Vivienne Pearson

CEO, South African Insurance Association

Viviene was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the South African Insurance Association (SAIA) from January 2016. She joined SAIA in 2004 as the Image and Reputation Manager and has held several positions in the organisation, including that of Motor Manager and General Manager for Projects and Insurance Risks, respectively.

Viviene was responsible for several industry initiatives at SAIA, including micro-insurance, financial inclusion, and consumer education, transformation as well as various projects in motor insurance. She also played a leading role in the establishment of the South African Insurance Crime Bureau (SAICB).

In her current position, Viviene is involved in initiatives related to the sustainability of the non-life insurance industry, including existing, potential and emerging systemic risks for the industry, diversity equity and inclusion, relevant regulatory-related topics, infrastructure-related risks and the protection gap.

Prior to joining SAIA, Viviene was a financial journalist specialising in the insurance field. She began her career in the South African Diplomatic Corps in 1983 after obtaining a BA Honours Degree in Political Science and Journalism at the former Rand Afrikaans University (RAU). She currently serves on the boards of SAIA, the National Financial Ombud Scheme South Africa (NFO), the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (INSETA), the Centre of Excellence in Financial Services (COEFS) and the Financial Sector Transformation Council (FSTC).