Andrew Atta Darfoor
Andrew Atta Darfoor is the Group Chief Executive of Alexander Forbes Group Holdings South Africa since 1 September 2016. Under his leadership, the business has defined a new ambition titled “Ambition 2022” for the organisation with a focus on becoming a globally distinctive pan-African financial services leader with an integrated model supported by technology enablement. His achievements have been recognised by CEO Today – Africa in 2017 as a leading CEO in the Winners Edition.
Andrew Atta Darfoor is an experienced financial services leader with a successful 20 years plus track record of bringing bold vision and all-encompassing strategic planning to international next-stage business growth, re-invention and turnaround challenges in the financial services sector across multiple continents including North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Previously, he was Chief Executive Officer at Sun Life Financial International, a division of Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, leading a division providing life insurance, protection, savings and wealth management solutions across 50 countries in Asia, Middle East and Africa, Europe and the Americas. Under his tenure the business improved profits from US$90M in 2013 to US$160M in 2015, with expansion into new markets with an integrated retirements, protection and life insurance proposition.
Prior to this, Andrew Atta Darfoor held a number of senior leadership roles at Old Mutual plc, where he was President and Chief Executive Officer of Old Mutual (Bermuda) Ltd., and oversaw all aspects of the business, including sales, marketing, investments, human resources, finance, actuarial and operations, transforming the business from a significant loss making position in 2009 to profitability in 3 years. Andrew joined Old Mutual plc as Regional Financial Director for the North American businesses in October 2007 and was appointed Chief Operating Officer for the Old Mutual (Bermuda) business in March 2009 before assuming the President and Chief Executive Officer position in March 2010. He previously held international management positions focused on strategy and business development at Credit Suisse AG, UBS AG and Ernst & Young LLP.
Andrew Atta Darfoor has been since November 2016 a Board Member of The Association for Savings and Investment South Africa (ASISA). In his capacity as a Board member, he chairs the Regulatory Affairs Committee interacting with the regulator (Financial Services Board); National Treasury; SA Reserve Bank, National Treasury Tax Policy Unit, SA Receiver of Revenue and various Parliamentary Committees.
Mr Darfoor received a BSc in Economics from Queens Mary College, University of London and an MBA from Cranfield School of Management, UK. He also completed executive management programmes at Harvard (US) and INSEAD (France) Business Schools. Andrew is an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Management Accountants, holding the ACMA and CGMA designations and is a member of the Securities and Investment Institute (UK). He is also the recipient of the Deans Award for the Alumnus of the Year from his alma mater Cranfield School of Management, received in 2016, and sits on the Cranfield School of Management Development Board.