Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Wessie van der Westhuizen, and Chief Culture Officer (CCO), Sonja Thieme, will be resigning from the group effective 30 April 2024 due to personal reasons, the company announced.
Sven Thieme, the Executive Chairman of the O&L Group, said Van der Westhuizen and Thieme had elected to relinquish their leadership positions.
“Wessie and Sonja conveyed their heartfelt decision, expressing appreciation for the company’s understanding and support throughout a deeply challenging period in their personal lives spanning the past four and a half years. This period was compounded by the profound loss of their only son, Beau van der Westhuizen, in November 2022, following a courageous battle with cancer,” he said.
“The decision made by Wessie and Sonja to resign was reached with the utmost care and consideration. Their dedication to the O&L Group has been steadfast, even in the face of unimaginable personal loss. We are eternally grateful for their leadership, compassion, and commitment over the years.”
The O&L Executive Chairman said despite stepping down from their executive roles, Van der Westhuizen and Thieme will maintain their positions as non-executive board members of the holding company, Olfitra.
“As the O&L Group bids farewell to Wessie and Sonja in their current capacities, the O&L family stands united in offering comfort, compassion, and solidarity to Wessie and Sonja as they embark on this new chapter of their lives. Their impact on the organization has been profound, and their legacy will endure,” he said.
Van der Westhuizen and Thieme said,”The past four and a half years have been an extremely difficult and painful period in our personal lives. We therefore appreciate having the authentic discussion with Sven, the Executive Chairman, and the care he displayed in respecting our wish to rearrange our priorities to have the necessary space to find peace for ourselves. This was not an easy decision, and we reassure you that our loyalty, passion, and care for this group will always remain. Thank you for your understanding and for affording us the necessary space to find peace.”
The O&L Group is Namibia’s largest privately owned group of companies and besides its leisure business, Namib Daries, Pick n Pay, Hangana Seafood, Dimension Data, Broll Namibia and is a majority shareholder in Hartlief, among other investments.
