Growthpoint Properties appoints new Financial Director

Former JD Group Chief Financial Officer, Gerald Völkel has been appointed Financial Director of Growthpoint Properties Limited.

JSE-listed property group, Growthpoint Properties Limited said on Tuesday it had appointed a former JD Group Chief Financial Officer with experience in financial and accounting as its next Financial Director.

Gerald Völkel has been appointed Financial Director of Growthpoint Properties Limited, South Africa’s largest listed property company.

Völkel is a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years’ experience. His career spans a progression of senior financial roles with performance-driven companies.

Prior to joining Growthpoint, Völkel was the highly regarded Chief Financial Officer of the JD Group Limited and where he also served on the Board of this company for a dozen years. Before this he was an audit partner of Ernst & Young for four years.

Raised and educated in Gauteng, Völkel holds a Bachelor of Accountancy Degree (B. Acc) from the University of the Witwatersrand.

Norbert Sasse, CEO of Growthpoint Properties Limited says: “Gerald’s broad experience as a financial and accounting professional gives him a solid platform for the job of FD of Growthpoint. We welcome Gerald and look forward to working with him as part of the Growthpoint executive directorate.”

Völkel replaced the late Stuart Snowball as Growthpoint’s FD from 1 February 2013.

At Ernst & Young, Völkel was responsible for the client audits of some of South Africa’s leading banking, mining, industrial and retail groups. He also gained valuable international perspective working in London, including the audit of National Westminster Bank.

While at JD Group, Völkel gained extensive experience in financial and taxation affairs in this retail and consumer financier business with nearly a dozen brands operating over 1,000 stores in South Africa and Poland.

“His long record of professional achievement positions Gerald to make a valuable contribution to the Growthpoint team,” says Sasse.

Growthpoint Properties is the largest South African listed property company and is included in the JSE ALSI Top 40 Companies Index. It owns and manages a quality portfolio of 390 properties in South Africa providing nearly 4,4 million square metres of retail, office and industrial space to leading businesses across the country.

Growthpoint also owns 50% of the V&A Waterfront and 65% of GOZ, separately listed on the ASX.