Our People
People at the Heart
At IFS, we offer environments where our people are committed to thriving, and dedicated to driving passion and purpose for the betterment of all that we touch: people, planet and profit.
We value our people above all else. With a workforce of over 3500 across Africa, we cultivate a family atmosphere where everyone is valued and appreciated.
No employee is just a number. Each member of the IFS family is trusted and respected to do their chosen roles well, with the correct tools, expertise and guidance to do so.
Due to the nature of our operation and the locations we operate, we have a diverse cultural heritage. We embrace each person’s individual heritage, skillset and expertise.
We are continually on the search for top talent to join our growing family. We pride ourselves on our ability to grow and develop our employees, offering ample opportunities for development and rewards in a nurturing work environment.
Of our 3500+ workforce:
85% of all management positions are held by local Employees
47% are women
75% staff received training in 2023
Life at IFS
At IFS, no day is the same. This is the beauty of our business, and what we do. We are agile, innovative and up for any challenge with the common goal of exceeding our clients expectations. We embrace the magic of what we do, and have fun in doing it.
We are a family, a team that celebrates our successes, and comes together to face challenges and find the best solution.
Employee Engagement Survey
Above 0 is good
Above 20 is favourable
Above 50 is excellent
IFS prides itself on being a people-centric operation, where our People are our most important asst. We believe that Employee Engagement and sentiment is paramount to our success when it comes to growth and development of our employees, as well as retention and overall employee wellbeing.
We recently conducted an Employee Engagement Survey across the business, utilising the Employee Net Promotor Score as a metric for assessing an employee’s job satisfaction, readiness to recommend a company to others, and the level with which employees are engaged, enthusiastic and proud to be a part of the IFS family.
Developing Our Employees
We pride ourselves in providing our employees with continuous learning opportunities through several training initiatives delivered by internal and external subject matter experts. We effectively equip our workforce with necessary skills to enhance work and personal performance. We train our employees in their home language in order to enhance the experience. In addition, we use audio visual aids and learner guides in multiple languages such as English, French, Portuguese and Swahili.
IFS TRAINING ACADEMY
The Academy provides our employees with career pathing opportunities specific to the functional area they operate in, such as catering, housekeeping, laundry, retail, front of house and stores. These accredited programmes develop the skills needed for the staff to function effectively in the jobs they perform.
MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Our MDP is a bespoke, accredited leadership programme designed to develop management competencies in optimizing people management, operations’ profitability, quality management, and client satisfaction. Each year a team of Managers are selected to be a part of the MDP, and undergo 10 months of theoretical and practical training.
BURSARY PROGRAMME
IFS provides formal learning opportunities through our Bursary and financial assistance programme. All employees are given an opportunity to apply for Bursaries that would further their technical skills through a formal qualification aligned to their current and or further role within the organisation.
Our Leadership Team
Henlo Webber
Chief Executive Officer
Henlo has been a part of the IFS family for 18 years, and has held various positions across the group, becoming the Chief Operating Officer in 2017, and has held the CEO position since 2020. Henlo is extremely passionate about the IFS family, the business operation and its people. He strongly believes in instilling a sound culture throughout the business.
Jason Skewis
Chief Operating Officer
Jason has been with the IFS family for 9 years, having joined the business as the Supply Chain Executive. Jason has over 23 years of experience in operations and cross border supply chain management.
Sally Brennan
Chief Financial Officer
Sally joined the IFS family in 2017 as a Management Accountant and has held various positions with the financial functions and was appointed Chief Financial Officer in 2021. Sally is a Chartered Accountant, and has held numerous financial roles in the UK, prior to joining the IFS family.
Natasha Main
Chief People and Culture Officer
Natasha joined the IFS family in 2013, and has been a Group HR executive for 10 years. Natasha has 28 years of HR management experience, and is passionate about people and ensuring effective People governance, culture and processes are at the forefront of the operation.
Dwayne Sinclair
Chief Business Development Officer
Dwayne joined the IFS family in 2022, to drive new business and growth. Dwayne has 22 years experience in business management, and is passionate about marketing, sales and nurturing new relationships with key clients across Africa.
Ian Chambers
Executive Chairman
Ian Chambers, an expert in international tax, exchange control, and corporate advisory services, began his career in the law Interpretation Division of Inland Revenue before joining Fisher Hoffman Stride Chartered Accountants as a tax consultant. He later served as a director at FHS Consulting (Pty) Limited and FHS Wealth Services (Pty) Limited, contributing to the SARS Practice Manual and authoring the Lexus Nexus Tax Diary and Financial Advisers Handbook. During this time, he oversaw the implementation of VAT in South Africa, advised numerous clients, and conducted seminars on income tax and VAT for the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. Currently, Ian serves as the Executive Chairman at our group's Head Office in Mauritius.
