Roy Andersen, chief executive officer at Roy Anderson and Associates. Major-General Roy Cecil Andersen CA(SA), chief executive officer at Roy Anderson and Associates, is a South African businessman and a retired reserve general officer in the South African Army from the artillery. He matriculated from and graduated from Witwatersrand University.
Soldier on to make a difference
Having committed his entire life to the service of South Africa and its citizens, he is a deserving recipient of the Difference Makers Patriotic Award.
Roy qualified as a CA(SA) in 1972, having completed the five-year part-time course at the University of the Witwatersrand. Thereafter, he qualified as a certified public accountant in Texas. ‘I did my articles at what was to become Ernst & Young and rose to become the senior partner and chairman.’
Soon afterward, Roy was headhunted to become the president of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and oversaw its restructuring, including the move to screen trading.
Subsequently, he was appointed CEO of Liberty Life. ‘I retired for the first time at the age of 55 but returned to business life as chairman of Sanlam and Murray & Roberts. I have been privileged to have served on the boards of such illustrious companies as SAB, Standard Bank, Nampak, Sasfin, and Aspen Pharmacare. I was fortunate to be able to combine a business career with a part-time career in the Defence Force. I was commissioned into the Artillery in 1966 during my national service and had the honour of commanding the Transvaal Horse Artillery.’
He held various posts after completing the staff course and retired last year as Chief Defence Reserves with the rank of Major-General. ‘During this time I set up the SANDF Education Trust which has paid for the education of 142 children of deceased soldiers.’
Reflecting on his time as a soldier, Andersen told defenceWeb his most satisfying experience as Chief Defence Reserves was the deployment and extensive use made of South Africa’s part-time soldiers during Operation Notlela, the military component of government’s national state of disaster in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Many companies deployed within 24 hours of being called up,’ he said, adding, ‘During the 2020/21 financial year about 15 000 Reserves did duty for a total of 3,35 million days. This was by far a record and confirms the utility and importance of a Reserve Force.’
He has been awarded, amongst others, the Star of South Africa, Southern Cross Decoration, Southern Cross Medal, Military Merit Medal, Pro Patria Medal as well as the John Chard Decoration with a 30-year clasp. He was also decorated for 50 years of service.
Roy’s contribution to the accounting profession started at a young age as an external examiner in Auditing II at Wits. ‘I also represented the South African profession as a trustee of the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation.’
In recent years Roy chaired the Governance Review Task Team which revised the governance and structure of SAICA. ‘I was also appointed by the Minister of Finance as a caretaker of the IRBA, which included the reconstitution of the board.’
He feels he received this award for his ongoing commitment to the profession and South African society in general. ‘I would like to think that I have made a contribution to the lives of people through the work described above and my charitable work. I am also very active in supporting military veterans.’
‘Each of us has a duty to make a difference, especially for those who are less privileged and have had fewer opportunities.’
Roy aims to continue assisting young South Africans with their education and mentoring business executives to become more effective. “I will also focus on improving the lives of military veterans. I am very proud to be a CA(SA) and am blessed to have chosen the right profession.”
