Le Roux, who had been chief executive of the Henley Group’s Singapore office, will be based in Mauritius. At VFS, he succeeds Thomas Wright, who is moving internally to focus on developing the company’s operations in Kenya.
VFS Holdings includes VFS International, also based in Mauritius, and VFS Europe Sàrl, based in Luxembourg.
Also at VFS Holdings, Andrew Pletzer has been named to the newly-created position of general manager. Pletzer had been responsible for business development at MLP, a financial advisory brokerage, where he was involved in the launch of the company’s Scottish office in 2009, and also with the marketing of products to high net worth customers.
As managing director, le Roux will oversee day-to-day operations with a focus on sales growth and expansion of the sales force, VFS said in a statement.
VFS said Le Roux has had 30 years of experience in senior management roles in large corporate companies. In addition to the Henley Group, he has also worked for Old Mutual, Nedbank, First National Bank and Commercial Union, according to VFS.
Pletzer’s role at VFS will involve supporting the company’s sales growth in Mauritius and Africa, while managing its international risk and life assurance product range.
VFS Group chief executive Peter de Putron said the appointments of le Roux and Pletzer demonstrated the company’s commitment to developing its brand.
The VFS Group was established in 1995 in the British Virgin Islands by de Putron as an independent network of intermediaries. It now employs some 60 people, including around 41 advisers, who work out of offices located in Mauritius, Africa and Europe.
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At the Henley Group, chairman and owner Antony Michell, who has been based in Hong Kong for almost 20 years, is moving to Singapore, where he will take over le Roux’s role and title while retaining his corporate responsibilities.
