Meet the Board
Advisory Board
Russel Loubser
Non-Executive Board Advisor
Mr. Loubser was the Chief Executive Officer of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) from 1997 to 2011. During his tenure, the JSE was demutualized and converted into a public company in 2005 and listed on the JSE in 2006, when it was valued at R250 million. Upon Mr. Loubser’s retirement in 2011, JSE was valued at approximately R6 billion.
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Additional accomplishments during Mr. Loubser’s tenure include acquiring the two other licensed securities exchanges in South Africa, the South African Futures Exchange and the Bond Exchange of South Africa, dematerializing and computerizing the equity settlement process, and South Africa being rated number one in the world for regulation of securities exchanges by the World Economic Forum.
While at the JSE, Mr. Loubser was also a member of the King Committee on Corporate Governance, the Securities Regulation Panel in South Africa, and served on the Board ofDirectors of the World Federation of Exchanges, including chairing its Working Committee for two years.
Mr. Loubser is currently a director of Strate Limited, Rand Merchant Bank, First National Bank and Afrika Tikkun and a council member of the University of Pretoria, Extraordinary Professor in Mercantile Lawat the University of Pretoria, and a Visiting Professor at the University of Witwatersrand. Prior to his time with the JSE, Mr. Loubser was Executive Director of Financial Markets at Rand Merchant Bank Limited, worked at Finansbank Limited, and spent three years at Arthur Andersen, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
Current Occupation
Mr. Loubser is currently Director of Strate (Pty) Limited, South Africa’s Central Securities Depository, FirstRand Limited, Rand Merchant Bank (Divisional Board) and First National Bank (Divisional Board). Since 2007, he is Council Member of University of Pretoria and since November 2012 a Board member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).
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He is also an Extraordinary Professor in Mercantile Law University of Pretoria. Mr. Loubser has received many awards, including Honorary Life Membership with the SAICA and the Special Award from the Investment Analysts Society of South Africa.
Founder
Modibedi Oliphant
Founder & Executive Director
Modibedi is an ICT veteran and a business executive, his technology career span over a period of more than 20 years. He went through a full cycle career that he launched as a cobol software developer in 1998. He held various technology roles in different industries from financial services, consulting firms, retails companies, manufacturing to SOE being IT manager, IT Director, CTO, and CIO.
These responsibilities, his professional experience and academic training have shaped him into a seasoned technology executive in business management, strategy development, ICT governance, product strategy, cybersecurity, corporate finance, human development and risk management.
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On the entrepreneurial front he established is first IT company called HardwareCare Technology in 2004, which merged with Cornerstone Technology Consulting. He proceeded to established another company called RAOL technology group in 2010 that evolved in to what is now called cyberCure Information Security, a boutique subsidiary of OAIG. He services as cybersecurity and Technology advisor to boards, CEOs and some CFO’s.
Modibedi worked for companies like Pepstore, Accenture, JSE , FirstRand and NSFAS
Board Members
Mike Rolfe
Non-Executive Director - Chairman
With a strong background in managing and growing professional services companies Mike founded DocQnet Systems International in 2002. His experience in services organisations included outsourcing, turn-key development, and systems integration. He was a founder member of Datatrust (later QData), IT Director at Afrox, Head of Services at SPL, and Managing Director of Computer Configuration Holdings, a listed systems integration company
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In 2010 he acquired the African agency for Mendix, a leading Cloud Computing company. This experience provided the foundation for the re-positioning of DocQnet into a software factory specializing in cloud and mobile applications which is now the group’s primary focus. In the past few years DocQnet have built several solutions for Banks and Insurance companies, with a specific focus on applications in the Governance, Risk and Compliance domain.
Steven Cohen
Former Co-founder and managing director of Softline Pastel
As head of Sage One for Sage International, Steven Cohen is overseeing the growth and development of Sage’s cloud-based accounting and payroll solutions in South Africa, Asia, Australia, Brazil and Africa. Before taking his current post, Cohen dedicated his 25-year career to Sage Pastel, the innovative business software company he founded with partners Ivan Epstein and Alan Osrin in 1989.
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During this time, Steven has held several management positions in the company, including financial director, chief operating offcer, and managing director. He has played a central role in the company’s growth from a start-up to a part of the JSE-listed Softline Group, right up to its present incarnation as part of Sage plc, a FTSE 100 company. A charted accountant by qualification, Steven has driven Sage Pastel’s approach to keeping accounting at the cutting edge of technology and turning
accounting software into a business
management tool. Now, he will apply his skills and experience to Sage International’s strategically important and rapidly growing cloud business.
Head in the cloud
Cohen is quick to steer the conversation
back to business. Turning to the future of
accounting software, he says cloud
computing is the next disruptive wave.
“The move from DOS to Windows was
aesthetic. It didn’t make things more
efficient. But the move from Windows to
the cloud is just win, win, win. There are
just tons of compelling and fantastic
reasons to move to cloud.”
Cedric O’Reilly
Independent Non-Executive Director
My professional career kicked off immediately following my service in the national defence force where I served at the College for Educational Technology (COLET). During the years that I served as administrative and/or private secretary to various ministers I came to intimately understand and appreciate the workings of government. I was privileged and honoured to have been involved in the negotiations that took place from 1989 to 1993 which ultimately led to South Africa’s transformation into a fully democratic republic.
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Out of these negotiations, and the subsequent government change, emerged a niche sphere of transformation- & empowerment lobbying, consulting, and liaising. Having always had an entrepreneurial spirit I decided to take advantage of my unique blend of experience in and knowledge of the government’s machinery by venturing into the private sector. As the lead consultant, my primary function was to represent and lobby on behalf of private business interests in many key development programmes and the three levels of the South African government.
Later in my career I branched out to consultation and lobbying on behalf of private business interests with several African countries where the aforesaid needed suppliers for basic and luxury goods to their populations. In more recent years, I have employed my experience and expertise as business advisor to small and medium enterprises. These enterprises
include companies in the education, agricultural and energy spheres.
Dineo Mofele
Non-Executive
As head of Sage One for Sage International, Steven Cohen is overseeing the growth and development of Sage’s cloud-based accounting and paDineo is a Senior Executive with over 20 years spent across the spectrum of Investment Management, ICT, Utilities and Development Funding. Her professional experiences shaped her as a seasoned executive in Strategic Planning, Mergers and Acquisitions, Risk Management, Financial Reporting and Auditing. Seasoned director, chairman, board member and senior manager.
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She is a mentor and advocate for women’s professional development during her career; She has occupied several senior decision-making roles, and payroll solutions in South Africa, Asia, Australia, Brazil and Africa. Before taking his current post, Cohen dedicated his 25-year career to Sage Pastel, the innovative business software company he founded with partners Ivan Epstein and Alan Osrin in 1989.
In addition to serving as Group Financial Director and Finance Executive at leading South African companies like Thebe Investment Corporation and Vodacom. Dineo has been Chairman of various audit committees, including Accentuate Ltd. She serves as a non-executive director and Audit committee member of Spur Corporation and Thebe Investment Corporation. Her current role as Managing Director for T-Systems South Africa is a multi-faceted one that sees her drawing on her combined knowledge and experience to further grow the award-winning local wing of this multinational ICT provider – developing integrated, flexible solutions that enhance our customers’ operations for the networked future. Dineo is passionate about developing women leaders in Africa and has established development initiatives within the organisational environments of T-Systems and, previously, the Thebe Group.
Isaac Mophatlane
Non-Executive Director
Youngest director on the board of a
listed company at software Connexion. Co-founded BCX in 1996 (merged with Comparex Africa): Group Executive: Client Engagement – Public Sector, Innovation and Smart Office connexion. Eventually, group chief executive officer was independent non-executive director on the board, a Member of the audit committee, The social and ethics committee and the investment committee of Exxaro Resources Limited. Co-founder of the Randvest Group in 2017. Has in-depth experience in building large listed entities with operations across multiple sectors.
