General Counsel
Vodacom Group
South Africa
Anna is a dynamic & results orientated leader with a wealth of experience in Financial Services at a Board & C Suite level complemented by a unique blend of expertise in Legal, Compliance, Risk, Ethics & Turnaround of distressed Corporates. Anna was the Group Chief Compliance officer of the Nedbank Group reporting to the Chief Executive & a member of the Group Executive Committee (management Board). She was the first female General Counsel in one of SA’s Top 4 Bank’s having been an experienced Lawyer at one of the Top 5 law firms specialising in Corporate Law. She joined First Abu Dhabi Bank as the GCCO designate. FAB is the UAE’s largest bank spanning 5 continents.
Key achievements include:
Nedbank Group Strategy (2019-2022). Drafted/implemented a new Compliance operating model and legal strategy with significant headcount & outsourcing costs reduction. Managed & reported to the Board on State Capture Enquiries. Yearly roadshows to the London reinsurance markets. Established/managed the Reputational Risk Executive committee. Drafted/operationalised the Group Operating Manual. Established a new division for Legal Turnarounds (2000). Legal lead for Nedbank on the Old Mutual unbundling of its Nedbank’s shares. Intricately involved during the African Bank crisis and Covid -19 crisis working with the Regulators, Government & Banking Association. Responsible at Nedbank for overseeing Goal 4 of the United Nations Strategic Development Goals, Quality Education
FAB: Compliance Strategy, Member UBF, Speaker UBF Compliance Conference & at Abu Dhabi Finance week on the UAE’s cryptocurrency regulatory landscape
Anna has extensive Stakeholder Management experience with significant engagement & responsibilities having been a permanent attendee at all main Board of Director’s meetings of Nedbank in addition to the various sub – committees including Group Credit, Group Risk & Capital management, Group Transformation, Social & Ethics, Group IT, Group Related party, Group Audit, Group Director’s affairs, Group Climate Resilience as well as with Regulators, External Auditors, Media, Shareholders & Government officials/Ministers. She was a Board Member of NGICL in the Isle of Man & Board Exco member at the Banking Association of South Africa. Current Board Member of Corporate Counsel Association of SA
Qualifications: BA Law, LLB -Top student, INS DIP Cum Laude, LLM Corporate Law, Admitted Attorney, Global Executive Development Program / India & Dubai (GIBBS): Strategic Management in Banking, INSEAD, France, Advanced Management Program, Harvard Business School, USA