Spar hired an independent search firm to look for a new chairman, then appointed its longest-serving director

Spar has appointed Lwazi Koyana as its permanent chairman with effect from 12 November 2026.

This comes after Spar’s Nominations Committee appointed an independent search firm to support the recruitment process for the chairman position.

Koyana is the longest-serving director on Spar’s board and has served as acting chairman since 17 August 2026, after Mike Bosman stepped down.

On Thursday, 12 November, Spar announced that Koyana has been made the permanent chairman with effect from today.

“Lwazi is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years of experience in investment management and corporate finance,” the retailer said. 

“As the longest-serving director on the board, he brings deep institutional knowledge of SPAR and provides continuity of governance and strategic oversight to the board.”

“The board is confident in, and supports, Lwazi’s appointment as Chairman, having served as Acting Chairman since 17 August 2026.”

Koyana was appointed to Spar’s board in May 2019, and has served as the chairperson of its Nominations and Remuneration Committees.

“Lwazi contributes financial, auditing, governance, retail and entrepreneurial skills to the board,” the retailer states on its website.

Koyana’s appointment comes after Spar announced on 28 September that its Nominations Committee appointed an independent search firm to support the recruitment process for its chair and deputy chair positions.

The retailer said candidates are being assessed against defined criteria and a skills matrix, with particular focus on retail, remuneration, financial, and governance experience.

“The board has identified individuals of high calibre whose skills and experience, it believes, could make an invaluable contribution to the business and its turnaround,” Spar said. 

“The Board has also received representations from shareholders and retailer representative structures regarding potential candidates who are being assessed through the same process.”

Picking a strong chairman to lead its board is considered a critical step toward a successful turnaround and the restoration of relations between Spar and its Guild of independent retailers.

In the same notice announcing Koyana’s appointment, Spar also said it extended offers of non-executive directorships to two candidates: Grant Pattison and Phil Roux. 

The retailer said this followed a comprehensive process led by its Nomination Committee.

“Between them, Grant and Phil have extensive retail, FMCG and turnaround experience,” the retailer said.

Pattison has accepted the offer and will step into his position on 25 February 2027. Roux has yet to provide a formal response, Spar said.

Pattison spent 16 years with Massmart, where he held a number of senior positions culminating in his appointment as CEO of Massmart and President of Walmart South Africa. 

After this role, he served as CEO of NRG Renew Africa and Edcon. Spar said his experience spans retail, consumer goods, strategy, business transformation, operations, supply chain, stakeholder engagement and corporate governance. 

He also previously served as co-chair of the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa and as founding chairperson of the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud.