The judges
Ferose Oaten
Ferose is the Managing Director of AVTS Roadworthy Stations, employing 80 staff members at seven branches in the Cape Peninsula. AVTS is well established in the vehicle inspection industry and is the only group of test stations in the country to have achieved SABS ISO 9001:2008 certification.
She currently serves as the President of the Retail Motor Industry, and has previously served on the boards of the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency and the South African Roads Board, both appointments by the Minister of Transport. She is also the National Vice-President of the Businesswomen’s Association.
Dr Kerrin Myres
Dr Kerrin Myres is CEO of Resonance, a research-based management consultancy which specialises in the design, implementation and evaluation of entrepreneurial development programmes for CSI, enterprise development and preferential procurement applications. Kerrin has designed, implemented and evaluated programmes for a variety of private, public and non-profit businesses across sub-Saharan Africa. She has over 10 years of experience providing advisory and mentoring services to entrepreneurs at all stages of development in a wide range of industries.
Prior to establishing Resonance Consulting, she was the founding director of the Wits Business School’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and established the Richard Branson School of Entrepreneurship at CIDA City Campus. Her work experience includes entrepreneurial, consulting and line management positions in a range of businesses including Perry and Associates in South Africa and Westpac Banking Corporation in Australasia.
Kobus Engelbrecht
Kobus completed a BA, LLB and MBA at the University of Stellenbosch. He is an advocate of the High Court of South Africa as well as a Certified Financial Planner. In his professional career spanning 25 years, Kobus has served in various positions in the financial services sector. Kobus has been, inter alia, an estate and financial adviser and he is currently the Marketing Head of Cobalt Solutions for Business Owners and Professionals at Sanlam. He oversees marketing in the business, farming and professional markets.
He is the co-author of three books on financial planning and writes regular columns in various financial publications. He can also be heard on radio in financial advice programmes regularly.
Stefan Beyers
Stefan is a Partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Banking and Capital Markets Assurance practice. Stefan has carried out a wide variety of audit and advisory work for financial services clients, including corporate and investment banks, institutional stock brokers, private equity firms and corporate treasuries.
Through these roles he has gained specific knowledge and an unique insight into the challenges over trading financial instruments, risk management, controls, infrastructure requirements, operational and other risks relevant to the financial services industry.
Stefan has worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Johannesburg, New York and London.
Xolani Meva
Xolani has completed a B.compt degree from the University of Transkei (now known as the Walter Sisulu University on Technology), a Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting (PGDA) and B.compt Honours at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. After his studies he served articles at PricewaterhouseCoopers Incorporated.
Xolani has over 9 years management experience and currently holds the position of National Business Development Manager at Business Partner Limited.
He has gained invaluable experience and knowledge regarding various businesses, especially in the SME sector and is extremely passionate about assisting SMEs however he can.