0Andrew’s 25-year career began in Executive Search in 1995 in a London-based firm, and spans international search projects across all functions and industries. He continues to work with clients in the retail, mining, heavy industry, communications, technology, FMCG and financial services sectors.
Prior to being appointed to his search role in 2010, Andrew’s business career involved delivering marketing/strategy consulting, online design, strategy integration, performance management, software development, data analysis and reporting services. His involvement in leading brands and new product development in FMCG companies, such as Coca-Cola and SAB Miller, provided a unique platform to leverage his strategic insight and creative flair into the commercial arena, both within a corporate environment and on an entrepreneurial level. This led to him working in a start-up team for the creation of a new banking organisation in South Africa, with a focus on micro-finance.
He is highly involved in both Board Services and Leadership Development, with a personal interest in assisting corporations and individuals to reach their full potential, and lead the way for an improved future for the African continent.
Andrew received a Master of Science Degree in Development Economics and a Social Studies Graduate Diploma from Oxford University, in addition to receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Witwatersrand.
Andrew is also an accomplished underwater photographer and all round adventurer having completed the Cape Epic Mountain biking race and earned the Underwaterphotograph.com World Champion Award in 2004.
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Brian Spanier-Marson has over 5 years’ experience in Executive Search.
Having completed articles at Dix Boyes and Deloitte, Brian completed his national service at SARS (South African Revenue Services), during which time he completed his MBL degree. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree, a Diploma in Accounting and a Master of Business Leadership. He is also a Chartered Accountant of South Africa.
Brian was offered a position as Managing Director at a clothing manufacturing business in Durban. Thereafter he completed an expatriate contract in Gaborone as the Chief Accounting Officer of the Botswana Power Corporation.
Returning to South Africa in 1995, Brian joined Alexander Forbes as Head of the Fund Accounting Area; he was later promoted to Head of Administration, Joint Managing Director of the Retirement Funds Division and later Operations Director of Financial Services where he served on the International Exco Board.
Whilst with Alexander Forbes Brian initiated two businesses - CashPlan (a micro lending division) and FIHRST Management Services (a payroll payments portal).
Brian left Alexander Forbes in 2002 and founded an employee benefits business called Crystal Retirement Benefits which, a few years later, attracted Hollard Life as a shareholder and investor. This business grew through acquisitions and organic growth and was eventually sold to Hollard in 2011. He later joined Woodburn Mann in 2013 as Senior Client Partner.
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Having completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry at the University of Natal (now UKZN) in 1997, Mdu began working as a process engineer for a graphite electrodes manufacturer. His passion for people development resulted in a move into skills development, and thus began a path that lead to him becoming the Head of Human Resources Services.
In 2004, he joined a global mining explosives and services supplier as HR Administration Manager. In this role he sharpened his managerial skills, turning around the performance of a struggling team. With this mission accomplished, he was appointed as an Organisational Development Manager, responsible for facilitating change initiatives and driving the company’s transformation agenda. In 2012 he was transferred to the holding company’s head office to work in the Organisational Development team in support of the company’s 16 subsidiaries. During this time he rolled out a group-wide performance management system.
In 2015, he expanded his experience by joining a mid-level construction company as its head of HR. Working in construction polished his change management expertise and deepened his experience of dealing with industrial relations matters and supporting project-focused teams. He later joined New Leaders Foundation as the HR Director. At this education-focused, non-profit company he developed people management systems that were necessary to support a rapidly growing organisation.
Mdu joined Amrop Woodburn Mann in 2019, with a focus on the Industrial sector.
He serves the community through his participation in the leadership activities of the global organisation, The Mankind Project. Mdu is an avid reader, a budding runner and an amateur golfer.
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Charlotte Barton has over 20 years’ experience in Executive Search.
After obtaining her Honours on Industrial Psychology, she joined a leading recruitment solutions provider in Johannesburg as a Recruitment Consultant.
She joined Woodburn Mann (Pty) Ltd in 1997 as Research Associate and progressed to Associate Principal. She holds a dual role, of undertaking research assignments and managing the internal knowledge and intellectual property for the company.
She has worked on a range of assignments across various industries and functions, including Marketing, Finance, Sales, Mining, Manufacturing, Human Resources and General Management.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Johannesburg and an Honours Degree in Industrial Psychology from UNISA.
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Verushka Singh has over 15 years’ experience in Recruitment. She began her career as an Internal Consultant for a specialist financial services recruitment agency.
She joined Woodburn Mann (Pty) Ltd in 2010 as Research Associate and progressed to Associate Principal. She has extensive experience in executive search across a variety of industries and has worked in different geographical areas both locally and internationally with a main focus in South Africa and the Sub-Saharan region.
She holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences honours degree in Sociology, and has a Post Graduate Diploma in Industrial Relations from the University of Natal.
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Kurt was born and schooled in Namibia. He moved to South Africa in 1991 to commence his studies.
Kurt holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Cape Town and an Accounting Honours degree through UNISA. He is a Chartered Accountant (SA) and a Professional Internal Auditor (SA). Furthermore, in 2015 he successfully completed his Executive Development Programme cum laude (University of Stellenbosch Business School).
Aligned to his passion for ethics and people, Kurt is a Certified Ethics Officer (The Ethics Institute) and holds an international diploma in consciousness coaching (Creative Consciousness Academy).
Kurt commenced his auditing career with KMPG in external audit with a focus on Financial Services. During his 12 ½ year tenure at KPMG he spent 2 ½ years in Zurich, Switzerland, establishing an Insurance Audit practice for the local KPMG office, followed by a 2-year secondment to Sydney, Australia. Realising his love for Africa and its people, he returned to South Africa in 2005, spear-heading the Old Mutual Group external audit for KPMG.
In 2010 he joined the Hollard Insurance Group as the Divisional Director of Finance (Short-term Insurance) and took on the role of Group Head Internal Audit in 2013 to establish and lead an integral and successful Internal Audit department. During his time at Hollard, he was a mentor and coach to a variety of Hollard staff, ranging from junior staff to divisional MDs.
In 2018, after 21 years in the financial services field, Kurt decided to pursue his passion for people and joined Amrop Woodburn Mann in executive search and leadership development.
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BCom (Honours) cum laude
Post her schooling in South Africa, Eva completed a Hotel Management and Tourism diploma in Austria and subsequently worked in the tourism field in London for a year. She then returned to South Africa to study for a B Com (Honours) at the University of Johannesburg. She is fully bilingual in English and German.
Eva began her career as a specialist financial services recruitment consultant, which developed into 20 years in various senior Human Resources roles in regional South African and global Financial Services organisations including Deutsche Bank; Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Barclays Africa. She has covered a broad range of generalist and specialist Human Resources roles and her fields of specialisation include talent acquisition and retention, career development and compensation.
She has undertaken various programmes aligned to her areas of interest and specialisation in the Human Resources field including a Programme in Strategic HR Leadership from the University of Stellenbosch Business School and a Professional Business Coaching Programme through the Gordon Institute of Business Science in Johannesburg.
Eva has made a career transition into Executive Search due to her passion for identifying and connecting talented individuals and helping them to achieve their full potential and thrive in their careers. She has extensive experience in liaising across all levels of an organisation, including board level, and an extensive network in Financial Services.
Eva joined Amrop Woodburn Mann in 2019 as a Principal Consultant and she is a member of Amrop’s Global Financial Services Practice.
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Cathy Dowsley has over 25 years’ experience in Executive Search
At Amrop Woodburn Mann she provides executive search advice to companies in the human resources, public relations and consultancy fields as well as the mining, construction and building materials industries. Many of her roles have been affirmative action appointments.
She began her career in 1981 as a Social Worker in a child and family welfare organisation. In 1984 she moved out of child welfare and into human resources where she joined a major mining house as a Personnel Officer. Cathy Dowsley joined Woodburn Mann Executive Search as a Research Consultant in January 1993 rapidly progressing to a Consultant.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work and was awarded the top student for the Institute of Personnel Management Diploma
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Carol Armstrong has over 24 years’ experience in Executive Search.
At Amrop Woodburn Mann she provides executive search advice to companies in Marketing, Sales, Manufacturing, Human Resources, Finance and General Management. She specialises in the fast moving consumer goods, retail markets, construction and engineering sectors.
She began her career as a Management Trainee in the retail banking industry and then worked in the short term insurance industry for a number of years.
She joined Woodburn Mann (Pty) Ltd in 1993 as a Research Consultant and quickly progressed to a Consultant. In 2008 she resigned from Woodburn Mann to relocate to Beijing, Peoples Republic of China where she lived for three and a half years before returning back to South Africa. In 2012 she returned to Woodburn Mann as a Senior Client Partner.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, and has a HDipPM (Higher Diploma in Personnel Management) both from the University of the Witwatersrand.