1. Curriculum Vitae
Emil Gryffenberg
21 July 2016 Page 1 of 8
Personal Details:
First Names: Ludwig Emil
Surname: Gryffenberg
Date of Birth: 19 June 1966
Gender: Male
Health: Excellent
Nationality: South African
Languages: English/Afrikaans
Marital Status: Married
Contact Details: Email: EGryffenberg@gmail.com
Cell number: +27(0)827830087
Education:
Qualification: Matric (Grade 12)
Institution: Hoërskool Carletonville
Date: 1983
Qualification: Learner Official Mining
Institution: Goldfields Training Services
Date: 1989
Qualification: B.Com (Bachelor of Commerce)
Institution: University of South Africa
Date conferred: 1997
Qualification: MBA (Master of Business Administration)
Institution: North West University
Date conferred: 2007
Other Courses: Management - Essentials of Leadership (Deloitte)
Management - Corporate Governance (Astrotech)
Project Management - Prince2 Foundation (APM Group)
Recruitment - Targeted Selection (Deloitte)
Micro Finance - Law, Client retention & service, repayment systems (Bank SETA)
Micro Finance – Micro Lending Compliance (Bank SETA)
Micro Finance – Product Development (Micro Finance Centre)
Mining – Advanced Loss Control for supervisors (Goldfields Training Services)
Excel and Word – Intermediate (Real People)

2. Curriculum Vitae
Emil Gryffenberg
21 July 2016 Page 2 of 8
Career Overview:
My experience covers a variety of industries including mining, agriculture, timber, manufacturing, building contracting,
retail, assurance, financial services and management consulting.
After school I started working in the mining industry where I completed the Learner Official Mining program. During this
time I also did two years of compulsory military service in the Artillery Corps of the South African Defence Force where
I obtained the rank of Lieutenant. Thereafter I owned and managed various small businesses. These ranged from
farming (timber plantations and cut flower cultivation), to manufacturing (cement bricks, concrete products and BBQ
charcoal), contracting (road construction, paving and home building) and lastly a furniture business (manufacture,
distribution and export).
After obtaining my B Com I started my corporate career as an internal auditor. Thereafter I joined the Steinhoff
International Group as an accountant. In 2003 I moved to the Real People Group and the next eleven years saw me
rising through the ranks from Project Manager to Chief Executive Officer.
Real People was poised for growth and due to my past experience my second promotion was to head up Product and
New Business Development for the group. For the “product” part of the role I started the Credit Risk Department using
debtor payment analytics and predictive credit scoring to develop financial products. In the “new business
development” part of the role I started 5 new businesses for the Group consisting of the following areas; cellular,
assurance, sporting goods and clothing, business asset finance and consumer finance.
In Jan 2007 I was promoted to head up the Merchant Finance division of the Real People Group, it was the group’s
consumer finance business and the last one of the five that I had started. Merchant Finance is primarily a B2B
business that provides an online loan application platform to retail merchants. This facility enables the merchant to sell
their products to customers by way of an unsecured loan provided by Real People.
By 2012 Home Finance had become the premier division in the Real People Group and I was given two more divisions
to manage namely Assurance and Retail Finance.
Real People Assurance had its own life license and its products consists of credit life insurance, funeral assistance, a
cancer plan as well as a family protection plan. These policies were sold through the RP retail branches, our own sales
call centre and outsourced call centres. Retail Finance consisted of 57 wholly owned branches which provided general
purpose unsecured loans to the public. The branches also sold cellular contracts and assurance policies on an agency
basis for the relevant divisions in the group.
I was responsible for the profit and loss of these divisions. My areas of responsibility covered the sales, operations,
customer service call centre, sales call centre, systems and process, finance, human capital, logistics, credit risk,
business risk, as well as overall governance and compliance. Managing over 500 people with a combined nett debtor
portfolio of R 2.8 billion, over 200 000 assurance policies and making a profit before tax of over R 100 million.
I left Real People in 2014 and started Gryffen Business Dynamics providing management consulting services to
businesses. During this period some expertise was built up in in fund management and enterprise and supplier
development which led to the establishment of BE Evolve (Pty) Ltd. I currently also serve as a non-executive director
on the board of Thuthukani Financial services.
My hands on experience in diverse businesses coupled with my executive experience at Real People gives me a
unique skill set that will be valuable to any business that requires a multi skilled business executive with a proven track
record.

3. Curriculum Vitae
Emil Gryffenberg
21 July 2016 Page 3 of 8
Career History:
Employer: Self-employed in various roles
Period: October 2014 - Current
Positions: BE Evolve (Pty) Ltd – Joint Managing Director
Thuthukani Financial Services (Pty) Ltd - Non-Executive Director
Gryffen Business Dynamics - Owner/Manager
Period: BE Evolve (Pty) Ltd: April 2016 - Current
Thuthukani Financial Services (Pty) Ltd: 1 Nov 2015 - Current
Gryffen Business Dynamics: October 2014 – Current
BE Evolve (Pty) Ltd is a 60% Black Women Owned Private Equity Fund Manager. We invest and manage
the Enterprise and Supplier Development contributions of our clients via our special purpose
Investment Fund. These funds are invested in companies that are either suppliers of our Client
(Supplier Development) or non-suppliers (Enterprise Development) to achieve Broad Based Black
Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) transformation and empowerment for Black Entrepreneurs. A further
outcome for our Client is to maximize the points that they can score on their preferential procurement
scorecard as well as getting a fair return on investment of the funds so deployed.
Thuthukani Financial Services (Pty) Ltd (TFS) is an unsecured credit provider of Consumer Finance. TFS
also incorporates Thuthukani Housing Finance which provides Home Improvement Finance and
Opportunity Finance which provides Business Finance to Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s).
Gryffen Business Dynamics (GBD) provides business consulting services and assists with strategy
development, business development, system development and general management. Over the years
we built up specialty skills in the delivery of Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE)
transformation and Enterprise Development Fund management which led to the establishment of BE
Evolve (Pty) Ltd.
GBD Customer list:
 Awethu Project; private equity investment advisory and general management services for the
SAYF Enterprise Development Fund (SAYF = SEFA Awethu Youth Fund).
 SAB Miller (South African Breweries); developed a new Enterprise and Supplier development
strategy for the group.
 Thuthukani Financial Services; business development strategies for the consumer lending
division, the home improvement finance division as well as the SME finance division.
 Merchant Capital; advice on a sales mobility system acquisition and deployment.
 Opportunity Finance; loan origination system development and integration.
 Loomcraft Fabrics; BBBEE and business development advisory.

4. Curriculum Vitae
Emil Gryffenberg
21 July 2016 Page 4 of 8
Employer: Real People Investment Holdings (Pty) Limited
Position: Various positions as listed below
Period: August 2003 – September 2014
Last Position: Chief Executive Officer – Home Finance
Period: January 2007 – September 2014
Responsibilities during this period:
CEO of the Home Finance business (a.k.a. Merchant Finance), a division of Real People (Pty) Ltd:
 I started this business in 2007 and grew it to making a profit before tax of R 94 million rand in
2013.
 Merchant Finance provided unsecured home improvement loans to individuals through a network
of 750 independent building material retailers throughout South Africa.
 The business had 150 staff members, advanced R 960 million rand of loans per annum with a net
advances book of R 1.3 billion.
Director and Chairman of the board of Real People Home Improvement Finance (Pty) Ltd:
 This special purpose funding vehicle was managed by Real People and was a jointly owned by Real
People and Old Mutual Investment Group SA.
General Manager of the Retail Finance business, a division of Real People:
 I was given the added responsibility to run this business from October 2011 until June 2013.
 The business consisted of fifty-seven wholly owned branches through which the Group sold
unsecured consumer loans, assurance products and cellular contracts.
 The business consisted of 350 staff members and at the time of its disposal had a net advances
book of R1.5 billion.
 The business was sold in July 2013 in line with the group strategy of exiting the general consumer
lending space in order to focus on purpose specific lending.
General Manager of the Real People Assurance Company Limited from April 2013 to March 2014:
 I started this business when I was the new business development manager and handed it over it
to a management team in 2006. In March 2013 the head of the business resigned and I was
asked to run the business until a new CEO could be appointed.
 This business has its own long term assurance license and provides a range of assurance products
to the market.
 At the time the business consisted of 50 staff members and it had over 200,000 policies under
management.
Achievements:
 Build IT National Service Supplier of the year in 2011 and 2012.
 DIY Trade News Supplier of the year 2011 and 2012.
 Essential Hardware Service Provider of the Year 2011 & 2013.
 Selected by Build IT National Guild as their preferred strategic Financial Service provider ahead of
Nedbank.
 Selected by Mass Build (subsidiary of Mass Mart) as their exclusive Financial Service Provider for
unsecured loans after a process where we competed with all the mayor banks and the large
financial service providers.
 Grew the Home Finance business to become the premier division in the group.
 Was given the added responsibility of managing two more divisions of the group namely,
Assurance and Retail Finance.
 Successful development and implementation of the Real People Visa Debit Card in collaboration
with ABSA bank as the sponsoring bank.
 Due to a challenging operating environment the operating model of Real People was restructured.
The number of divisions was reduced and the Home Finance CEO position became redundant.

5. Curriculum Vitae
Emil Gryffenberg
21 July 2016 Page 5 of 8
Position: Product and Business Development Manager
Period: October 2005 – January 2007
During this period of expansion at Real People a new role was created to develop new products and the
businesses that sold them. My task was to find new business opportunities, evaluate them and if
feasible then start the new business, develop the systems, processes and procedures. Once all was
running smoothly to appoint a management team and hand the business over to them.
Achievements:
 Started the Cellular, Assurance and Real People Sport businesses for the group and handed these
over to the management teams.
 Set up the operations and support for African Independent an asset finance and discounting
business.
 Conceptualised and started the Merchant Finance businesses for Real People which I grew and
managed until 2014.
 Started the Credit Risk department and introduced various credit monitoring tools as well as credit
scoring to the business.
 Priced and developed various financial products for the group, including credit life insurance.
 During this time I obtained my Master’s degree in Business Administration with my dissertation
topic on credit scoring.
 Promoted to head of the Home Finance business.
Position: Loan Origination Manager
Period: October 2003 – September 2005
After having successfully lead the team that built the new loan origination system I was promoted to
Head of Loan Origination to implement the new system and develop the processes and procedures to
manage and control this function.
Achievements:
 Lead the project team that improved loan approval turnaround time from 3 days to 24 hours,
thereafter from 24 hours to 1 hour.
 Lead the project team that developed the loan origination platform for operations in Lesotho and
Swaziland.
 Promoted to Department Head: Product and Business Development.
Position: Project Manager
Period: August 2003 – September 2003
When I joined the Real People group in 2003 the business had just come through a very tough trading
environment during which it had suspended lending operations and focussed on collecting its debtor’s
book. At the time the business had just restarted its lending operations and needed to develop a loan
origination system to support this. I was appointed as project manager for this purpose.
Achievements:
 Lead the team that developed the new loan origination platform for the group.
 Promoted to Loan Origination Manager.

6. Curriculum Vitae
Emil Gryffenberg
21 July 2016 Page 6 of 8
Employer: Steinhoff Southern Cape (Pty) Limited
Position: Accountant
Period: April 2002 – July 2003
After a period of expansion through acquisitions Steinhoff Ltd needed to consolidate these businesses
and created the subsidiary Steinhoff Southern Cape. The business consisted of a variety of businesses
ranging from timber plantations, sawmills, pole plants and various furniture manufacturers. I was
appointed as part of the finance team tasked with centralising the various accounting departments of all
these various businesses in the group.
Achievements:
 Successfully implemented the new ACCPAC asset management module and recorded all the assets
in the group.
 Member of the project team that developed the new George Sawmill for the Steinhoff Group.
Employer: Moneywise Ltd
Position: Internal Auditor on Contract
Period: November 2001 – March 2002
Moneywise Limited, was a listed cash loan business that had acquired a debtors portfolio of long term
loans to expand their product offering (the business was later renamed Real People Ltd). The group had
acquired a new debtor’s management system to manage their newly acquired term lending book. The
businesses needed a project team to convert the data and implement the new debtor’s management
system. I was employed on contract as part of that project team. In 2003 this exposure led to a
permanent job offer from Real People.
Achievements:
 Successful data conversion of a debtors book of R 250 million with over 60 000 contracts.
 Implemented the new debtor’s management system for Real People.
Employer: Gloserv (Pty) Limited
Position: Director/Owner/Manager
Period: August 1999 – October 2001
We were three partners that designed, manufactured, marketed and sold a range of up market wooden
garden furniture under our brand “African Comfort” for the local and export market. The components of
the furniture range were produced for us under license by a cluster of independent furniture
manufacturers. Though manufactured for us under contract we managed the product quality as well as
the logistics, transport and purchasing of all the material and parts required in the process for the
manufacturers. The components were then transported to our finishing plant where they were coated,
assembled, packed and shipped for export.
Achievements:
 Manufactured and exported wooden garden furniture to the USA, UK, Germany and Israel.
 Sold my share in the business and decided to go into the corporate world to pursue a career as an
accountant based on my B Com qualification.

7. Curriculum Vitae
Emil Gryffenberg
21 July 2016 Page 7 of 8
Employer: Isambuleni CC
Position: Owner / Manager
Period: August 1995 – July 1999
Isambuleni cc consisted of three independent businesses. A brick making plant and concrete moulding
business, a paving and contracting business as well as a charcoal manufacturing and distribution
business.
Achievements:
 Vice President of the Knysna Chamber of Business.
 Completed my B Com through Unisa.
 Sold these businesses for a profit and invested in Gloserv.
 Trustee of the BMS trust (Beylefeldt Montessori Schools Trust). The trust owned and managed two
Montessori Schools one in Knysna and another in George. During this time we implemented a
debenture program that funded the expansion of the schools. This enabled the Knysna Montessori
School to become the first Montessori school in South Africa to provide education from pre-school
all the way to grade 12 with a diverse range of sporting facilities and student hostels.
Employer: Heideplaas
Position: Farm Manager
Period: January 1990 – July 1995
Heideplaas was a farming operation with timber plantations, a nursery and protea cut flower orchards.
Achievements:
 Developed the farm from a green fields operation.
 Was rewarded with a 10% share in the farming operation which I sold and then started my own
business.
 Completed my B Com through Unisa.
 Chairman of SATGA Southern Cape (South African Timber Growers Association).
 National Executive committee member of SATGA representing the Southern and Western Cape.
Employer: Goldfields Limited
Position: Learner Official Mining / Shift Boss
Period: January 1985 – December 1989
Gold Fields Ltd is a group in the gold mining industry. I studied BSc Mining Engineering full time for two
years and worked every holiday on the mines as part of the practical requirements of the learner official
program.
In January 1987 I was conscripted for my two years of compulsory military service in the Artillery Corps
of the South African Defence Force. After the first year of military training I was awarded the rank of
lieutenant.
On my return from national service in the Army I worked full time in the underground mining
environment while completing the practical requirements of the learner official program. During this
time I decided to change my career path.
Achievements:
 I completed the Learner Official program and was working as an Acting Shift Boss when I left the
mines.

8. Curriculum Vitae
Emil Gryffenberg
21 July 2016 Page 8 of 8
Employer: Western Deep Levels Ltd
Position: Learner Official Mining
Period: December 1983 – December 1984
Western Deep Level Ltd was a gold mine in the Anglo American group. I stared working there after
school in order to save some money to go and study.
Achievements:
 Obtained my underground blasting certificate.
 I applied for a bursary with Gold Fields to study BSc Mining Engineering at the University of
Pretoria.