Jakkie Olivier, the CEO of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), is stepping down this month after serving the industry for 30 years and holding the position of CEO for the past decade.
Jeanne Esterhuizen, the president of the RMI, said the RMI board would implement an innovative co-CEO leadership structure for a fixed period starting in 2024.
“We believe this structure holds the key to ensuring the success and stability of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation,” she said.
Effective January 1, Ipeleng Mabusela will take up the role of CEO: Strategy and Corporate Support, and Jan Schoeman will take up the role of CEO: Operations and Regulatory Compliance.
The two newly established executive positions will hold equal stature and accountability.
The move comes as RMI, representing more than 8 500 member businesses in the retail automotive aftermarket, celebrates its 115th anniversary this year.
Esterhuizen said Olivier would continue as a non-executive director on the RMI board.
She thanked Olivier for his enormous contribution to both the RMI and the industry at large.
“He is leaving the RMI in a strong, powerful position, perfectly poised to once again tilt and evolve with the dynamic market changes,” she said.
Mabusela, who holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of the Witwatersrand, has over 10 years of experience in strategy, operations, and new business development.
Schoeman has a remarkable 25-year journey of dedicated service and unparalleled expertise within the RMI and currently holds the position of chief operations officer. Schoeman holds a graduate qualification from Stellenbosch University in industrial psychology and public administration, a postgraduate qualification in labour law and labour economics at the Rand Afrikaans University, and macroeconomics at the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin.
BUSINESS REPORT