Business Talk – AVBOB Group CEO Eugene Strauss on evolving the company beyond funeral insurance
In this Business Talk with Michael Avery interview, Eugene Strauss explains how AVBOB is evolving to meet new financial needs.
Strauss is the Chief Executive Officer of AVBOB Group and boasts more than 25 years of experience working in the financial sector.
He was appointed to his current post in August 2026, and prior to this, had served as the CEO of Absa Life Insurance at Absa Group for over seven years.
Strauss also served as Chief Financial Officer of Barclays Africa Group for over five years and of Absa Life for over four years.
Strauss is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and holds a Master’s-level qualification (PGD) in Strategy and Innovation from the University of Oxford.
Additionally, he holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and a Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Accounting from the University of Pretoria.
The interview
In this Business Talk interview, Strauss outlines where he sees the biggest opportunities for AVBOB to grow, and how the company’s mutual rather than shareholder-owned model shapes his strategic priorities.
Strauss shares how he sees the company evolving to meet new needs and the approach he will take to growing AVBOB without compromising its key values.
He also explains where AVBOB is in its digital service adoption journey, and notes the importance of cybersecurity.
Strauss concludes the interview by outlining the skills that are needed for AVBOB to achieve its goals and the metrics by which he will judge the company’s progress.
Watch the interview with Eugene Strauss below.
Loading ...