Desereé, whose appointment is effective 1 May 2024, moves from her previous position as executive head for human capital at RBS Insurance Brokers.
Seasoned human capital executive Desereé van den Berg has been appointed as chief human resources officer of Unifi Africa. Her appointment was effective 1 May 2024.
Desereé was previously the executive head for human capital at RBS Insurance Brokers. Prior to that she was head of HR at Metropolitan.
Speaking exclusively to CHRO South Africa, Desereé shared her excitement at joining the sub-Saharan organisation. “It is an incredible opportunity to work across multiple African countries, each with its unique cultural richness and diversity. With a focus on people development, it’s about unlocking potential and growing talent within varied contexts. Investing in people and watching them thrive is an impactful part of this role that contributes to sustainable growth and success across the continent,” she says.
She’s also excited about the opportunity to help shape a corporate culture based on shared values and purpose. “Within the diverse context of Africa, aligning a wide array of cultural norms and practices with the organisation’s core values offers a unique challenge. I believe creating a safe and an inclusive environment that respects and integrates these differences can create a sense of unity and purpose.”
Desereé holds an MBA from Graduate School of Business within the University of Cape Town, a BCom in industrial and organisational psychology and a BCompt Accounting Science degree from the University of South Africa.
Founded in 2015, Unifi Africa is an online based personal lender that uses technology and data analytics to provide unsecured loans to 500,000 customers across Uganda, Zambia, South Africa and Kenya.
