SOUTHERN AFRICA – GroFin, an impact first SME financier, has announced that Brienne van der Walt, who has been the Chief Investment Officer, has started his tenure as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer.
He will be succeeding Guido Boysen who is relocating back to Europe.
“It has been an honour to lead GroFin over the last years. Throughout this time, I have been humbled by the commitment and hard work of our people, and their passion for creating a truly purpose-driven company,” said Boysen.
Brienne says he is excited about his new role and optimistic about what the future holds for GroFin and its clients.
“I am honoured by the opportunity to lead a company driven by the objective to make a real and positive impact on people’s lives. GroFin finances SMEs, but ultimately, we invest in communities,” Brienne said.
GroFin improves people’s lives through empowering entrepreneurs with the financing and support they need to grow sustainable businesses that create jobs. The company has sustained nearly 91 000 jobs by financing over 700 SMEs in Africa and the Middle East.
“Many of the problems so prevalent in the countries where we operate – whether it is unemployment in Africa or political instability in the Middle East – create negative ripple effects around the world. Job creation remains one of the most powerful forces to counter this,” Brienne adds.
Jurie Willemse, Chairman of GroFin, says Brienne is a dynamic and values-driven leader with relevant experience and insight. “Brienne brings the qualities GroFin would look for in a CEO.
“I am confident he will lead GroFin to even greater success in achieving our founding objective to develop successful SMEs at scale, in order to create jobs and measurable impact.”
“I am very grateful to them, as I am to GroFin’s supportive investors and other stakeholders, with whom we have worked to build our unique business. He is a multi-disciplinary thinker with broad experience, shows intellectual curiosity, is entrepreneurial, yet objective.
“He has strong technical skills and great business insight. He is a strong, dynamic and values-driven leader. The Board warmly welcomes Brienne to the role and wishes him every success.”
An entrepreneur himself, Brienne has over 20 years of experience in corporate and business banking, financial services, and public sector consultancy.
He has extensive knowledge of the African SME sector and is available for telephonic media interviews, or to provide media comment.
