Deloitte has announced the appointment of Ruwayda Redfearn as its new chief executive; she takes over from Lwazi Bam on June 2, 2022.

Delia Ndlovu has been appointed as the new chair of the Deloitte Africa board and is set to assume this role from December 1, 2021. 

Deloitte says Redfearn started her career as a trainee at its Durban office in 1997. Post her secondment in New York, she returned to Durban as a manager and was appointed to the partnership in 2004.

“She was appointed to lead the audit practice of the KwaZulu-Natal region in 2010, serving some of the region’s most prestigious clients. Redfearn also chaired the Global Young Partners’ Advisory Council reporting to the global CEO,” the firm added.

“In 2011, she was appointed to the Deloitte Southern Africa Board and Remuneration Committee. In 2012, Redfearn decided to take up a chief financial officer role at a global commodity trading business for three years and gained invaluable experience, serving as a board member on a number of the group’s companies.”

According to Deloitte, Ndlovu has also enjoyed a remarkable career with the firm as she was appointed director in the Tax and Legal division in June 2004 and has occupied numerous leadership roles over her tenure, including her latest position as Africa Tax and Legal Managing Director as well as a member of the Deloitte Africa Executive Committee.

She relocated to Deloitte UK in 2010 where she gained invaluable experience providing solutions to multinationals and managed large mobility programmes.

Ndlovu returned to South Africa in January 2013 to take up a leading tax role where she assisted many multinational companies expanding into the rest of Africa.

“I believe both appointments bring the very best of Deloitte’s talent and capabilities for our people, our clients and the communities within which we operate. I have complete faith that our firm will continue to realise its purpose of ‘making an impact that matters’ under their leadership,” said the current CEO, Lwazi Bam.

Bam says Redfearn is passionate about the positive contribution the firm and the profession can play in uplifting Africa.

Redfearn confirms this, saying: “I am enthused about being [able] to be at the forefront of change in our profession, the services we provide and the clients we serve. I look forward to working with our people and clients to address the increasingly complex challenges society faces including: social inequity, climate change, and economic inequality.”

Ndlovu said “The increasing importance of governance in business, coupled with our critical role as a public interest professional services firm requires that we lead by example on matters of governance. I look forward to continuing to strengthen our corporate governance framework and to lead the Deloitte Africa Board as it responds to various challenges including Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG).”

Bam added: “These appointments are not only a continuation of our transformation journey but a reflection of the firm’s commitment to living our shared values, particularly “leading the way” and “fostering inclusion”.