Leadership Team

NON-EXECUTIVE
CHAIRMAN

Qualifications: BSc (QS) (UCT)

Abu has been involved in major property transactions and has initiated multi-million Rand property development projects throughout South Africa. Abu served as a director on the board of the JSE-listed property fund Spearhead Property Holdings Limited and Ingenuity Property Investments Limited. Abu has extensive experience in property development and his skill in this regard along with his ability to find value in potential portfolio re-developments will be invaluable to the future of the business.

NON-EXECUTIVE DEPUTY
CHAIRMAN

Qualifications: B Com, GDA, CA(SA), FCMA

Mike is an accomplished property & investment veteran. A chartered accountant by qualification, he has more than 33 years’ experience in the property sector and has been key in some of the more exciting property transactions across the listed sector in South Africa. Mike was the founder of Spearhead Property Group, which was later sold to Redefine Property Fund in 2005. Mike then served on the board of directors of Redefine until February 2011 as well as other listed REITS including Hyprop, Cromwell (Australia) and RDI (UK). Mike has extensive experience in commercial property finance, equity, development and a variety of key financial functions within the property sector. His entrepreneurial approach to property is admired by many within the property sector and his ability to create and unlock value has been proven time and time again. Recently, he has been instrumental in setting up and managing unit trust funds specialising in global REITS together with Visio Fund Managers.

INDEPENDENT NON-EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR

Qualifications: BA, LLB (UCT)

Brian has been active in the real estate sector for the past 30 years, During this time he has initiated, and been integrally involved in many significant and iconic property developments and investments in the Western Cape. As such Brian has an astute understanding of the Western Cape real estate sector, a good strategic sense and an insightful understanding of value. Being an advocate, Brian has an excellent overarching understanding and varied expertise not only in the commercial, industrial and retail real estate space, but also materially in the legal technical environment relating thereto. Brian is chairman of Spear’s investment committee where his thorough understanding, market knowledge, deal-making and technical skills have added significant value to Spear’s strategic initiatives.

Qualifications: BCompt. (Hons) (Unisa)

Jalal has been involved in the real estate sector for over 21 years. Jalal joined Seeff Trust (Pty) Ltd, the forerunner to Spearhead Property Holdings, in 1993 as the Financial Manager after leaving PKF Chartered Accountants and Auditors. Early 1999 he was appointed Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of the newly listed Spearhead Property Holdings Limited, which he founded together with CEO Mike Flax.

INDEPENDENT NON-EXECUTIVE
DIRECT

Qualifications: BA, B.Proc and LLB (WSU)

Bongani is a lawyer with more than 20 years of experience in the retail sector. He currently holds various board positions in the oil, gas and mining sectors and has established various highly successful ventures as a dynamic entrepreneur with a good understanding of the general real estate sector, given the direct real estate investments he has made across the Western Cape over the last decade. Bongani is the founder and a director of Rwenzori Rare Metals which, through an international consortium made up of Rwenzori Rare Metals, Australian and Ugandan mining investors, owns the Makuutu rare earth mine in Uganda. He is also the founder and largest independent shareholder of Burgan Cape Terminals and co-establisher of Wonderfontein Coal and founder and a director of Manaus Capital a BEE real estate investment holding company.

Sean has 30 year’s experience in the property industry. Having developed a substantial number of residential, commercial, and industrial projects, he has knowledge across a wide array of areas in the property development field. His speciality has been identifying and developing opportunities where substantial value was unlocked. His practical, hands-on approach has allowed him to tackle complex projects, which are less attractive to the broader market, but offer higher returns.

INDEPENDENT NON-EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR

Qualifications: MBCHB (UCT), MBA (UCT), Diploma Future Studies (USB)

Dr Roze Phillips (54) is an African Futurist, adjunct faculty, associate at the Centre for Business Ethics and non-executive director at GIBS Business School. In addition to her role as non-executive director at Spear REIT, Roze also serves as non-executive director and Social and Ethics committee chairperson for Netcare Limited.  

Roze has worked as a medical doctor as well as a Public Health scientist at the SA Medical Research Council and as the Group Executive of People and Culture for The Absa Group. Over 18 years of Roze’s professional career was spent at Accenture Africa where she held various leadership positions from Consumer Industry lead, Management (including Human Capital) Consulting lead, Innovation lead and Board member. 

Roze is a passionate African Futurist and in addition to her non-executive director responsibilities and her work at GIBS, she practices as an African Futurist and Advisor on the Future of Work through her company Abundance at Work (Pty) Ltd. She is a frequent public speaker, expert panel member, guest lecturer and writer on the topics of Leadership for the Future, The Future of Work, The Workforce of the Future, Human Capital Management Trends and New Skills Now.

In 2021, Roze joined other South African business leaders to publish a book about lessons in Leadership titled ‘The Book Every Leader Needs to Read’.