Our Board commits itself to the
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
Our Board of Directors have the necessary experience to fulfil their fiduciary and stewardship duties as Directors of Famous Brands. Our non-executive Directors have, and do, act as Directors on the boards of other listed and non-listed companies.

Santie Botha
Independent Chairman

Norman Joseph Adami
Independent non-executive director

Deon Jeftha Fredericks
Independent non-executive director
Appointed to the Board on 1 June 2012
Qualifications
BEcon (Hons)
Role at Famous Brands
- Chairman of the Nominations Committee
- Member of the Remuneration Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
- Attends the Audit and Risk Committee meetings by invitation
Areas of expertise
Governance, marketing, strategy, remuneration, consumer insight, stakeholder relationships
Appointed to the Board on 24 February 2015
Qualifications
BBusSc (Hons), MBA
Role at Famous Brands
- Member of the Audit and Risk Committee
- Member of the Nominations Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
Areas of expertise
General management, risk, strategy, marketing, operational management, mergers and acquisitions
Appointed to the Board on 1 August 2018
Qualifications
BCompt (Hons), Business Management (Hons), CA(SA), CIMA
Role at Famous Brands
- Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee
Areas of expertise
General management, risk, finance, governance

Thetele Emmarancia (Emma) Mashilwane
Independent non-executive director

Christopher Hardy Boulle
Independent non-executive director

Alexander (Alex) Maditse
Independent non-executive director
Appointed to the Board on 1 December 2017
Qualifications
CA(SA), MBA, BCompt, BCom (Hons)/CTA, Global Executive Development Programme (GIBS)
Role at Famous Brands
- Member of the Audit and Risk Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
Areas of expertise
Internal and external audit, risk management, financial management, corporate governance, strategy, general management
Appointed to the Board as an alternative non-executive director in December 2011 and as a non-executive director on 27 February 2014
Qualifications
BCom, LLB, LLM
Role at Famous Brands
- Chairman of the Investment Committee
- Chairman of the Social and Ethics Committee
- Attends the Remuneration Committee meeting and Audit and Risk Committee meeting by invitation
Areas of expertise
Law, governance, strategy, risk, corporate finance
Appointed to the Board on 1 August 2019
Qualifications
BProc, LLB, LLM (Pennsylvania and Harvard), DIP Company Law
Role at Famous Brands
- Member of the Nominations Committee
- Member of the Social and Ethics Committee
Areas of expertise
General and operational management, governance, law

Nicolaos (Nik) Halamandaris
Non-executive director

John Lee Halamandres
Non-executive director

Kelebogile (Lebo) Ntlha
Group Financial Director
Appointed to the Board on 9 November 2017
Role at Famous Brands
- Member of the Social and Ethics Committee
- Attends the Audit and Risk Committee meetings and Investment Committee meetings by invitation
Areas of expertise
General management, strategy, franchise management, food services, property management
Appointed to the Board on 9 November 1994
Role at Famous Brands
- Member of the Remuneration Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
Areas of expertise
General management, franchise management, governance, strategy
Appointed to the Board on 1 July 2016
Qualifications
CA(SA), MBA, PGDip Tax
Role at Famous Brands
- Attends the Audit and Risk Committee meetings by invitation
- Attends the Investment Committee meetings by invitation
Areas of expertise
Finance, risk, strategy

Darren Paul Hele
Chief Executive Officer
Appointed to the Board on 1 June 2012
Qualifications
BCom
Role at Famous Brands
- Member of the Social and Ethics Committee
- Attends all Committee meetings by invitation and attends various subsidiary and associate company Board meetings as a director
Darren commenced his career at Pleasure Foods Limited while studying for and completing a BCom. After participating in the management buyout of Pleasure Foods in 1996 he held executive roles at Whistle Stop and Wimpy before joining Famous Brands in 2003. He served as Managing Director of Wimpy in South Africa and later in the United Kingdom.
Darren was appointed Chief Operating Officer – Franchising division in May 2011 and in January 2013 assumed the position of Chief Operating Officer of the Group. With effect from 1 March 2014, Darren assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer – Food Services. Darren was appointed Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1 March 2016.
Areas of expertise
General management, franchise management, marketing, strategy, stakeholder relationships
Group Executive Committee
Our Group Exco comprises a diverse and experienced management team, consisting of the Group CEO and nine other members of senior management.

Celeste Appollis
Group Company Secretary and Head of Legal

Darren Hele
Chief Executive Officer

Jabulani Mahange
Group HR Executive
Appointed August 2019
Joined Exco in August 2019
Six months’ service at Famous Brands
Qualifications
BA LLB
Areas of expertise
Corporate law, governance, company secretarial, JSE listings environment, general legal administration, intellectual property law, mergers and acquisitions and competition law
Chief Executive Officer
Appointed March 2016
Previous positions
Group Chief Operating Officer and CEO – Food Services, Chief Operating Officer Franchising, Managing Director Wimpy SA and UK
Qualifications
BCom
Areas of expertise
General management, franchise management, marketing, strategy and stakeholder relationships
Appointed July 2018
Joined Exco in July 2018
19 months’ service with Famous Brands
Qualifications
BA, BED (Wits), PDM (Wits), MBL (SA)
Areas of expertise
HR strategy, organisational change, culture change, social and ethics, transformation/BBBEE and organisational development

Andrew Mundell
Group Executive – Business Development

Derrian Nadauld
Chief Operating Officer – Leading Brands

Ntando Ndaba
Group Risk Executive
Appointed June 2017
Joined Exco in June 2017
Three years’ service with Famous Brands
Qualifications
BSc Agric (Hons), MBA(UCT)
Areas of expertise
General management, franchise management, retail management, marketing, strategy and mergers and acquisitions
Appointed September 2019
Joined Exco in 2013
18 years’ service with Famous Brands
Previous positions
Managing Director GBK and Wimpy UK, Managing Executive Franchising and Logistics, Chief Marketing Officer, Managing Executive Debonairs Pizza, Managing Executive Wimpy SA and General Manager Coffee Brands
Qualifications
National Diploma Catering Management and Diploma Marketing Management
Areas of expertise
General management, franchise management, marketing, strategy and operations
Appointed in October 2019
Joined Exco in October 2019
Four years’ service with Famous Brands
Previous position
Internal Audit Manager
Qualifications
BTech (currently studying towards an LLB qualification)
Areas of expertise
Governance, risk management, internal controls, forensics and ethics
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Kelebogile (Lebo) Ntlha
Group Financial Director

Jean-Paul Renouprez
Group Executive : Manufacturing and Logistics

Philip Smith
Managing Director AME
Appointed July 2016
Joined Exco in July 2016
Six years’ service with Famous Brands
Previous position
Group Financial Executive and Company Secretary
Qualifications
CA(SA), MBA, PGDip (Tax)
Areas of expertise
Finance, risk and strategy
Appointed July 2020
Joined Exco in July 2020
Three years’ service with Famous Brands
Previous positions
Managing Executive : Manufacturing and Technical
Qualifications
B.SC Engineering (Industrial), MBA
Areas of expertise
Manufacturing, Supply Chain Planning and Management, Procurement
Appointed April 2016
Joined Exco in May 2016
Seven years’ service with Famous Brands
Previous positions
General Manager Milky Lane and Brazilian Café, General Manager Mpumalanga RCOE and Managing Executive Western Cape RCOE
Qualifications
A Levels (UK)
Areas of expertise
Brand management, franchise management, general management, operations, stakeholder relationships and strategy

Santie Botha
Independent Chairman
Appointed to the Board on 1 June 2012
Qualifications
BEcon (Hons)
Role at Famous Brands
- Chairman of the Nominations Committee
- Member of the Remuneration Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
- Attends the Audit and Risk Committee meetings by invitation
Areas of expertise
Governance, marketing, strategy, remuneration, consumer insight, stakeholder relationships

Norman Joseph Adami
Independent non-executive director
Appointed to the Board on 24 February 2015
Qualifications
BBusSc (Hons), MBA
Role at Famous Brands
- Member of the Audit and Risk Committee
- Member of the Nominations Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
Areas of expertise
General management, risk, strategy, marketing, operational management, mergers and acquisitions

Deon Jeftha Fredericks
Independent non-executive director
Appointed to the Board on 1 August 2018
Qualifications
BCompt (Hons), Business Management (Hons), CA(SA), CIMA
Role at Famous Brands
- Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee
Areas of expertise
General management, risk, finance, governance

Thetele Emmarancia (Emma) Mashilwane
Independent non-executive director
Appointed to the Board on 1 December 2017
Qualifications
CA(SA), MBA, BCompt, BCom (Hons)/CTA, Global Executive Development Programme (GIBS)
Role at Famous Brands
- Member of the Audit and Risk Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
Areas of expertise
Internal and external audit, risk management, financial management, corporate governance, strategy, general management

Christopher Hardy Boulle
Independent non-executive director
Appointed to the Board as an alternative non-executive director in December 2011 and as a non-executive director on 27 February 2014
Qualifications
BCom, LLB, LLM
Role at Famous Brands
- Chairman of the Investment Committee
- Chairman of the Social and Ethics Committee
- Attends the Remuneration Committee meeting and Audit and Risk Committee meeting by invitation
Areas of expertise
Law, governance, strategy, risk, corporate finance

Alexander (Alex) Maditse
Independent non-executive director
Appointed to the Board on 1 August 2019
Qualifications
BProc, LLB, LLM (Pennsylvania and Harvard), DIP Company Law
Role at Famous Brands
- Member of the Nominations Committee
- Member of the Social and Ethics Committee
Areas of expertise
General and operational management, governance, law

Nicolaos (Nik) Halamandaris
Non-executive director
Appointed to the Board on 9 November 2017
Role at Famous Brands
- Member of the Social and Ethics Committee
- Attends the Audit and Risk Committee meetings and Investment Committee meetings by invitation
Areas of expertise
General management, strategy, franchise management, food services, property management

John Lee Halamandres
Non-executive director
Appointed to the Board on 9 November 1994
Role at Famous Brands
- Member of the Remuneration Committee
- Member of the Investment Committee
Areas of expertise
General management, franchise management, governance, strategy

Kelebogile (Lebo) Ntlha
Group Financial Director
Appointed to the Board on 1 July 2016
Qualifications
CA(SA), MBA, PGD Tax
Role at Famous Brands
- Attends the Audit and Risk Committee meetings by invitation
- Attends the Investment Committee meetings by invitation
Areas of expertise
Finance, risk, strategy

Darren Paul Hele
Chief Executive Officer
Appointed to the Board on 1 June 2012
Qualifications
BCom
Role at Famous Brands
- Member of the Social and Ethics Committee
- Attends all Committee meetings by invitation and attends various subsidiary and associate company Board meetings as a director
Darren commenced his career at Pleasure Foods Limited while studying for and completing a BCom. After participating in the management buyout of Pleasure Foods in 1996 he held executive roles at Whistle Stop and Wimpy before joining Famous Brands in 2003. He served as Managing Director of Wimpy in South Africa and later in the United Kingdom.
Darren was appointed Chief Operating Officer – Franchising division in May 2011 and in January 2013 assumed the position of Chief Operating Officer of the Group. With effect from 1 March 2014, Darren assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer – Food Services. Darren was appointed Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1 March 2016.
Areas of expertise
General management, franchise management, marketing, strategy, stakeholder relationships
Group Executive Committee
Our Group Exco comprises a diverse and experienced management team, consisting of the Group CEO and nine other members of senior management.

Celeste Appollis
Group Company Secretary and Head of Legal
Appointed August 2019
Joined Exco in August 2019
Six months’ service at Famous Brands
Qualifications
BA LLB
Areas of expertise
Corporate law, governance, company secretarial, JSE listings environment, general legal administration, intellectual property law, mergers and acquisitions and competition law

Darren Hele
Chief Executive Officer
Appointed March 2016
Previous positions
Group Chief Operating Officer and CEO – Food Services, Chief Operating Officer Franchising, Managing Director Wimpy SA and UK
Qualifications
BCom
Areas of expertise
General management, franchise management, marketing, strategy and stakeholder relationships

Jabulani Mahange
Group HR Executive
Group HR Executive
Appointed July 2018
Joined Exco in July 2018
19 months’ service with Famous Brands
Qualifications
BA, BED (Wits), PDM (Wits), MBL (SA)
Areas of expertise
HR strategy, organisational change, culture change, social and ethics, transformation/BBBEE and organisational development

Andrew Mundell
Group Executive – Business Development
Appointed June 2017
Joined Exco in June 2017
Three years’ service with Famous Brands
Qualifications
BSc Agric (Hons), MBA(UCT)
Areas of expertise
General management, franchise management, retail management, marketing, strategy and mergers and acquisitions

Derrian Nadauld
Chief Operating Officer – Leading Brands
Appointed September 2019
Joined Exco in 2013
18 years’ service with Famous Brands
Previous positions
Managing Director GBK and Wimpy UK, Managing Executive Franchising and Logistics, Chief Marketing Officer, Managing Executive Debonairs Pizza, Managing Executive Wimpy SA and General Manager Coffee Brands
Qualifications
National Diploma Catering Management and Diploma Marketing Management
Areas of expertise
General management, franchise management, marketing, strategy and operations

Ntando Ndaba
Group Risk Executive
Appointed in October 2019
Joined Exco in October 2019
Four years’ service with Famous Brands
Previous position
Internal Audit Manager
Qualifications
BTech (currently studying towards an LLB qualification)
Areas of expertise
Governance, risk management, internal controls, forensics and ethics
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Kelebogile (Lebo) Ntlha
Group Financial Director
Appointed July 2016
Joined Exco in July 2016
Six years’ service with Famous Brands
Previous position
Group Financial Executive and Company Secretary
Qualifications
CA(SA), MBA, PGDip (Tax)
Areas of expertise
Finance, risk and strategy

Jean-Paul Renouprez
Group Executive: Manufacturing and Logistics
Appointed July 2020
Joined Exco in July 2020
Three years’ service with Famous Brands
Previous positions
Managing Executive: Manufacturing and Technical
Qualifications
B.SC Engineering (Industrial), MBA
Areas of expertise
Manufacturing, Supply Chain Planning and Management, Procurement

Philip Smith
Managing Director AME
Managing Director AME
Appointed April 2016
Joined Exco in May 2016
Seven years’ service with Famous Brands
Previous positions
General Manager Milky Lane and Brazilian Café, General Manager Mpumalanga RCOE and Managing Executive Western Cape RCOE
Qualifications
A Levels (UK)
Areas of expertise
Brand management, franchise management, general management, operations, stakeholder relationships and strategy