a proud Pan-Africanist who believes in finding solutions for African challenges within Africa and spearheading Africa Inter-Trade and human capital development amongst the African continent’s 1.3 billion citizens.
Deon van der Walt
Is the in-house legal counsel and executive in the corporate finance division at TVT Africa Tourism Holdings, formerly Guma Group. Has qualifications in the supporting and complementary legal and financial disciplines as well as in corporate and commercial work. Deon holds a BComm, LLB, LLM (RAU) and MCOM (UJ).
Sindi Zilwa
Is the co-founder and former CEO of Nkonki Inc, one of the largest registered firms of auditors, consultants and advisors. On 31 October 2016 Sindi retired as CEO of Nkonki Inc and sold her shareholding through a management buyout. She is a CA (SA) and holds B Compt (Hons), CTA, Advanced Taxation Certificate, Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning and Advanced Diploma in Banking. Sindi is a published author and recipient of numerous business awards, she sits on the boards of Discovery, Aspen Pharmacare, AngloGold Ashanti, Metrofile, Consol and Gijima Group.
Paul Boynton
CEO of Old Mutual Alternative Investments (OMAI) since 2004. Has been involved with the business since inception and saw it grow into the largest private alternative investment manager in Africa. Has nearly 30 years’ experience in investments and capital markets. Is a director of various companies across the OMAI investment portfolio and was appointed to the Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association’s board in 2016. Paul holds a BComm, BSc (Hons), CA (SA), MBA, FCMA and CGMA.
Farhad Khan
Joined Old Mutual Private Equity in 2005. Now an Investment Principal and represents the business on a number of its investee companies’ boards. Has been involved in the full suite of private equity functions and mezzanine debt investments, and sat on the board of Mezzanine Partners. Farhad holds a BComm (Hons) and has 12 years of private equity experience.
Sipho Majombozi
Is the chairman of True Class Consortium, a BEE investment vehicle and empowerment partner to DaimlerChrysler Sandown Motors, where he is also a director and major shareholder. Is the chairman of Nestlife Assurance Corporation, a 100% black-owned and managed life assurer and insurance underwriter as well as chairman of the National Heritage Council Funding Committee.
Mncedisi Xego
Has over 14 years’ experience in structured finance and corporate credit as well as corporate tax and international law. Is chief executive officer of Royal Fields Finance and holds a LLM (Tax), a LLM (International Law), a LLB and a BProc.
Hugo van den Heever
Joined Old Mutual Private Equity (OMPE) in 2021. He is an Investment Principal at OMPE and is responsible for deal origination, implementation, investment management and exits. Hugo completed an Industrial Engineering degree at the University of Stellenbosch, an MBA at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business and he is a CFA® Charterholder. After completing his engineering studies, he worked as a supply chain consultant before moving into the investment industry. Prior to joining the OMPE team, he spent eight years at Vantage Capital as part of its mezzanine investment team where he was involved in concluding and managing mezzanine investments across Africa. He currently serves on various boards as OMPE’s representative.
Alternate Directors
Roberta J Gumede
Currently the Chief of Staff and Executive Director at the Guma Group of Companies. Roberta is responsible for and manages the office of Guma’s executive chairman and works alongside its board on M&A opportunities, strategy development, international marketing and brand development. Roberta holds a Bachelor of Business in Marketing (Magna Cum Laude) from Jackson State University (USA) and a qualification from the Beijing Language and Culture University in China, where she enrolled in an intensive Chinese Mandarin language course.
Ndumiso Zulu
Joined Old Mutual Private Equity in July 2017. His role involves providing investment support across the full private equity value chain. Prior to joining the Old Mutual Private Equity team, he spent three and a half years at ABSA Bank Limited, where he assisted in the execution of transactions in various industries such as mining, agriculture and manufacturing. Ndumiso has an Honours degree in Financial Analysis and Portfolio Management from the University Of Cape Town. He is a board observer at Morecorp, Footgear and 10x Investments. He is also a steering committee member of Fun Learning for Youth (FLY), a non-profit organisation providing academic support to high school learners from disadvantaged communities to enable them to gain entry into university.
Executive Committee
Sean Joubert
Joined Tourvest on 1 January 2018 as chief executive. Previously chief operating officer of UK-registered Quintica and before that was chief financial officer of Dimension Data (Middle East and Africa) and managing director of the Dimension Data Systems Integration Business for the Middle East and Africa. Sean was with the Dimension Data Group for 21 years. Educated at the University of Johannesburg, he is a chartered accountant by profession.
Blacky Komani
Joined the group in 2006. Previously the general manager for the Americas of SA Tourism, a managing director of Miami-based tour operator Karell Travel and chief executive officer of 1time Holdings. Blacky is responsible for Tourvest’s Duty Free on the ground.
Luvhengo Neswiswi
Joined the group in May 2005. Previously a senior manager at Deloitte & Touche. Luvhengo holds a BComm and a CA(SA).
Judi Nwokedi
Joined the group as chief operating officer in February 2014. Previously the managing director of public broadcasting at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), a chief executive of Motorola Sub-Saharan Africa, and a senior vice-president of AREVA in South Africa. Judi holds a BSocScience.
David Brenner
Has been with Tourvest since its listing in 1997. An entrepreneurial spirit with a penchant for maximising opportunities, David is a CA (SA) and heads up the group’s Travel Retail division.
Morné du Preez
Joined Tourvest in 1999 and has held various senior management positions. Morné has an honours degree in accounting, a CA (SA) and heads the group’s Travel Services division.
Gary Elmes
Joined the group in 2007 to head up Tourvest’s product portfolio. Has over 20 years of experience in the short-term insurance financial services industry and worked for Glenrand MIB and Alexander Forbes. Previously owned his own financial consultancy called Highgrove Financial Services. Responsible for Tourvest’s Accommodation and Activities division.
Andrew McDonic
Joined the group in 1997 as financial manager and company secretary. Joined the executive committee in 2004. Responsible for the Financial Services and Travel Services divisions.
Martin Wiest
Worked at Tourvest Destination Management’s flagship brand Welcome Tourism Services since 1988 and was TDM’s chief operating officer from 2004 until his appointment as divisional chief executive. Has over 24 years of experience in the tourism industry and is responsible for the Tourvest Destination Management division.