2007 Annual Report - Sappi

Our leadership
Non-executive directors
Eugene van As (68) Chairman DCom (hc)
Mr van As joined Sappi in December 1976 as the managing director of Sappi Kraft (Pty) Limited and was
appointed to the board in January 1977. In 1978, Mr van As was appointed group managing director and
chief executive officer, Sappi Limited, becoming executive chairman in 1991 and non-executive chairman
on his retirement as an executive director in 2003. He is a trustee of a number of education and research
bodies. Following Mr Jonathan Leslie’s resignation as chief executive officer of Sappi in March 2006,
at the request of the board, Mr van As assumed executive responsibilities for the group until the
appointment of a new chief executive officer. Mr Ralph Boëttger was appointed chief executive officer
from July 2007. Mr van As handed over his executive responsibilities in August 2007 and again became
non-executive chairman of Sappi. He will retire from the board at the annual general meeting on
03 March 2008.
David Charles Brink (68) (senior independent director), MSc Eng (Mining), DCom (hc),
Graduate Diploma (Company Direction)
Mr Brink was appointed a non-executive director of Sappi Limited in March 1994 and in March 2006 he
was appointed senior independent director. He is currently a member of the Audit Committee, chairman
of the compensation committee and a member of the Nomination and Governance Committee. Mr Brink
is deputy chairman of Absa Bank Limited and Absa Group Limited and is also a board member of the
National Business Initiative, co-chairman of the Business Trust, a founder member of the Independent
Directors’ Initiative and vice-president of the South African Institute of Directors.
Meyer Feldberg (65) (independent), BA, MBA, PhD
Professor Feldberg's career has included teaching and leadership positions in the business schools of
the universities of Cape Town, Northwestern and Tulane. He served as President of Illinois Institute of
Technology for three years and as Dean of Columbia Business School for fifteen years. He is currently
Dean Emeritus and Professor of Leadership at Columbia Business School. He is also a Senior Advisor
to Morgan Stanley in New York. Professor Feldberg serves on the Advisory Board of the British American
Business Council and has served on the Council of Competitiveness in Washington, DC. In 2001, the
International Centre in New York honored Professor Feldberg as a distinguished foreign-born American
who has made a significant contribution to American life. In 2007 Mayor Michael Bloomberg appointed
him president of New York City Global Partners. He is a director of major public companies including
Macy’s, Revlon, Inc, PRIMEDIA, Inc and UBS Funds. He serves on a number of non-profit boards
including the New York City Ballet. Professor Feldberg was appointed to the board of directors of Sappi
Limited in March 2002 and is currently chairman of the Nomination and Governance Committee and
a member of the Compensation Committee.
James Edward Healey (66) (independent), BSc (Public Accounting),
Honorary Doctor (Commercial Science), Certified Public Accountant (USA)
Mr Healey joined the Sappi Limited board with effect from July 2004. He is a member of the Audit
Committee of Sappi Limited and also a member of the Human Resources Committee. He is chairman
of the Audit Committee of Sappi Fine Paper North America. He has held various senior financial positions
in a career spanning 37 years. In 1995, Mr Healey became vice president and treasurer of Bestfoods,
formerly CPC International Inc. In 1997 he became executive vice president and chief financial officer
of Nabisco Holdings Inc, one of the world’s largest snack food manufacturers, a position from which
he retired at the end of 2000.
12
sappi limited | 07 | annual report