South Africa, March 12 -- As part of a long-planned succession process, the board has appointed current Food division CEO Sam Ngumeni as the new group CEO, effective 1 June 2026.

Bagattini will step down as CEO and executive director on 31 May 2026, before working closely with Ngumeni during a transition period leading up to his retirement.

Leadership transition aligned with strategic reset

The leadership change comes at a time when WHL says it has made significant progress in its strategic repositioning, strengthening its capital allocation discipline and long-term growth prospects.

During Bagattini's tenure, the group implemented several key strategic moves, including the disposal of Australian department store business David Jones,...