Our Board

MICHAEL PETERSEN

RBIH Board Member

Michael is the acting Chief Executive Officer of RBS and a board member of Risk Benefit Investment Holdings.

He has over 20 years of insurance broking, risk, managerial and strategic experience as a member of numerous board committees and subcommittees.

He has further industry experience within M&A, finance sales and marketing and credited with growing RBS into one of the largest independent brokers in South Africa.

His leadership role in a highly regulated industry has helped develop a deep understanding of governance, risk and compliance at both board and management level.

ISAAC SHONGWE

RBIH Chairperson

Isaac is the founder and Chairman of Letsema Holdings (Letsema) and the Chairperson of Risk Benefit Investment Holdings. Isaac completed his university education at Wesleyan University in the United States.

Isaac became the second black South African to be awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1989 completing his MPhil, Management Studies, at Oxford University. Isaac joined Monitor Consulting in 1993, founded Letsema in 1996, was previously the CEO of Barloworld Logistics (Pty) Ltd and both an executive director and non-executive director of Barloworld Limited.

An exceptional communicator, manager and business professional, Isaac is passionate about business being a catalyst for social change establishing both the Africa Leadership Initiative (ALI) in 2003 and the ALI Young Leaders Programme in 2013 focussing on values-based leadership, both of which now has a strong footprint of influential, values-based leaders across Africa. Isaac is also Chairperson of the Wits University Council.

DEREK THOMAS

RBIH Board Member

Derek is the CEO of Letsema and a board member of Risk Benefit Investment Holdings.

From a teaching family, Derek was infused with a passion for learning that led him to the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of London where he completed MSc, Economics.

Derek is an experienced manager, consultant, strategist, business leader and has served on multiple boards as a director and chairman, including two publicly listed companies, namely Transpaco Limited and Emira Limited.

An innately curious person with a deep love for learning, Derek strives to lead Letsema with integrity and a long-term pursuit of excellence. Derek is a Fellow of the Fourth Class of the Africa Leadership Initiative and a moderator the Aspen Global Leadership Network, the African Leadership Initiative, and the ALI Young Leaders Programme.