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Celebrating the Trailblazers Driving Retail Automotive Forward
Women’s Month serves as an important opportunity to recognise the female leaders and trailblazers who are making a profound impact across our sector. Within the retail automotive industry, leadership is increasingly defined not only by commercial performance, but by strategic agility, ethical governance, and deep operational resilience – qualities that women across our network demonstrate daily.
In this edition of our newsletter, we pay special tribute to two outstanding legal and compliance executives: Inge Wever, In-house Legal Counsel at Rola Motor Group and Vice-Chairperson of the NADA Western Cape REC and Adv. Suzette Neuhoff, Group Compliance Executive at Halfway Group and NADA Legal and Compliance Committee member.
Both were recently recognised in IOL’s Women’s Month feature article for their exceptional leadership in risk, governance, and business enablement.
Through their dedicated work within their respective dealership groups and their active contributions to NADA’s regional and national committees, Inge and Suzette play a vital role in safeguarding our industry’s standards while supporting sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving market.
In the Q&A features below, Inge and Suzette tell us a bit about themselves, reflecting on their roles, the balance between governance and commercial growth, and their vision for where the motor industry must evolve to build lasting customer trust.
I hope you enjoy this edition of the newsletter, and as always, we welcome your feedback and any article ideas you’d like to share for future editions.
Warm regards
Brandon Cohen
CHAIRPERSON
NADA
FUTURE-READY AUTOMOTIVE STARTS WITH FUTURE-READY TECHNICIANS
Ford South Africa is tackling two challenges at once: youth unemployment and the growing need for highly skilled automotive technicians. Its Autotechnician Apprenticeship Scholarship gives young South Africans a three-year pathway, combining formal training, paid dealership experience and mentorship, while helping build the technical skills Ford’s dealer network will need as vehicles become increasingly software- and technology-driven.
MEET INGE WEVER
IN-HOUSE LEGAL COUNSEL, ROLA MOTOR GROUP
Inge Wever brings a practical, solutions-focused approach to the complex legal and compliance landscape of the automotive retail industry. As In-house Legal Counsel at Rola Motor Group, she draws on her experience across finance, law, risk and compliance to help the business navigate challenges while supporting growth and innovation.
Her contribution extends beyond her day-to-day role. Inge serves as Vice-Chairperson of the NADA Western Cape REC and is a member of the NADA Legal and Compliance Working Group, giving her valuable insight into the regulatory and operational issues affecting dealers. We caught up with Inge to find out more about her role, the challenges and rewards it brings, and where she believes the industry has opportunities to evolve.
We spoke to Inge about the realities of working across legal, risk and compliance, the importance of finding practical solutions in an increasingly complex business environment, and why she believes the industry’s future depends on balancing innovation with trust, transformation and strong ethical standards.
MEET ADV. SUZETTE NEUHOFF
GROUP COMPLIANCE EXECUTIVE, HALFWAY GROUP
With more than 30 years of experience spanning audit, risk, law and compliance, Adv. Suzette Neuhoff brings a deeply strategic yet people-centred perspective to governance in the automotive retail industry. As Group Compliance Executive at Halfway Group, she sees compliance not simply as a safeguard, but as an important business enabler that builds trust, strengthens decision-making and supports sustainable growth.
Suzette also contributes her expertise to NADA as a member of its Legal and Compliance Committee and participates in the National Executive Committee as an invitee.
Having recently concluded her tenure as a Director of the Compliance Institute Southern Africa and Chair of its Audit and Risk Committee, she remains passionate about advancing a culture in which good governance becomes part of everyday business.
We spoke to Suzette about her role, the changing compliance landscape and why she believes the industry’s future will be built on transparency, adaptability and trust.
TransUnion
WHEN FRAUD LOOKS LIKE A GOOD CUSTOMER
Amritha Reddy, Snr Director, Fraud Product, Transunion Africa
<p”>Fraud is becoming increasingly difficult to detect, with synthetic identities designed to behave like legitimate, trustworthy customers. By combining genuine personal information with fabricated details, fraudsters can pass onboarding checks, build credible transaction histories and remain undetected until losses occur.
In this contribution, Amritha Reddy, Senior Director, Fraud Product at TransUnion Africa, examines the growing threat of synthetic identity fraud and why traditional, once-off verification is no longer enough.
She explores the role of AI in accelerating identity fraud, the importance of continuously validating trust throughout the customer lifecycle, and why greater collaboration and responsible data sharing across sectors will be critical to protecting businesses and consumers.
<p”>Click on “Read More” to access the full blog and download TransUnion’s H1 2026 Update: Top Fraud Trends report for further insights.
NADA ANNUAL MEMBER MEETINGS: STRENGTHENING OUR INDUSTRY THROUGH ENGAGEMENT AND COLLABORATION
NADA members are encouraged to attend the upcoming Annual Member Meetings in each region, providing an important opportunity to stay informed, contribute to industry discussions and engage directly with NADA leadership on issues affecting dealerships.
A key focus this year will be legal and compliance developments, with practical updates on consumer legislation, competition law, labour matters, Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) requirements and other regulatory issues shaping the automotive retail environment.
Members will also receive an overview of NADA’s activities during the past financial year, including advocacy and stakeholder engagement, industry representation, compliance support, training and development, and the work of Dealer Councils, Regional Executive Committees (RECs) and the National Executive Committee (NEC).
Importantly, the meetings provide a forum for members to raise concerns, share industry challenges and provide input on how NADA can continue to support their businesses. They also offer a valuable opportunity to network with fellow dealers, exchange insights and learn from shared experiences.
NADA’s strength lies in the active participation of its members. We encourage all members to attend their regional meeting, make their voices heard and help shape the future of the association and South Africa’s motor retail industry.
