CURRICULUM VITAE PRAKASH C. DESAI B Com, B Compt. (Hons.), Chartered Accountant. (S.A.) TELEPHONE (CELL) 083 380 1528 (HOME) 011 646 9192 (WORK) 011 290 7833 (E MAIL) pdesai@telkomsa.net 1
NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTORSHIPS AND BOARD SUB COMMITTEE ROLES BOARD REPRESENTATION currently NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITS HEALTH CONSORTIUM (PTY) LTD (May 2003-Current) Private for profit company CHAIRMAN AFRIFOCUS SECURITIES (Pty) Ltd (August 2012-Current) JSE financial sector enterprise having stockbroker and private equity division, producing macro domestic and global research, and an asset management division. previously Director (_+CEO) AVUSA LIMITED (May 2002- October 2011) (Multi-faceted investment group) JSE Listed entity Director -CAXTON LIMITED (September 2000- April 2007) (Industrial Group) JSE Listed entity Director -M-NET SUPERSPORT LIMITED (June 2003- November 2007) (Broadcast) JSE Listed entity Chairman I-NET BRIDGE (PTY) LIMITED (March 2002-March 2010) (Business Data Company) Private Company Director CAREER JUNCTION (PTY) LIMITED (March 2002- March 2010) (IT Company) Private Company Financial Director TIMES MEDIA LIMITED (March 1999- February 2002) (Content) JSE Listed Company (Investments) Director -UNIVERSITY OF VENDA FOUNDATION (May 2005-November 2009) (Foundation) TRUSTEE JOHNCOM PENSION FUND- CHAIRMAN/TRUSTEE (May1999- Nov 2009) ARGUS VOTING TRUST (May 2002-2011) Charitable Trust Currently REMUNERATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN /MEMBER UNIVERSITY OF WITWATERSRAND HEALTH CONSORTIUM (May2003- Current) AUDIT COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN UNIVERSITY OF WITWATERSRAND HEALTH CONSORTIUM (Aug 2012-Current) full IFRS compliant. SOCIAL AND ETHICS AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE -MEMBER UNIVERSITY OF WITWATERSRAND HEALTH CONSORTIUM (May2003- Current) STRATEGY AND INVESTMENT COMMITTEE- CHAIRMAN UNIVERSITY OF WITWATERSRAND HEALTH CONSORTIUM (May2003- Current) previously AUDIT COMMITTEE MEMBER M-NET SUPERSPORT LIMITED (June 2003- November 2007) JSE Listed CAXTON LIMITED (Feb 2006-April 2007) JSE Listed INDUSTRY REPRESENTATION PRESIDENT OF PRINT MEDIA SOUTH AFRICA (August 2008 October 2011) DIRECTOR WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS (August 2008 October 2011) 2
CURRENT EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN AFRIFOCUS SECURITIES (PTY) LIMITED A Research, Securities and asset management enterprise. I am the Key Individual in terms of the FAIS act and have passed the RE1 and RE 5 examinations NON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT WITS HEALTH CONSORTIUM (PTY) LIMITED Serving as a Board member and Chairman of the Strategy and Investment Committee and Audit Committee. Currently exploring the National Health Policy paper with the executive team. PREVIOUSLY -GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER of a listed company for 6 years and finance d irector/chief operating office for 7 years at AVUSA LIMITED GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER- AVUSA LIMITED - March 2005 to November 2011 -GROUP FINANCE AND OPERATIONS DIRECTOR- JOHNCOM -July 2003 -GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR - JOHNCOM Feb 2002 -GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR TIMES MEDIA LIMITED Appointed to Group Feb 1999 Responsibilities during TENURE AS GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF AVUSA LIMITED a multifaceted holding Company AVUSA and subsidiary companies BOARD AND SUB COMMITTEES Board member Investment Committee Member Audit Committee member Remuneration Committee member Restructuring and Oversight Committee member Nominations Committee member EXECUTIVE AND MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES Johncom Executive Committee (Exco) -Chairperson and Chairperson of all subsidiary company Boards that included industries of Technology - Inet Bridge and Career Junction and Sales and Marketing- Media and entertainment Group. Retail- Exclusive Books and Cinema s 6 CEOs Group Financial Director Group HR and Transformation Director Group legal and business affairs Group Company Secretary DIRECT REPORTS 3
COMPETENCY- Finance and Operational STRONG FINANCIAL BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE CA (SA) - with 6 year tenure as a Financial Director of a listed enterprise and 18 year in various financial management positions such as Financial Manager, Head of Finance unit etc. at a Global Multi-national Enterprise. 6 years served as Board and Independent Audit Committee member at two separate listed companies, M-Net Supersport Limited and Caxton Limited. Also, introduced an Enterprise wide risk management programme. OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE Chief Operating Officer position held in additio n to Finance over several years. Responsibility over entire career for Information Technology providing solutions and held responsibility capital goods procurement programme of R400million. MANAGEMENT OF LARGE FINANCIAL ASSETS EXPERIENCE and MANAGEMENT OF LARGE physical ASSET PORTFOLIO S EXPERIENCE Set up and managed a financial leasing company that rented and insured products. Had the final responsibility nationally, for purchasing/sales and housing of a plant portfolio of R3billion for the industry GROUP LEGAL ADVISOR AND COMPANY SECRETARY ROLES HELD SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH GROUP FINANCIAL MANGER RESPONSIBILITY 4
CORE COMPETENCIES- Leadership, Strategic and Operational CEO LEADERSHIP ROLE AT LISTED ENTERPRISE FOR 6 YEARS As CEO over past 6 years, have presented & delivered a growth and value strategy for a Group that has multifaceted business units. Focus areas were Strategy, Innovation, Technology, Marketing and Solutions for value add and growth. Value was driven from innovation, technology solutions and a focus on growing customers and new business. Businesses delivered Brand awareness and achieved target to be first or second top brand in every sector that was serviced. The businesses were supported by a comprehensiv e regulatory and lobbying strategy. Operational management experience was gained whilst the responsibility of the COO position was occupied INDUSTRY SECTORS At the Johnnic Group delivered exponential growth and turnaround to a profitable new age business. At Philips Electronics, experience has been gained in the sale of capital goods and funding. Industries that have been served are Finance, Technology, Marketing and Retail. CUSTOMER CENTRIC EXPERIENCE I have grown brands over the past decade into num ber 1 or number 2 positions. EXPERIENCE OF GLOBAL BUSINESS OPERATIONS Growth initiated in West and East Africa for the Company. Have travelled extensively over 15 years looking at Global projects whilst at Philips and at Avusa had responsibility over ope rations in SA, UK, Australia and New Zealand. COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIP SKILLS Have successfully executed the responsibility of managing shareholder, government, media, labour and regulators expectations 5
Lead the Industry delegation engagement with th e Presidency over two separate full days. HISTORICAL INFORMATION B COMM - UNIVERSITY DURBAN -WESTVILLE ARTICLES ARTHUR ANDERSON B.COMPT (HONS). C.A. ( S.A.) FIRST ATTEMPT 1980 PHILIPS ELECTRONICS Divisions including - SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY, industrial MEDICAL CAPITAL GOODS, PABX, MOBILE, ATMS Etc. 6