April 8 2025 15:25
SOUTH AFRICA
Spear Reit (JSE: SEA), a real estate investment trust with a focus on the Western Cape, has announced the appointment of Joan Solms to its board. Solms joins as an independent non-executive director and member of the audit and risk committee, effective April 1 2025.
Spear explained in a statement that Solms brought experience in banking and financial services, particularly within the property sector. A chartered accountant with more than twenty years of expertise in property and investment banking, she has held several leadership roles; most recently serving as executive vice president of Standard Bank’s corporate and investment banking division, where she led the Western Cape real estate finance division until November 2024.
Prior to that, Solms served as executive director and chief operating officer of Ingenuity Property Investments, a JSE-listed property investment company. Recognised for her exceptional contributions to the South African property industry, she was named Women’s Property Network’s Professional of the Year in the private sector in 2017.
“We are honoured to welcome Joan to the Spear board. She is a highly respected expert in her field, and her vast experience in the Western Cape property market, particularly in financial services and banking, will add significant value to our team. This appointment comes at a crucial time in Spear’s growth trajectory, and we are excited to have someone of Joan’s calibre join us on this journey,” Quintin Rossi, CEO of Spear REIT, said.
Solms said her appointment was a full-circle moment, as one of her earliest banking transactions invlved assisting the founders of Spear with their initial funding.
“It’s remarkable to see how far Spear has come since those early days. I fondly remember my time at Nedbank in 2011 when I facilitated their initial funding, long before their JSE listing in 2016. Spear’s ethos and commitment to fostering a culture of goodwill, particularly in developing and empowering women in the property sector, resonate deeply with me. I am looking forward to contributing to the company’s continued success,” she said.
247@propertyflash.co.za