Energy and chemicals group Sasol has confirmed changes to executive responsibilities, which it says are in line with a group-wide business performance enhancement programme unveiled in September. The changes will become effective from July 1, 2014.

The JSE-listed company reports that Nolitha Fakude, who is currently the executive director responsible for its sustainability and business transformation portfolio, will become accountable for its sustainability and human resources portfolio.

Her responsibilities will include human resources, public and regulatory affairs, safety, health and environment and shared services in South Africa. Fakude will also assume accountability for Sasol’s safety, health and environment function within the group executive committee (GEC) and will relinquish the strategy function.

The other executive vice presidents included in the GEC from July 1 are: Riaan Rademan (upstream and business enablement); Bernard Klingenberg (Southern African operations); Maurice Radebe (energy business); Fleetwood Grobler (chemicals); Paul Victor (acting CFO), Vuyo Kahla (advisory and assurance and company secretary), and Ernst Oberholster (strategy, development and planning).

The positions of executive vice president for international operations and that of technology remain vacant.

The changes have been announced following several resignations and retirements in recent months, including the resignations of former CFO Christine Ramon and global chemicals and North American operations group director André de Ruyter.

In addition, chairperson Hixonia Nyasulu is due to step down in late November 2013 and Dr Mandla Gantsho has been named as her replacement.

The GEC reports to CEO David Constable, who has indicated that the business performance enhancement programme will seek to address both organisational complexity and cost creep. The final design of the programme has not yet been finalised.