Outsurance has appointed Francois van Rooyen as chief financial officer and financial director, effective from October, following the resignation of long-serving finance head Jan Hofmeyr, who is set to join a new fintech venture.
Hofmeyr, who has spent more than 18 years with the group, will remain in his role until early October to oversee the financial year-end process and ensure a structured transition. He has held the CFO position since 2008 and was appointed financial director in 2022, playing a central role in the insurer’s expansion across multiple markets.
The appointment of Van Rooyen signals a preference for internal succession. He joined the group in 2018 and currently serves as CFO of Outsurance South Africa, a role he has held since 2022. The board has confirmed that regulatory “fit and proper” requirements have been met, clearing the way for his appointment.
The leadership change comes as Outsurance reports steady financial performance. For the six months to December, normalised earnings rose 7.7% to R2.32bn, supported by operational growth and cost discipline. The group increased its interim dividend by more than a third and declared a special dividend following the disposal of non-core assets, reflecting a focus on capital efficiency.
Outsurance’s footprint spans South Africa, Australia and Ireland, with approximately 3.7 million policies under management and more than 8,000 employees. The group operates in a competitive short-term insurance market, where pricing, claims management and digital distribution remain key differentiators.
The CFO transition forms part of a broader governance shift. Board chair Herman Bosman and lead independent director Kubandiran Pillay are set to step down at the upcoming annual general meeting, with Venessa Naidoo expected to assume the role of chair thereafter. The changes come as insurers face increasing pressure to balance growth, regulatory compliance and shareholder returns in a shifting financial services landscape.