Johannesburg, South Africa — South Africa’s retail group Pick n Pay said today its Chief Financial Officer, Lerena Olivier, will step down after the company’s annual general meeting next year, part of a broader effort to reposition the chain amid financial headwinds and stiff competition.
Under the plan, Tina Rookledge, a former regional managing partner at EY Western Cape will join Pick n Pay in February 2026 and assume the CFO role in August, replacing Olivier following a structured hand-over period.
Pick n Pay, one of the country’s largest grocery chains, has struggled recently with mounting losses and intense rivalry from competitors such as Shoprite and Woolworths Holdings Limited. The change at the finance helm comes as the company pursues a turnaround strategy aimed at restoring profitability by 2028.
Lerena Olivier has served as CFO since 2019, steering the retailer through major crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 KwaZulu-Natal riots and the firm’s recent two-step recapitalisation plan in 2025. Despite stepping down from the CFO role, Olivier will remain with Pick n Pay in an executive capacity to oversee key strategic projects as the retailer navigates its recovery.
Tina Rookledge’s appointment signals a shift towards financial and operational restructuring at Pick n Pay, with an emphasis on sustainable growth and value creation for shareholders. The company said she brings deep financial expertise likely to support efforts at restoring stability.
For South African consumers and investors, the CFO change will be watched carefully: Pick n Pay’s ability to regain competitiveness may hinge on sharper cost control, supply-chain efficiency, and strategic positioning amid a volatile retail environment marked by inflation, changing consumer habits and economic uncertainty.
Anyone with additional information relating to this story can contact us through email press@townpress.co.za.
Facebook Comments