Change is always in the air at BrightRock, where “Love Change” is a way of business as well as an everyday way of life.

And with that mantra very much in mind, we bring you news of a change in leadership that will take effect at the start of the new year.

That’s when BrightRock’s co-founder and CEO, Schalk Malan, plans to step down from the business and hand over the reins to our deputy CEO, Suzanne Stevens.

Suzanne is one of the co-founders at BrightRock. She is currently responsible for client operational functions, HR functions, and brand marketing functions at BrightRock.

Since stepping into the role of Deputy CEO, Suzanne has successfully led the implementation of new technologies to improve automation and efficiency and deliver improved customer outcomes.

Suzanne will take over as CEO from January 1, 2025. She will be supported in her leadership by co-founder and Executive Director, Sean Hanlon, who will continue to play an instrumental role in BrightRock’s operational and distribution delivery.

Schalk will work closely with Suzanne to ensure a detailed handover and a smooth transition of the business to its new leadership structure.

An executive leader at BrightRock from the start, Schalk is the main architect of our innovative needs-matched product design.

He became CEO in 2017 and helped oversee the share transactions that saw Sanlam acquire an initial majority stake in BrightRock in 2018, and a 100% stake in the business in early 2023.

The original founding team has managed the business for 13 years, taking it from a zero-base start-up to one of the top four risk insurance providers in terms of new business market share in the independent financial adviser market over the past 12 months.

Having helped establish BrightRock and achieve his personal objectives, Schalk feels the time is right for him to embrace a new challenge.

“I have every confidence that Suzanne will adeptly steer the business forward to achieving its stated goals of growing its scale and reach within the life and funeral markets, as well as exploring potential new product lines and markets,” he says.

Anton Gildenhuys, Chairman of the BrightRock Board and Chief Executive Officer: Sanlam Life and Savings, expressed his thanks to Schalk and his confidence in Suzanne.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Schalk for his exceptional leadership and commitment to BrightRock and its purpose of helping people navigate change in their lives,” he said.

“I have every confidence that the remaining founders, Suzanne Stevens and Sean Hanlon, will continue to build on Schalk’s legacy. With their vast industry experience, deep institutional knowledge, and complementary skill sets, we are confident in BrightRock’s promising future and the organisation’s ability to build on the strong foundations it has established over the past 13 years.”

All the best to Schalk on his new journey of change, and to Suzanne, Sean, and the rest of the BrightRock team, here’s to many bright years ahead!