Paul was appointed as the Group CEO of Hannover Re Africa and the Chairman of Lireas effective 1 January 2024. Paul has already had a successful career at Hannover Re. From being a Partner at Deloitte South Africa, where Hannover Re was a client of his for several years, he joined our team in 2011 as the Managing Director of Compass Insurance Company South Africa. In October 2020, Paul moved with his family to Toronto to take over as General Manager and Head of the Property & Casualty Business Group at the Hannover Rück SE Canadian Branch. Over the past few years, Paul’s leadership and outstanding skills have enabled him to build a strong Canadian P&C team and franchise, making us the P&C market leader in Canada.
Besides his wealth of experience in the (re)insurance industry, Paul also holds an honours degree in Accounting Science and is a Chartered Accountant South Africa – CA (SA).
The team describes Paul as an unflappable and calm person in pressure situations and approachable and kind-hearted in all situations. Paul’s easy going nature should, however, not be underestimated as he does not settle for second best. This makes him the ideal person to support and guide Lireas as its Chairman.
Bani is a certified SAP systems implementer with many years of SAP implementation experience. Bani joined the Lireas Board in 2013. In addition to his role as Lireas Director, Bani also sits on the Boards of the other operating companies of Hannover Re Group Africa as well as that of Britehouse Specialist SAP Division. With his extensive IT system implementation and business knowledge Bani brings a disciplined approach to new IT investment considerations. Bani chairs the Hannover Re Africa Information and Information Technology board sub-Committee (IITC) and is a member of the Hannover Re Africa and group company Risk Committees.
Bani’s insights and experience in the broader IT world has assisted Lireas as it contemplates how to get to grips with its insurtech businesses. Bani’s open and friendly manner makes him a very approachable director.
Quintin is a qualified Chartered Accountant. He joined the Hannover Reinsurance Group in 2004 after spending 6 years with KPMG’s Insurance Practise. In 2006 he was appointed to the Hannover Re Group Africa Exco with Finance and Taxation as main responsibility. In March 2013 Quintin was appointed as Finance Director of Hannover Reinsurance Group Africa, Hannover Reinsurance Africa, Hannover Life Reassurance Africa and Lireas Holdings.
According to the Lireas team Quintin is a most unflappable and calm Financial Director with an absolute determination for his team to provide the highest reporting efficiency and accuracy. He also has a wonderful sense of humour which acts as a perfect foil for the serious job of an accountant.
Lizanne joined the Lireas Board in 2017. She is a qualified Chartered Accountant having completed her articles through Standard Bank’s TOPP Programme. As an investment executive at WDB Investment Holdings, together with experience gained from positions at Standard Bank and Mercantile Bank, Lizanne brings a wealth of investment, corporate finance and financial modelling knowledge to the Lireas Board. In addition to being a member of The Hannover Re Audit Committee, Lizanne is also on the Boards of other Hannover Re companies, including Hannover Life Reassurance Africa and Hannover Reinsurance Africa.
The Lireas Team describes Lizanne as a deep thinker who contributes to various board discussions and deliberations in a very thoughtful and considered manner.
Lisa is an experienced actuary with a depth and range of experience in the South African market. She was delighted to join the boards of Lireas and the Hannover Re Group Africa in 2021, and she heads up the group’s Actuarial Committees. Lisa’s past roles include Chief Actuary and Exco member at Old Mutual Insure, Actuarial Executive at CGIC, MD of Willis Towers Watson short-term insurance consulting practice in South Africa, and a director at QED Actuaries and Consultants. Lisa is a member and past chair of the Actuarial Society of South Africa’s short-term insurance committee. She is passionate about supporting the insurance industry to protect and grow the economy. She values quality, perseverance, collaboration and keeping promises. Personal and professional growth, respect and clear communication are very important to her.