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Jeanette Christina Marais-Cilliers (née Marais; born 1967 or 1968) is a South African businesswoman who has been chief executive officer of the Momentum Group since August 2023. She formerly held executive positions at Stanlib, Old Mutual, and Allan Gray.

Early life and education

The eldest of five siblings, Marais was born in 1967 or 1968. Her father and grandfather were Afrikaans-speaking farmers, and she grew up on the family farm near Reddersburg in the southern Free State. She completed a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and statistics at the University of the Free State. Later in her career, she completed a part-time Master of Business Administration at the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Career in business

Marais began her first job in March 1990 at Momentum, an insurance company. Although she initially planned to become an actuary and was studying towards a degree in actuarial science, she became interested in client management while working in actuarial product development. Thereafter she moved to sales and marketing roles, including as part of the team that launched Momentum Administration Services. In 1999 she left Momentum to join PSG, where she helped set up the group's unit trust, and she later worked as a director at Stanlib and as an executive general manager at Old Mutual. Between 2009 and 2018, she worked at investment management firm Allan Gray, first as co-head of retail and then as an executive director for distribution and client services.

In January 2018, Momentum, by then restructured as Momentum Metropolitan Group after a merger with Metropolitan, announced that Marais would return to the company as second deputy chief executive officer. Her appointment was part of a leadership reshuffle that also included the appointment of Hillie Meyer as chief executive officer; she had spent a stint as Meyer's executive assistant at an earlier stage of her career, and she said that he appointed her to return to Momentum after she expressed frustration with the handling of the Metropolitan merger. Taking up the new position on 1 March 2018, she worked alongside the incumbent deputy chief executive officer, Mary Vilakazi, with special responsibility for Momentum Investments. She also oversaw Momentum Distribution Services, Consult by Momentum, and Momentum Money. In May 2023, at the end of Meyer's five-year term as chief executive, Marais was announced as Meyer's successor with effect from 1 August 2023. She became the first woman to lead the company.

Personal life

She is married to Johann Cilliers. They have no children. Since 2000 they have lived in Hout Bay, Cape Town; Marais commutes to Momentum Metropolitan headquarters in Centurion. They also own a farm in Paternoster. Marais has completed several ultramarathons.

References

1. ^ van Niekerk, Ryk (19 June 2023). "'Put something away every month – and forget about it'". Moneyweb. Archived from the original on 28 June 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
2. ^ Pienaar, Cheréne (2 June 2023). "Van plaas in Vrystaat tot kruin van sukses in sakewêreld". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 24 December 2024.
3. ^ Meiring, Karlien (11 September 2024). "Jeanette Marais is 'n vrou met 'n plan". rooi rose (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 24 December 2024.
4. Buthelezi, Londiwe (27 May 2023). "'It was tough to get here': New Momentum CEO on imposter syndrome, tea duty and off-grid weekends". News24. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
5. "Beating the odds". IMD. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
6. "Smart Money: Momentum CEO Jeanette Marais on how South Africa can turn its economy around". Daily Investor. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
7. ^ "Jeanette Marais: A force to be reckoned with". Leader.co.za. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
8. ^ Fraser, Luke (1 October 2024). "The woman running a R38 billion financial powerhouse – the first ever in South Africa". BusinessTech. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
9. ^ "Jeanette Marais to become Momentum Metropolitan's first woman CEO". CFO South Africa. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
10. ^ "Hillie Meyer new MMI CEO". CFO South Africa. 17 January 2018. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
11. Buthelezi, Londiwe (26 May 2023). "Momentum Metropolitan appoints SA's first woman CEO in life insurance sector". News24. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
12. Fraser, Luke (26 May 2023). "Momentum appoints new CEO". BusinessTech. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
13. "Interview with Jeanette Marais, the first female CEO of Momentum Metropolitan". Financial Minds. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
14. "Leader in business, welfare". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). 31 July 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2024.

External links

• 2023 interview with Cover Magazine

• 1960s births
• Living people
• 20th-century South African businesswomen
• 21st-century South African businesswomen
• People from the Free State (province)
• University of the Free State alumni
• Afrikaner people
• International Institute for Management Development alumni