Former Springbok rugby coach Jake White has taken a marketing position with private equity firm Richmark Holdings, which has extensive investments in the telecommunications industry.
Richmark group CEO Gavin Varejes confirms White has taken up the appointment of "head coach: marketing". White will continue with his other commitments, such as helping develop coaches for the International Rugby Board and his consulting work with financial services firm Verso and medical aid group Discovery.
Varejes, an ardent sports fan with a large collection of sports memorabilia, says he shares similar views with White on running organisations and motivating people.
"We have aligned our thinking about these issues. Jake is immensely well-respected. We share the same vision, whether it is about organising the Springboks for a test, or how to make a business work."
White`s agent, Craig Livingstone, says the deal with Richmark presents a "wonderful opportunity for Jake, who was looking to see if there was any life after rugby".
Livingstone says White is under some pressure to manage his time carefully due to his already established commitments, but there will still be some time for him to continue his rugby link. This includes White`s involvement in the amateur rugby development association SA Rugby Legends, of which Varejes is one of the original founders and the association`s president.
Varejes says White`s involvement in the telecommunications industry comes at a time when it is facing huge development issues of its own.
"Whenever I speak to any visiting overseas businessperson, I am asked two questions: What is our telecommunications infrastructure like and, secondly, how bad is the crime really," he says.
Richmark has shareholdings in listed Blue Label Telecoms, wireless connectivity provider iBurst, Vodacom service provider Vo-Call, corporate telecommunications provider One Communications, biometrics firm iPulse, organic energy producer Liquifire, and security firm SSG.
White was unavailable for comment as he was at a breakfast presentation and book-signing event this morning.
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