Directorate

The day to day business of the company is overseen by a strong, experienced board possessing considerable industry experience and medical knowledge.

Jerome Smith
CEO

Jerome Smith is a lifelong pharma man and founder of the business Medpro Pharmaceutica/Cipla Medpro in 1993, one of the first generic companies in South Africa. He strategically aligned the company with Cipla, India's largest pharmaceutical company and has led Cipla Medpro to its current standing as South Africa's third largest pharmaceutical company.  In addition to the day to day running of the Cipla business, Smith is CEO of the JSE-listed Cipla Medpro South Africa Ltd group which comprises Cipla Medpro and the Cipla Medpro Manufacturing division, a 4000m² pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.

 

Chris Aucamp
CA (SA)
Financial Director

Chris Aucamp, who is also CFO of the Cipla Medpro South Africa Ltd Group, has served as Cipla Medpro financial director for 15 years, overseeing the administrative and financial matters for the Cipla Medpro group of companies. He has substantial knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry and was an integral member of the team that oversaw Enaleni's capital raising and acquisition of Cipla Medpro in December 2005.

 

Dr Nic De Jongh
MBChB (Stellenbosch);  B.Sc,Med, Sc.Hons (Pharmacol)
Medical Director

Dr De Jongh has been Cipla Medpro's Medical Director for 18 years prior to which he garnered extensive experience in the disciplines of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Trauma, Urology, Surgical ICU and Family Practice at Tygerberg Hospital.

Nic has also gained tremendous experience in medico-legal and intellectual property matters and assists in our mission of first-to-market generics by reviewing, challenging and advising on the validity of patents.

 

Joe Brink
B. Juris, LLB (UNISA)
General Legal Counsel

A qualified attorney with more than 30 years experience, Joe Brink was a senior partner with Bornman and Hayward Inc. with expertise in commercial law and commercial litigation. Having undertaken legal work for Cipla Medpro and related companies for the past 15 years he possesses extensive knowledge of the business.

 

Dr. Divan Serfontein
MB Ch B MMed (Orthop)
Director - Special Projects and Corporate Affairs

After qualifying as a medical doctor in 1978 and undertaking his two years of compulsory military service at 2 Military Hospital, Divan Serfontein devoted the next few years to an illustrious rugby career which saw him captaining South Africa twice in 19 international test matches as well as captaining Western Province 51 times in over 100 matches.

However, medicine remained his first passion, and during his rugby career he continued to lecture in anatomy at Stellenbosch Medical School for three years. After hanging up his rugby boots he went on to further his studies in sports medicine at Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, USA. He returned to South Africa in mid-1986 to specialise in orthopaedic surgery where after he spent 17 years in private practice. His expertise and special interest in knee and shoulder surgery made him a sought after surgeon and highly regarded expert opinion in these areas by the medical fraternity as well as some of SA's top sportsmen.

 

Rynard van der Westhuizen
B.Com, HND Marketing and Sales
Master of the Quaich one of 147 in the World
Marketing Director

Rynard van der Westhuizen joined Cipla Medpro in July 2011 as Marketing Director bringing with him over 17 years of FMCG marketing expertise and resourceful insight in strategic marketing thinking and methodologies to build leading brands.

Having a strong background utilizing not only a variety of marketing disciplines such as classical above-, below- and through-the-line advertising but also consumer relationship marketing, sponsorship & events and brand passion - 
Rynard will provide structure and implement processes to enable brand building that will deliver sustainable long term growth and maximize profits.

Being a leader with good interpersonal and communication abilities, he has built a solid reputation for effective networking and building strategic alliances among key industry stakeholders he has dealt with in the past. In providing strong organizational leadership, marketing excellence and creating an environment for others to succeed he adds huge value to the Marketing Department at Cipla Medpro.

 

Jacques van Staden
Sales Director

With over 16 years experience in pharmaceutical sales, 12 of them with Cipla Medpro, Jacques has an extensive knowledge of the local pharmaceutical industry. He joined Cipla Medpro in 1999 as a representative and was soon promoted to Regional Sales Manager in Gauteng, a position he proved very successful in.

Having been the natural choice when the company required a National Sales Manager, and then fulfilling the role of Sales Director designate, he has played a significant role in ensuring Cipla's year on year sales growth and market share gains.

 

 

Naz Gamieldien
BA (Human Ecology) HDE
Director: Training & Organisational Development

Naz with her educator's background and 9 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry has brought passion and energy to the company. After joining Cipla Medpro in 2006, she demonstrated the ability to establish a world-class training department in a very short time span. Her mission is to inspire, inform and motivate individuals to reach their full potential in whatever role they play within the organisation. Naz believes in excellence and sharing of best practices across all departments. She aspires to foster and maintain valuable relationships with all stake holders, both internally and externally. Aligning to the values of Cipla Medpro, her focus is to assist in articulating the company's vision to achieve exponential growth in the years to come.

 

Janine Baillie-Stewart
M.Phil (Future Studies), BA Hons (Clinical Psychology), BA (Psychology)
Human Resources Director

Janine holds a Masters Degree in Philosophy in Advanced Futures Studies from Stellenbosch University as well as a BA Honours Degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of the Free State. She is a Human Resources professional with over 20 years experience. Janine has worked for a number of the large corporate companies, across various industries. She gained most of her experience within the retail and manufacturing industries, and joined Cipla Medpro 2 years ago and soon realised how fulfilling and rewarding a career in the pharmaceutical industry could be. Her passion and experience lie within the Human Resources business partner role, strategic planning and organisational development. Her purpose is to create stakeholder value through sustainable organisational growth and the execution of best Human Resources' practices.