Top South African CEO lands new job at Australian company

 ·13 Jul 2026

Former JSE CEO Leila Fourie is joining the board of Australian payment company Cuscal after just leading the JSE to a record year.

Fourie confirmed she will join Cuscal’s board, noting that the company has a history of enabling innovation in Australia’s payments ecosystem.

She added that the company is entering an exciting new chapter as a recently listed company, having listed on the ASX in November 2024.

She added that the company is well-positioned for growth, given its strong market position, continued technology investment, and having completed strategic acquisitions that have expanded its reach.

“I look forward to working with my fellow directors, management, and the broader Cuscal team to help support the company’s long-term strategy and create sustainable value,” said Fourie.

She takes on the new board role, having just retired as JSE CEO in April this year, with Valdene Reddy taking over as CEO.

Fourie joined as CEO in 2019, with the group praising her for diversifying its revenue base and modernising its technology and regulatory frameworks. 

She also oversaw a turnaround in the group’s earnings quality, with the group declaring net profit after tax of R1 billion for the first time in the 2026 financial year.

She also oversaw reforms of listing requirements, introduced sustainability, actively managed ETF segments and developed a voluntary carbon market.

Fourie previously served as the Executive Director of Post-Trade and Information at the JSE from 2012 to 2016, and has worked in Australia between her stints at the JSE.

She was the CEO of the Australian Payments Network from 2016 to 2019, and briefly served as an executive for consumer finance at Commonwealth Bank in 2019.

In addition to her upcoming board role with Cuscal, Fourie also serves on the United Nations Global Compact Board. She is a non-executive director on the Youth Employment Service South Africa.

Other board roles include serving as an Advisory Board Director for both Henley Business School and the International Sustainability Standards Board.

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