JEANINE WOMERSLEY (39)
GROUP HEAD: STRATEGY, INVESTOR RELATIONS AND WOOLWORTHS VENTURES/ EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO GROUP CEO
B.COM (HONS) (FINANCIAL ANALYSIS AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT), CFA CHARTER HOLDER

Jeanine is an experienced investment analyst having spent 19 years in the financial services industry. She joined Woolworths in June 2020 after a seven year career at HSBC where she was the South African Retail analyst responsible for evaluating market dynamics, curating financial models and providing detailed analyses of the retail sector.

Her early career includes roles across a range of capital market sectors, such as at Allan Gray Limited and Standard Bank Limited where she gained experience in trading across all asset classes, equity advisory, and portfolio management.

RAJU VUPPALAPATI (58)
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: THE COUNTRY ROAD GROUP

Raju Vuppalapati joined the WHL Group on 1 July 2021 to head the multi-channel portfolio of leading fashion and lifestyle brands including Country Road, Mimco, Politix, Trenery and Witchery. Raju was previously CEO of RM Williams, an iconic Australian and globally recognised brand; and prior to that enjoyed an extensive and successful career with Levi Strauss & Co. There he held various regional management roles in brand and consumer marketing, as well as sales and operations, in India, Japan and Singapore; and in his last role at Levi’s was the Regional Managing Director, responsible for the Australian, New Zealand, African, and Middle East markets, based out of Cape Town. Before joining Levi’s, Raju spent 8 years with Unilever in India.

CHANTEL REDDIAR (48) 
DIRECTOR: GOVERNANCE, RISK AND COMPLIANCE, AND GROUP COMPANY SECRETARY
BA, LLB, LLM, MBA, AMP

Member of the Woolworths South Africa Board and the WHL Information Management Committee.

Chantel joined Woolworths in September 2016 as the Director: Governance, Risk, Legal and Compliance and Group Company Secretary. Chantel has over 20 years’ experience as a corporate lawyer. In addition to her role as Group Company Secretary, her executive responsibilities include oversight of the Group’s corporate governance, compliance, legal, and risk functions.

Previously, Chantel was Group Company Secretary for Sun International Limited and the Director: Corporate Services and Legal. Prior to Sun International, Chantel served as a Legal Advisor at Nissan South Africa, having completed her articles at Webber Wentzel Bowens.

SAM NGUMENI (56)
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: FOODS
BCOM, MBA, AMP

Member of the WHL Risk, Information and Technology, Social and Ethics, and Sustainability Committees; member of the Woolworths South Africa and Country Road Group Boards; Chairman of Woolworths Financial Services Board; the Woolworths Trust and WHL Information Management Committee.

Sam has been with the WHL Group for 26 years, primarily in Financial Services, and has more than 17 years retail credit experience. He was appointed as the Group Chief Operating Officer in March 2012. He was previously the Chief Operating Officer of Woolworths South Africa and Chief Executive Officer of Woolworths Financial Services, where he spearheaded the successful joint venture between Woolworths and ABSA Limited. Sam was appointed to the WHL Board in 2014.

Sam is a member of the South African Rugby Executive Council.

MELANIE NAIDU (53)
GROUP PEOPLE DIRECTOR
MASTER OF LAW (LLM)

Member of the Woolworths South Africa Board.

Melanie was appointed as Group People Director on 6 May 2022. She has been with the WHL Group since March 2018 with responsibility for the Group Human Resources function, inclusive of David Jones and Country Road Group. Prior to that, Melanie enjoyed an extensive career in various people and human resource management positions at executive level at Edcon (Pty) Ltd over a period spanning seventeen years. She has also worked as Group Employee Relations Manager at Barlow Motor World and as a lecturer at the University of South Africa.

MANIE MARITZ (54)
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: WOOLWORTHS FASHION, BEAUTY AND HOME

Member of the Woolworths South Africa Board.

Manie Maritz was appointed as Managing Director of Woolworths Fashion, Beauty and Home in June 2020 and is now the Chief Executive Officer of that division following an internal restructure. He has extensive retail experience across multiple merchandise categories and in various leadership roles.

Manie commenced his career as a buyer in The Foschini Group (TFG) in 1993 where, other than for a period as Brand Manager for Polo and General Manager for LA Jeans, he remained until 2018. At TFG he was the Managing Director of Markham; Group Director of Markham, Fabiani and G-Star with responsibility for TFG’s Africa expansion; and after TFG’s acquisition of Phase Eight (TFG London) in 2014, he was appointed to the board of TFG London and oversaw the integration of TFG London (Phase Eight, Whistles and HOBBS) into TFG. Three years later, with TFG’s acquisition of the Australian Retail Apparel Group in 2017, Manie was appointed to the board of TFG Australia with responsibility for the integration of this business into TFG.

ZAID MANJRA (58)
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR
CA(SA), MBL

Member of the WHL Risk, Information and Technology and Treasury Committees and member of the Woolworths South Africa, Country Road Group and Woolworths Financial Services Boards.

Zaid has been with the WHL Group for over 15 years and has held various senior leadership roles within the Group’s Finance function. He was appointed interim Group Finance Director in July 2023, and was subsequently appointed as the Group Finance Director and to the WHL Board in December 2023.

ROY BAGATTINI (60)
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
B.COM

Chairman of the Woolworths South Africa and Country Road Group Boards; member of the WHL Risk, Information and Technology, Treasury, Social and Ethics, and Sustainability Committees.

Roy was appointed to the WHL Board and as Group Chief Executive Officer in February 2020. Prior to this he was President: Americas for Levi Strauss & Company, where he was responsible for leading the company’s largest commercial operations, including a significant network of retail stores covering the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and Latin America. Roy also played an instrumental role in the development and acceleration of the e-commerce and omni-channel capabilities of Levi Strauss.

He has extensive operational, management, and turnaround experience in global consumer and retail markets gained over 20 years in roles including President: Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa for Levi Strauss; President: Asia and Africa for the Carlsberg Group, based in Hong Kong, and in various roles in SABMiller plc internationally and in South Africa.