Deloitte Africa Appoints First Female CEO

Deloitte Africa has appointed Ruwayda Redfearn as its incoming CEO, effective 1 June 2022. Redfearn succeeds Lwazi Bam whose term ends on 31 May 2022. Deloitte also announced Delia Ndlovu as the Chair of the Deloitte Africa Board, effective 1 December 2021.

Redfearn is the first female CEO for Deloitte Africa and its fourth consecutive black CEO. The appointment of two females for the CEO and Chair roles is a historic moment for the Deloitte Africa firm.

“I believe both appointments bring the very best of Deloitte’s talent and capabilities for our people, our clients and the communities within which we operate. I have complete faith that our firm will continue to realise its purpose of “making an impact that matters” under their leadership. I am delighted to be handing over the reins to Ruwayda. Ruwayda is passionate about the positive contribution the firm and the profession can play in the upliftment of our continent”, Bam, who has been CEO of Deloitte Africa since 1 June 2012, said in a statement.

Redfearn started her career as a trainee at the Deloitte Durban office in 1997. Post her secondment in New York, she returned to Durban as a manager and was appointed to the partnership in 2004. She was appointed to lead the audit practice of the KwaZulu-Natal region in 2010, serving some of the region’s most prestigious clients. Redfearn also chaired the Global Young Partners’ Advisory Council reporting to the global CEO.

In 2011, she was appointed to the Deloitte Southern Africa Board and Remuneration Committee. In 2012, Redfearn decided to take up a Chief Financial Officer role at a global commodity trading business for three years and gained invaluable experience, serving as a board member on a number of the group’s companies.

She returned to Deloitte in 2015 as the Office Managing Partner for the KZN region and managed the risk advisory business for the Eastern Cape and KZN regions. She was reappointed to the Deloitte Africa Board in 2016 and chaired the firm’s Remuneration Committee as well as served as a member of the Performance, Reward, Succession & Nominations Committee.

While commenting on the appointment Redfearn said, “I am honoured to be appointed to this role and excited to be part of yet another first in the history of Deloitte Africa. I am enthused about being in a position to be at the forefront of change in our profession, the services we provide and the clients we serve. I look forward to working with our people and clients to address the increasingly complex challenges society faces—including, social inequity, climate change, and economic inequality.”

On the other hand, Ndlovu, the incoming Africa Board Chair has enjoyed a remarkable career with Deloitte. She was appointed a Director in the Tax & Legal division of the firm in June 2004 and has occupied numerous leadership roles over her tenure including her latest position as Africa Tax & Legal Managing Director and a member of the Deloitte Africa Executive Committee.

In 2010 she relocated to Deloitte UK where she gained invaluable experience providing solutions to multinationals managing large mobility programmes. In January 2013, Delia returned to South Africa to take up a leading Tax role where she assisted many multinational companies expanding into the rest of Africa.

Ndlovu said, “I am honoured by this appointment. The increasing importance of governance in business, coupled with our critical role as a public interest professional services firm requires that we lead by example on matters of governance. I look forward to continuing to strengthen our corporate governance framework and to lead the Deloitte Africa Board as it responds to various challenges including Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG).