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 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 and her main research focus is the South African manufacturing sector. She is the editor of the BER’s Quarterly Manufacturing Survey and Purchasing Managers' Index, and also manages the BER’s Economist Internship Programme.

Lisette holds a Master’s of Economics degree and a postgraduate diploma in Futures Studies (cum laude), both from 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

Shannon Bold
Senior Economist: Macroeconometric modelling and forecasting

Shannon discovered her passion for econometrics when she was a part of modelling the impact of the structural transformation agenda while working in the Modelling and Forecasting unit at the National Treasury, where she did CGE modelling as well as macroeconometric forecasting. Before that, she worked in the Macroeconomic Policy unit covering topics such as growth and labour. To explore her passion further, she joined the Public Investment Corporation’s Research and Projects Development team. Shannon takes joint responsibility for the running of the BER macroeconometric model and ad-hoc research projects with a focus on impact analysis.

Shannon holds a Master of Commerce in Econometrics degree (cum laude) from the University of Pretoria.

Fun fact: In another life, Shannon would want to run a sanctuary for all the animals in need of a second chance.

sbold@sun.ac.za

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

Tracey-Lee Solomon
Junior economist

Tracey-Lee joined the BER in 2020 as a trainee economist. Her responsibilities include the Building Cost Index quarterly forecast and report as well as monitoring developments in the oil sector.

Tracey-Lee holds a Master’s of Economics degree, Stellenbosch University.

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

tsolomon@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

Lebo Siboyi
Trainee economist

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

Lebo holds an Honour’s degree in Economic Science (cum laude), University of the Witswatersrand.

Fun fact: Lebo prefers winter over summer, and can handle about one week of summer every year.

siboyi@sun.ac.za

Lesego Chanza
Trainee economist

Lesego 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.

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

Fun fact: If Lesego had a time machine he would go back in time to visit Paris in the 1920s.

lchanza@sun.ac.za

Sumaiya Sidat
Trainee economist

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

Sumaiya holds an Honour’s degree in Economic Science (cum laude), University of the Witswatersrand.

Fun fact: If Sumaiya could only eat one meal for the rest of her life, she would pick pizza.

sumaiyasidat@sun.ac.za