Uncategorized

News24 | Pick n Pay names auditing veteran as its next CFO

Pick n Pay has announced changes to its board from next year, including a new CFO who has experience auditing the group. Pick n Pay/Supplied Pick n Pay has named EY partner Tina Rookledge, who has some experience auditing the retail group, as its next CFO.Rookledge replaces the long-serving Lerena Oliver, who helped shepherd the group through a recent capital reboot.As part of the retail group’s succession planning, it has also named a new independent executive, Thabo Leeuw, who also has extensive experience.For more financial news, visit News24 Business. Retail group Pick n Pay on Monday announced the appointment of EY partner Tina Rookledge as its next CFO, with effect from next year. Lerena Olivier will step down as CFO at the conclusion of Pick n Pay’s 2026 AGM in August, it said, though she will continue in a “strategic role”.Rookledge will be appointed to the board with effect from 1 February, only assuming her financial director role later. Rookledge has over 20 years’ experience in professional services, with deep expertise in governance and financial management. She has a strong understanding of the Pick n Pay business, having worked closely with the group in her previous role, Pick n Pay said.Tina RookledgeLinkedin/SuppliedOlivier had joined Pick n Pay in 2011, was appointed CFO in 2019, and helped the group through some of its most challenging periods in its recent history, Pick n Pay said, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the riots in KwaZulu-Natal in 2021, as well as its recent two-stage recapitalisation. That recap, taking the form of spinning out discount chain Boxer, as well as a capital raise, has also seen the founding Ackerman family give up control.READ | Ackerman family to give up control of Pick n Pay Following her retirement from the CFO role, Olivier will continue to support CEO Sean Summers and the executive leadership team in a strategic role, overseeing priority projects that are essential to the successful delivery of the group’s turnaround plan, it said.Over her career, Rookledge has successfully led large, multidisciplinary teams on complex projects for multinational organisations, Pick n Pay said.She had begun at EY in 1999 as a trainee accountant and made partner in 2006. As of Pick n Pay’s 2025, EY has been its audit partner for a decade.According to EY, she has built her career around the retail, oil and gas, and higher education sectors, helping the financial service group grow its footprint by being part of the winning teams for audits for the University of South Africa, Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Stellenbosch University, and the internal audit of the University of the Witwatersrand.Pick n Pay also announced the appointment of Thabo Leeuw as an independent non-executive director. He brings more than 30 years’ experience across finance, investment management, and is a founder and CEO of Thesele Group, a black-owned investment holding company cofounded along with former Absa chair Sello Moloko. Leeuw was formerly on the boards of Hulamin and RFG.Along with the previously announced appointment of Grant Pattison, with effect from February, and the appointment of Pooven Viranna in June 2025, the board has an additional three experienced directors, it said, allowing for the retirement of some long serving directors in due course. Newsletter Daily SA Money Daily The biggest business, economic and market news of the day. Sign up

admin December 1, 2025 3 min read

Pick n Pay has announced changes to its board from next year, including a new CFO who has experience auditing the group.

Pick n Pay/Supplied

Pick n Pay has named EY partner Tina Rookledge, who has some experience auditing the retail group, as its next CFO.
Rookledge replaces the long-serving Lerena Oliver, who helped shepherd the group through a recent capital reboot.
As part of the retail group’s succession planning, it has also named a new independent executive, Thabo Leeuw, who also has extensive experience.
For more financial news, visit News24 Business.

Retail group Pick n Pay on Monday announced the appointment of EY partner Tina Rookledge as its next CFO, with effect from next year.

Lerena Olivier will step down as CFO at the conclusion of Pick n Pay’s 2026 AGM in August, it said, though she will continue in a “strategic role”.

Rookledge will be appointed to the board with effect from 1 February, only assuming her financial director role later.

Rookledge has over 20 years’ experience in professional services, with deep expertise in governance and financial management. She has a strong understanding of the Pick n Pay business, having worked closely with the group in her previous role, Pick n Pay said.

Tina Rookledge

Linkedin/Supplied

Olivier had joined Pick n Pay in 2011, was appointed CFO in 2019, and helped the group through some of its most challenging periods in its recent history, Pick n Pay said, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the riots in KwaZulu-Natal in 2021, as well as its recent two-stage recapitalisation. That recap, taking the form of spinning out discount chain Boxer, as well as a capital raise, has also seen the founding Ackerman family give up control.

READ | Ackerman family to give up control of Pick n Pay

Following her retirement from the CFO role, Olivier will continue to support CEO Sean Summers and the executive leadership team in a strategic role, overseeing priority projects that are essential to the successful delivery of the group’s turnaround plan, it said.

Over her career, Rookledge has successfully led large, multidisciplinary teams on complex projects for multinational organisations, Pick n Pay said.

She had begun at EY in 1999 as a trainee accountant and made partner in 2006. As of Pick n Pay’s 2025, EY has been its audit partner for a decade.

According to EY, she has built her career around the retail, oil and gas, and higher education sectors, helping the financial service group grow its footprint by being part of the winning teams for audits for the University of South Africa, Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Stellenbosch University, and the internal audit of the University of the Witwatersrand.

Pick n Pay also announced the appointment of Thabo Leeuw as an independent non-executive director. He brings more than 30 years’ experience across finance, investment management, and is a founder and CEO of Thesele Group, a black-owned investment holding company cofounded along with former Absa chair Sello Moloko. Leeuw was formerly on the boards of Hulamin and RFG.

Along with the previously announced appointment of Grant Pattison, with effect from February, and the appointment of Pooven Viranna in June 2025, the board has an additional three experienced directors, it said, allowing for the retirement of some long serving directors in due course.