Page 15 - Transformation Report.indd

5.3 Directors

An unexpected yet explicable occurrence making its appearance
in 2017 has been the rapid advancement of black male and
female attorneys to directorship positions at member fi rms. Given
the economic imperative on fi rms to rapidly transform, Group fi rms
have commenced capitalising on their existing BEE investments by
accelerating the succession of their young black professionals to
directorship positions, thereby also giving credence to the stated
objectives of the B-BBEE Act to transform the ownership of South
African businesses.

Although director appointments in 2016 were nominal, the percentage 80% of all new
of black directors appointed in the Group in 2017 as a percentage of
all new directors appointed stood at 80%, with black female director directors appointed
appointments reaching 60% of all new director appointments. This
statistic refl ects positively not only on the commitment of Group fi rms in the Group in 2017
to transform at the highest level, but also showcases the opportunities
on offer for young black professionals at Group fi rms. were black, with 60%

With a growing number of young black directors in the Group, the of all new director
Group’s regional directors have been required to increase their
mentorship and guidance to both Group fi rms and new directors
to help them acclimatise to the new developments. The advent of appointments
new black and female directors in the Group also provide much
needed role models for young professionals at member fi rms to in being black female
time assist and further empower the efforts of these fi rms to improve
their transformation profi le. directors

A new breed of law fi rm 13