Santam appoints Margaret Massie as new brand services head

Margaret Massie (nee Louw) joins Santam, South Africa's largest short-term insurer, as executive head of people and brand services in September. She will be responsible for the marketing, communication, brand management, and people functions.

Currently managing director of Compass Insurance, a short-term insurance company, Margaret successfully turned the company around to produce four consecutive years of above average profitability and successfully establishing the company in the local market as a reputable and unique player.

Massie qualified as a chartered accountant (SA) in 1997 and joined Hannover Re in the same year as the financial manager. She was promoted to financial director in 2001 and during her time at Hannover she served on various boards. In 2002, she was seconded to Compass Insurance as the acting managing director, a post which she later took up permanently.

Massie has participated in promoting creative thinking in various organisations around the world, also through presentations on the topic at the international creativity conferences in New York and is also a founding member of The South African Sports Hall of Fame, an initiative approved by the minister of sport.

She was the former chairperson of the Proudly Insurance campaign, aimed at improving the image of the South African insurance sector, and also creating a sense of pride amongst staff for the industry that they represent.

Massie also serves on the South African Insurance Association Board and was the first female president of the Insurance Institute of South Africa. She is also a patron of the Women in Insurance programme, and passionately believes in finding potential in people and exploring new opportunities within a dynamic insurance industry.