George Kershoff
Deputy Director

George is co-responsible for the BER’s management in general and the surveys in particular. He also writes quarterly reports on business confidence and inflation expectations. His research focus is business survey methodology and South-African sector trends. Since 2014, George serves on the Council of CIRET (the Centre for International Research on Economic Tendency Surveys).

George holds a Master’s of Economics degree, Stellenbosch University.

Fun fact: On top of George’s bucket list is an around-the-world business class trip.

gjkk@sun.ac.za

Hugo Pienaar
Chief Economist

Hugo takes responsibility for the BER’s macro forecasts and won the Thomson Reuters South Africa Economist of the Year award in 2014. He is the author of the BER’s flagship Economic Outlook publication. Other duties include communicating the BER’s views to clients, the media and foreign investors; content editing of various BER publications and contributing to the BER trainee economist programme.

Hugo holds a Master’s of Economics degree (cum laude), Stellenbosch University.

Fun fact: In another life, Hugo would be a sports reporter.

hugop@sun.ac.za

@hugopien

Christelle Grobler
Head: Macroeconometric modelling and forecasting

Christelle is responsible for the development and maintenance of the BER's macroeconometric models as well as the use thereof for forecasting the SA economy. She also does company/sector specific econometric modelling. Distilling the BER’s business sector surveys’ key results into broader macroeconomic implications is part of her focus. Christelle manages the BER’s Economist Internship Programme.

Christelle holds a Master’s of Economics degree (cum laude), Stellenbosch University.

Fun fact: An alternative title for Christelle could be “Wine Economist” given her love of wine, Pinot Noir in particular, and the economics behind it!

cgrobler@sun.ac.za

@christelgrobler

Cobus Venter
Macro service manager

After holding various positions within the private sector and being the director and full-time partner of specialist regulatory economics consultancy Econex, Cobus joined the BER as a senior consulting economist in 2012. At the BER, he manages the macro service as well as functions as the contact for ad hoc research projects. He has extensive experience in economic impact assessments, tourism, telecoms and medical economics sectors.

Cobus holds a Master’s of Economics degree, Stellenbosch University.

Fun fact: In response to the question, Hayek or Keynes, Cobus responded:” Hayek obviously! Who’s the other guy?”

jlcv@sun.ac.za

Craig Lemboe
Senior Economist

Craig participated in the BER’s internship programme in 2007 and re-joined the BER in 2010. His main focus at the BER is on the construction sector and he is the editor of the quarterly Building and Construction report as well as co-editor of the Building Cost report. Craig is also responsible for analysing and forecasting trends in fixed investment and has extensive knowledge of the Western Cape economy.

Craig holds a Master’s of Economics degree and a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) degree, both from Stellenbosch University.

Fun fact: Craig thinks that a young Denzel Washington should play the lead in a movie about his life.

cjl@sun.ac.za

Lisette IJssel de Schepper
Senior Economist

Lisette joined the BER in 2012 after completing an exchange programme with the University of Amsterdam. Lisette’s main research focus is on the manufacturing sector and she is the editor of the BER’s quarterly Manufacturing Survey report as well as the monthly PMI survey. Other research areas include the South African employment sector as well as the Western Cape economy.

Lisette holds a Master’s of Economics degree, Stellenbosch University.

Fun fact: On top of Lisette’s travel bucket list is seeing the northern lights, but she would also like to visit the South Pole – and everything in between.

lisette@sun.ac.za

Helanya Fourie
Senior Economist

Helanya chose economics because of the interesting questions that economists have to answer. Prior to joining the BER, she worked for FTI Consulting, Econex and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture. As an economic consultant in the private sector, she helped firms navigate and quantify the impact of policy changes. At the BER she focuses on key economic policy questions and provides research commentary. Helanya holds an MSc in Competition and Regulation (cum laude) from Utrecht University, and an MComm in Economics from Stellenbosch University.

Fun fact: In another life, Helanya would have been a documentary filmmaker.

helanya@sun.ac.za

Thanda Sithole
Senior Economist

Thanda Sithole joined the BER in October 2020 from the financial sector where he worked for over six years as an economist. He, along with Christelle Grobler, will be responsible for the development and maintenance of the BER's macroeconometric models as well as the use thereof for forecasting the SA economy. His role also involves economic scenario analysis and the compilation of research reports. Thanda holds a Master’s degree in Econometrics (cum laude), University of Johannesburg. He has also completed a Master’s Skill Programme in Industrial Economics from Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

Fun fact: In another life, he would like to be tiger - strength and agility.

tsithole@sun.ac.za

@ThandaSithole1

Nicolaas van der Wath
Economist

Nicolaas has worked as an economist for the government at the Departments of Housing and Agriculture, as well as a commodity market analyst in Johannesburg. At the BER, he is responsible for the data publications, the commodity prices forecast, processing the survey results and assisting with the inflation expectation survey.

Nicolaas holds a Master’s of Econometrics Degree, University of Pretoria.

Fun fact: Sailing around the world is on top of Nicolaas’s bucket list.

wnwath@sun.ac.za

Mia Slabber
Economist

Mia previously worked as a development economist at an independent think tank in Cape Town. At the BER, Mia is responsible for SAM-based impact analyses and other ad hoc queries.

Mia holds a Master’s of Economics degree, Stellenbosch University.

Fun fact: Mia is definitely a summer person, as she says that she can “only handle about 1 month of winter of every year”.  

gmslabber@sun.ac.za

@miadevos

Tshepo Moloi
Junior Economist

Tshepo was previously employed as a junior economist at National Treasury and the SARB before joining the BER in 2020. His main responsibilities include the Retail Survey report as well as the fiscal forecast.

Tshepo holds a Master’s of Economics degree from the University of the Free State and a Master’s of Public Administration (MPA) – International Development degree from the University of York (United Kingdom).

Fun fact: If Tshepo could only eat one meal for the rest of his life, he would pick Spaghetti Bolognese.

tmoloi@sun.ac.za

Ntombizanele Bakaqana
Technical officer

Ntombi is responsible for the BER’s data collection and various data publications for both in-house use and for clients. She is also responsible for the compilation of the summary of survey results and assists in updating client presentations. Ntombi co-ordinates the BER’s trainee programme including recruitment and mentoring.

Ntombi holds an Honour’s degree in Statistics, Stellenbosch University.

Fun fact: In another life, Ntombi would be a professional dancer.

bakaqana@sun.ac.za

Tracey Solomon
Trainee economist

Tracey assists with the BER’s survey analysis and BER Weekly review. She will also gain further experience with econometric modelling and forecasting.

Tracey holds an Honour’s degree in Economics, Stellenbosch University.

Fun fact: If it was up to Tracey to decide what she could be in another life, she would like to be an astronaut.

tsolomon@sun.ac.za

Arnold Khoza
Trainee economist

Arnold is part of the ongoing Economist Internship Programme in conjunction with the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). While he is a full-time employee of the SARB, he has been seconded to the BER to gain experience in all aspects of business oriented economic analysis. During the course of year, he will assist with the BER’s survey analysis and the BER Weekly Review, as well as gain further experience with econometric modelling and forecasting.

Arnold holds an Honour’s degree in Economics, University of Johannesburg.

Fun fact: Skydiving is on top of Arnold’s bucket list.

arnoldk@sun.ac.za