Holly Lufele joins Santam as executive head of human capital

Sphumelele Khumalo 10 September 2026

Holly Lufele has joined Santam as executive head of human capital.

She joins the insurer from Amazon Web Services (AWS), where she was global HR leader from 2022.

Before joining AWS, Holly was the senior human capital business partner for global markets at Rand Merchant Bank.

Her previous roles include HR business partner for digital & data at Old Mutual South Africa and several human capital roles at Standard Bank Group.

At Standard Bank, she held positions including human capital business partner for Africa Regions, human capital business partner for information & data management, HR business partner for business & commercial banking and HR consultant in personal banking.

She began her career at Edcon, where she worked as an HR consultant after starting out as an HR trainee.

Holly holds a bachelor of social science in organisational psychology and management and a bachelor of social science honours in management from Rhodes University.

Sphumelele Khumalo

Sphumelele Khumalo is the senior writer for CHRO South Africa. With a background in health journalism, she brings a passion for storytelling and an interest in exploring the human side of every story, one word at a time. When she’s not meeting deadlines, you might find her experimenting in the kitchen, or chasing sunsets.

A first job has to offer more than a first payslip

Entry-level roles may carry lower salaries than experienced roles, but employers should not mistake lower pay for low investment.

04 November 2026

Integrating AI in HR processes should be clear, regular and transparent

As AI changes how people work, organisations must decide how to embrace innovation without losing employee trust. Drawing insights from Sage’s latest HR and Payroll Leaders’ Report, a panel discussion at the 2026 HR Indaba explored how leaders can adopt AI responsibly, support employees through transformation, and create more connected experiences across HR and payroll.

30 October 2026

2026 HR Indaba: Managing restructures without breaking culture

Shedding the workforce is one of the most emotionally taxing experiences for employees and the exco alike. Leading HR executives at the 2026 HR Indaba unpacked how to navigate retrenchments with transparency and empathy while sharing practical strategies for communication, leadership alignment and preserving culture.

22 October 2026

HR must make technology work for people, says Sage at 2026 HR Indaba

As HR leaders face growing workloads, expanding responsibilities and pressure to adopt AI, Abel Makgato, field sales manager for payroll and HR at Sage, urged organisations to prioritise trust, accuracy and simplicity when choosing technology at the 2026 HR Indaba.

20 October 2026