Edward Kieswetter Commissioner / Chairperson of the WCOSouth African Revenue Service (SARS)

Edward Kieswetter is currently the Commissioner & Chief Executive of the South African Revenue Service. He was appointed to this role by President Ramaphosa on 1 May 2019. Due to his impactful contribution in his current role, along with an impressive record in the Public & Private sector, Kieswetter has, during this term as Commissioner, has been appointed to the following international roles: • 2023 - Chair: World Customs Organisation (WCO) • 2022 - Member: WCO Policy Commission • 2021 - Vice Chair: OECD Global Forum • 2021 - Co-Chair: OECD Africa Initiative • 2020 - Deputy Chair: Africa Tax Administrators Forum (ATAF) • 2019 - Member: OECD Forum for Tax Administrators In addition, Commissioner Kieswetter was recognised by the International Tax Review (ITR) Global Tax 50 in 2022. . Since April 2016 until his appointment as Commissioner on 1 May 2019, Edward managed his own investment. He gave all this up to respond to the “Thuma Mina” call (Send me) by the South African President. His previous senior leadership roles include: 1. Group Chief Executive: Alexander Forbes (January 2010 - April 2016), where he demonstrated exemplary stewardship by resolving a long outstanding and much publicised enforcement action by the Financial Services regulator, acting in the best interest of pensioners whose benefits were compromised through unconscionable action by industry players including Alexander Forbes. Edward further committed to do the right thing by entering a guilty plea, thus resolving a suite of criminal charges against the company. These actions restored the the organisation’s reputation, ethical values, integrity. This, along with a significant turnaround of revenue performance, enabled a highly successful listing of Alexander Forbes on the JSE in 2014. 2. Deputy Commissioner & Chief Operating Officer: South African Revenue Service (August 2004 - December 2009), where he established the Large Business & International Centre, and was central to the first phase modernisation of SARS as well as part of the executive team that established the revenue authority as a globally admired institution within South Africa as well as among international peers. 3. Senior Executive: FirstRand Bank (April 2000 - August 2004), where served on a number of Divisional Subsidiaries as Chief Executive, Board Chair & Board Member. 4. Senior Executive: Eskom (January 1992 - March 2000), where he served as Power Station General Manager: Marla Power Station and Senior General manager responsible for 6 large Coal Fired Power Stations as well as Generation Engineering and Generation Business Services Experienced in international and domestic governance leadership, Edward, served in the role of Board Chairman, Non-Executive Director and several Board Committees in the public, private and civil sectors. Edward, in his current and past roles, have demonstrated success as an ethical leader able to deal with strategic complexity and operational efficiency. His leadership has delivered exceptional performance, building high performance teams and leading successful and sustainable organisational turn around. As a committed servant leader, he remains involved in teaching leadership at post graduate level and has appointments as a Professor of Practice at Northwest University and well as Visiting Professor at Free State University, and the Da Vinci Institute of Leadership. He served as a member on the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation. He actively mentors and supports many young professionals, is a life-long scholar and remains passionately committed to education, and currently registered for a Doctoral Degree in the Management of Science & Technology at the Da Vinci Institute of Leadership. Edward, as a Reflective Practitioner, Teacher and Ethical Leader is widely recognised with several industry and academic awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Management (SAPSA, 2017), Africa Deal maker of the Year (ACQ Global, 2014) and South and South African Boss of the Year (BOTY, 1999/2000). Edward remains committed to Stewardship as the ultimate leadership purpose.