The hiring of the chairman’s daughter as a PR for a JCI wine estate has caused mutterings in the firm. Reg Rumney reports
The appointment of the daughter of the chairman of the soon-to-be-unbundled Johannesburg Consolidated Investments as a public relations officer for a subsidiary company raises prima facie questions of
Frances Retief, daughter of Johnnies chairman Pat Retief, was appointed towards the end of last year as a PR for JCI-owned Steenberg Estates, a wine and residential golfing estate.
That the level at which Frances Retief was appointed brings with it the ability to buy shares has also caused whispers in the company that she is not qualified for the job and that she was appointed mainly because she is the chairman’s daughter.
Retief this week said she had previously been a PR in London for three years. She referred further questions about her qualifications to the personnel department.
JCI group consultant, strategic and public affairs, Nick Segal said Retief had been employed by the company in a PR and marketing role for the estate, and not by her father.
On the question of qualifications, Segal said: “She seems pretty well qualified.” She had been a journalist on the Financial Times and had a number of marketing
Segal confirmed the level Retief was employed at might make here eligible for some shares. However, she was below level four on the JCI employment scale. “She is not in the mainstream of middle management.”
Asked whether the post had been advertised, Segal said: “I don’t believe so.” He hastened to add: “We don’t always advertise externally. It varies enormously.” The fact was that Retief had the right credentials, he
Asked whether JCI had rules on employing those closely related to top executives, Segal said: “I don’t know. One can infer not.”
JCI was a huge group, he said, and it was inconceivable one could operate such a rule. The real issue was one of competence and whether ongoing performance was