Riaz Haffejee

SVP Toyota South Africa Motors

Riaz is a qualified Mechanical Engineer obtained through the University of KwaZulu Natal and also has an MBA (UKZN) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management (UKZN).
He was the CEO of Metair Investments Limited from Feb 2021- May 2023, a Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) listed company with R15bn in turnover and R5bn market cap. Prior to that, Riaz served as the CEO of Sumitomo Rubber South Africa Proprietary Limited ("Sumitomo Dunlop"), a division of the Japanese listed company, Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited (SRI), where he held the SSA responsibility and held an Executive Officer position on the Global Exco, in addition to being the Chairman of its Middle Eastern subsidiary. 
Riaz is an experienced business leader and has served as a member and Executive Director on the Boards of multiple entities as well as serving as the Chair of various subsidiary companies in South Africa, Turkey, Romania, UAE and the UK. 
Previously, Riaz was an Executive at Vodacom Business from 2008 to 2012 and he also occupied a number of senior managerial positions at BMW South Africa over the period 1996 to 2008. His responsibilities there included several positions in manufacturing at Plant Rosslyn and GM roles in the Sales and Marketing division. 
Riaz has had a career spanning more than 25 years with expert knowledge across the auto industry having diverse experience with multinational and listed companies, German as well as Japanese corporate cultures as well as other worldwide brands including a stint in telecommunications. This diverse experience has ranged from engineering and manufacturing to an in-depth retail understanding including a very customer orientated approach to doing business with an understating of various franchise models and relationships. 
Riaz previously advised the dtic and the IDC on NEV policy and battery value chain development in South Africa. 
He is currently the Senior Vice President of the Manufacturing Support Group at Toyota South Africa Motors responsible for Production Control and Logistics, Purchasing and Engineering, RR&D and Quality for the company.