Deena Chetty

Director
+27 (0) 21 801 5240
+27 (0) 86 504 7384
deena@adriaansattorneys.com
Senior C-Suite executive, business entrepreneur and admitted attorney with a successful track record in leading, managing and operating listed and unlisted businesses across multiple disciplines and multiple jurisdictions. Experienced in executive management and operations; corporate and business unit strategy development and implementation; business planning and budgeting; corporate finance; corporate sales and marketing; growth strategies; executive team composition and development; board management and support; sales, acquisitions & mergers; human resources; industrial relations; litigation; commercial negotiations and driving bottom line value creating initiatives.

Among others, a Global Leader for Tomorrow of the World Economic Forum (WEF) and a past member of YPO/WPO (Younge Presidents Organization).

Striving to become a world-class leader and committed to making a meaningful difference to a Better South Africa and a Better Africa in a Better World.
Education

  • BA (Law) (University of Durban-Westville), Majors in Political Science, Private Law and Latin
  • Bachelor of Laws (LLB) (University of the Witwatersrand)
  • PED (Executive Development Programme) (IMD University, Lausanne, Switzerland)
  • MBA (University of Pretoria) specializing in International Business Management; Advanced Corporate Finance and Sales, Acquisitions & Mergers

Membership

  • Global Leader for Tomorrow (GLT) of the World Economic Forum (1999)
  • Young Presidents Organization (YPO/WPO) (2006-2013)
  • Chairperson of SADC Chapter of YPO/WPO (2007 to 2012)
  • Board member of Africa YPO/WPO (2007 to 2012)
  • Trustee of Housing Trust of Namibia established by Dr. Sam Nujoma (President of the Republic of Namibia) (2004 to 2010)
  • Member of Cabinet Committee on Social Partnership established by Dr. Pohamba (President of the Republic of Namibia) (2007-2010)
  • Trustee of Albino Trust of Namibia (2006-2010)
  • With PiSCS Holdings (Pty) Limited (A family business with anchor investments in Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Fuel management solutions, Manufacturing, Mining, Restaurants and Property) Among others, the establishment of PiSCS; top team recruitment; corporate development professionalization of family business and marketing of company; company rebranding; corporate planning & development; negotiating and securing funding for investment acquisition of DelSol (the leading mail supply chain services company in Africa); negotiated and secured preferred channel partnership status with SPI (Swiss Post International) and TNT post for SADC region; negotiation of equity stake (for local partner consortium) in Walvis Bay Salt Refinery (Pty) Limited with Investec; JV with Malaysian investor to form Namib Resources (Pty) Limited; negotiated key supply chain consulting assignment with Ohrongo Cement (part of the Schwenk Group); assisted Derbigum (a leading new energy company headquartered in Belgium) to re-enter the South African market; establishment of fuel management solutions businesses in Namibia; securing Master Franchise of Primi Piatti for Namibia and becoming a multiple franchisee; acquisition of Primi Forum in Melrose Arch, Sandton, turning it around and subsequent disposal; acquisition of Primi Cavendish and building it into one of the top three performing stores within the PrimiWorld; advising the top leadership teams of various companies; and driving successful value creating initiatives for investee companies and other clients
  • With KwikFit Holdings (A comprehensive car care, services and repair company with 31 stores throughout South Africa) Invited by the founder of KwikFit to be involved in company as key advisor; mentoring the corporate team; developing functional systems to aid the business in management, corporate marketing, corporate strategy planning & development; and development of policy & operating procedures manuals. Deena’s extensive experience and expertise in automotive retailing, restaurant franchising, corporate experience enabled him to bring added value to KwikFit.
  • With Barloworld Coatings Namibia (Pty) Limited After corporately and commercially serving, managing, evolving and developing inter alia Barloworld Logistics Namibia (Pty) Limited; and Barloworld Namibia (Pty) Limited : Board management and support; establishment of business strategy review and development processes; establishment of business planning, budgeting processes and reviews; Corporate Governance; leadership succession; SAP implement- tation; refurbishment and extension of factory premises and offices; negotiation of Recognition Agreement with local trade unions; securing key supplier contracts with national and regional government and NHC (National Housing Cor- poration); negotiating key Channel Partner Agreements with Pupkewitz Holdings; strategic sourcing of major raw materials and packaging; and successful implementation of the acquisition by Kansai (Japan) of the Barloworld Coatings business in Namibia and integration of the business into Kansai.
  • With Barloworld Limited By serving as the (youngest) General Manager appointed as Global Executive; by being appointed Employer Trustee to Barlow Pension & Provident Funds; by serving on Barlow Handling Board; and by being the Key Corporate Advisor to Barloworld Limited : Inter alia coordinating Group Human Resources Meetings and Strategic planning process; designing and implementing group-wide policies and procedures; setting of standards and ensuring compliance; submissions (written and oral) to the Labour Market Commission (LMC); advising Group CEO, Executive Directors and different Boards; restructuring of the Barloworld Pension Fund to a provident based fund; settlement of COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions) demand for centralized wage bargaining; unravelling centralized collective bargaining structures in PPC; resolved sit-in (i.e. illegal industrial action) by NUMSA (one of the largest trade unions) at Barlow Park (HQ of Barloworld); resolution of Wrightech Housing dispute; recruiting key Industrial Relations Managers and deploying them to group companies. The establishment of very successful preferential policy to provide legal work to black owned law firms. The main beneficiary was Mathe Zondo and Associates, a leading black law firm based in Kwa–Zulu Natal (Mathe Zondo went on to become Judge President of the Labour Appeal Court and is now Deputy Chief Justice of The Constitutional Court); helped establish the PPWAWU (Paper Printing Wood and Allied Workers Union) and CEPPAWU (Chemical and Engineering Paper Printing Allied Workers Union) trade union investment companies; helped with the restructuring and disposal of Federated Timbers; disposal of Thesen Island and assets (i.e. factory/ saw mill/forests/property); and helped develop franchise business model for Nashua.
  • With Infobank Africa (Pty) Limited Business set up and top team recruitment; establishment of Infobank Offices in Bryanston, Johannesburg; setting up the Finance, Legal, Commercial and Human Resources functions; top team recruitment; establishment, management & support of Board; helping secure Cyril Ramaphosa as Board chairperson; securing Bidvest, Sasol and Standard Bank as key customers; negotiating and building the BAT (British American) e-marketplace in Kenya; best performing business unit within Infobank plc; and disposable of Infobank Africa to Commerce One (a leading US ecommerce software company).
  • 2018 - Present Adriaans Attorneys - Director (HOD of Corporate & Commercial Department)
  • 10/2008 - Present PiSCS Holdings (Pty) Limited - Executive Chairman
  • 01/2017 - 2018 KwikFit Holdings - Advisor to Founder and Group CEO
  • 01/2016 - 2017 UWINIWIN International (Pty) Limited - Non Executive Director
  • 07/2005 - 03/2017 Barloworld Coatings Namibia (Pty) Limited - Senior Director & Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors
  • 07/2005 - 2012 Barloworld Logistics Namibia (Pty) Limited - Chairman of the Board of Directors
  • 03/2003 - 07/2008 Barloworld Namibia (Pty) Limited - Group Managing Director
  • 02/2000 - 12/2002 Infobank Africa (Pty) Limited - Executive Director: Commercial Affairs, Business Development and Finance & Administration
  • 1995 - 2000 Barloworld Limited - Group General Manager
  • 1993 - 1995 Barlow Industries Limited (now Barloworld) - Group Industrial Relations Advisor
  • 04/1989 - 1993 Barlow Limited - Industrial Relations Advisor
  • 1987 / 1989 Hofmeyr van der Merwe (now Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr) - Attorney
  • 02/1981 - 12/1981 WH Davis (Pty) Limited - Technician
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