Board and management

Our Board commits itself to the highest standards of corporate governance. These standards centre around good corporate governance, business integrity and ethics.

The Board sets the tone and instils a culture of integrity and compliance throughout the Group. Famous Brands’ Board is responsible for governance, setting the strategy and monitoring performance against strategic goals.

The directors are satisfied that Famous Brands complies substantially with the principles and spirit of King IV.

Board of Directors and Executive Management

as at 28 February 2025

Non-executive directors

Christopher Boulle

Christopher Boulle (53)

Chairman
BCom, LLB, LLM

Chris is a commercial, corporate finance, tax and trust attorney. His expertise includes cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, Black economic empowerment transactions and advising on local and international stock exchange listings. His experience as a non-executive director of listed companies spans over two decades.

Area of expertise
Law, business, governance, strategy, risk and corporate finance.

Alexander Komape Maditse

Alexander (Alex) Komape Maditse (62)

Lead independent director
BProc, LLB, LLM, HDip (Company Law)

Alex is an admitted attorney and is the CEO of Copper Moon Trading Pty Limited. He serves as a director on several boards and committees of listed companies. He previously held the positions of Country Manager of Coca-Cola East and Central Africa and Franchise Operations Director of Coca-Cola SA.

Area of expertise
Law, business, governance, strategy, franchising, management and operations

Other directorships

  • African Rainbow Minerals Limited (Lead independent) director
  • The Bidvest Group Limited
  • Murray & Roberts
  • Netcare Limited
Nicolaos (Nik) Halamandaris

Nicolaos (Nik) Halamandaris (50)

Non-executive director
B.Bus Science (Hons), MBA

Nik has extensive experience in the food services industry, having served as a franchise partner for many of the Group’s mainstream brands over the past two decades, until 2010. He is currently the executive director of several non-listed property development and construction companies, where he is primarily responsible for strategy and new business development.

Area of expertise
General management, strategy, franchise management, food services and property management

Busisiwe Mathe

Busisiwe Mathe (45)

Independent non-executive director
B Com (Hons), BCom (Acc), CA(SA)

Busisiwe is a chartered accountant, with experience in consulting. Her expertise include audit (internal and external), risk management, digital/technology transformation, cybersecurity and data privacy consulting to local and global clients across diverse sectors. She is currently the CEO of Orirori Consulting and a faculty member at the Henley Business School.

Area of expertise
Governance, risk management, technology, cyber security, data privacy, stakeholder management, financial management and audit.

Other directorship

  • Curro Holdings Limited
  • MTN Côte d’Ivoire

Thabo Mosololi

Thabo Mosololi (55)

Independent non-executive director
BCom (Hons), MAP, EDP, CA(SA)

Thabo has held several leadership positions at organisations, most notably Tsogo Sun and Sun International, and Audit Committee and Board memberships at Edcon Holdings, Telkom and MC Mining Ltd. He is the Managing Director of the Mala Mala Game Reserve company.

Area of expertise
Governance, risk management, financial management, audit, stakeholder engagement

Other directorships

  • Truworths Limited
  • Pan-African Resources Limited
William Mzimba

William Mzimba (56)

Independent non-executive director
MBA, BA (Hons) Business, Diploma in Datametrics (Computer Science)

William was the CEO of Vodacom Business, a member of the Vodacom Group Executive Committee, and a Board Member of Vodacom South Africa and IoT.NXT as well as Chairman of Nexio. Prior to that, he was the CEO and Chairman of Accenture in Africa for 12 years.

Area of expertise
Governance, strategy, financial management, stakeholder engagement, management and operations, technology

Fagmeedah Petersen-Cook

Fagmeedah Petersen-Cook (49)

Independent non-executive director
BBusSc (Actuarial Science), CD(SA), Actuary

Fagmeedah currently serves as a non-executive director for a diverse range of companies, where she applies her strategic thinking and well-developed understanding of risk. She is a CD(SA) Charter holder, a certified director, and an experienced investment professional. She has held C-suite roles in the public and private sectors. Fagmeedah’s professional career as an actuary spans 26 years.

Area of expertise
General management, actuarial science, risk management, strategy, investments, and governance.

Other directorships

  • ABSA Financial Services Group
  • Pepkor
  • Escap
  • Africa Re
  • 3SixtyLife – Curator

  1. Audit and Risk
  2. Investment Committee
  3. Nomination Committee
  4. Remuneration Committee
  5. Social and Ethics

Executive directors and members of Executive Management

Darren Hele

Darren Hele (54)

Chief Executive Officer
Bcom

Darren began his career at Pleasure Foods Limited while completing a BCom. After participating in the management buy-out of Pleasure Foods in 1996, he held executive roles at Whistle Stop and Wimpy before joining Famous Brands in 2003. He was the Managing Director of Wimpy in SA and later in the UK.

Darren was appointed Chief Operating Officer for the franchising division in 2011 and subsequently became the Chief Operating Officer of the Group in 2013. In 2014, Darren assumed the role of CEO of Food Services and was appointed CEO of the Group in 2016.

Area of expertise
General management, franchise management, marketing, strategy and stakeholder relationships

Nelisiwe Shiluvana

Nelisiwe Shiluvana (45)

Group Financial Director
BCom (Honours), CA(SA), ACMA, CGMA

Nelisiwe has experience in commerce and consulting. She joined Famous Brands in 2021 as Group Finance Executive.

Before joining Famous Brands, she was a partner in consulting for six years at a big four audit firm. Prior to her consulting role, she was a Senior Manager at Telkom SA in statutory reporting and operations finance.

Area of expertise
Financial management and accounting, financial controls, audit and stakeholder management.

Executive Management

Celeste Appollis

Celeste Appollis (53)

Company Secretary and Head of Legal
BA LLB H.Dip. (Company Law)
Derrian Nadauld

Derrian Nadauld (51)

Chief Operating Officer – Leading Brands
NDip Catering Management and Certificate Marketing Management
Jabulani Mahange

Jabulani Mahange (64)

Group HR Executive
BA, BED (Wits), PDM (Wits), MBL (SA)
Ntando Ndaba

Ntando Ndaba (39)

Group Risk Executive
BTech
Andrew Mundell

Andrew Mundell (56)

Group Executive – Supply Chain
BSc Agric (Hons), M.B.A. (UCT)
Philip Smith

Philip Smith (62)

Managing Director – AME
A Levels (UK)