A Conversation with Thabo Hermanus
Leadership transitions often signal change. At Experian South Africa, they also reflect continuity, growth and the strength of developing leaders from within.
Having held several key leadership positions across the business, most recently as Chief of Credit and Bureau Services, Thabo Hermanus has been appointed CEO of Experian South Africa. With a deep understanding of the organisation, the evolving data and credit landscape, and the clients we serve, Thabo steps into the role with a clear vision for the future.
We sat down with him to discuss leadership, innovation, client partnerships and what lies ahead for Experian.
Having spent the past several years leading key areas of Experian, how does that experience shape your approach as CEO?
It gives me a very practical appreciation of both the strength of this business and the responsibility that comes with leading it.
I understand the trust our clients place in us and recognise their growth ambitions, so we must deliver value that helps them achieve those goals.
By listening carefully to our clients’ needs and the problems they are trying to solve, and by appreciating Experian’s data, technology, people and solutions, I’m confident that we have a strong foundation to build on.
Ultimately, the past several years have given me a clear understanding of where we are strong, where we need to be sharper, and where we can create more value for our clients.
What are the most significant shifts you’re seeing in the data and credit landscape right now, and how is Experian positioned to respond?
There are several shifts happening at the same time.
The first is that decision quality is becoming increasingly important in a low-growth, more complex environment. Clients need a more current, consistent and complete view of consumers and businesses, particularly when making high-volume decisions on credit, affordability and fraud, while still delivering a great customer experience.
The second is the rise of alternative and transactional data, real-time signals and increasingly sophisticated fraud threats. While traditional data remains essential, it must be complemented by new sources of insight, stronger analytics and enhanced decisioning capabilities, driving a more integrated view of risk and opportunity.
The third is that trust is becoming a competitive advantage. Data can create enormous value, but only when used responsibly, transparently and with strong governance. In a highly regulated environment, getting these wrong carries significant risk, from financial penalties to losing the licence to operate.
Experian is well-positioned because we sit at the intersection of data, analytics, software, identity and fraud solutions, combined with deep local market expertise.
What are your top priorities for Experian over the next 12-24 months, particularly in how we support our clients’ growth and trust?
My priorities are centred on client-led growth, stronger execution and responsible innovation.
The first priority is to defend and grow our core strengths. Clients rely on Experian for data quality, availability, support and insight, and we must continue to earn that trust every day. That means continuously improving the quality, depth and usability of our data, strengthening our platforms and ensuring our services remain dependable.
The second priority is to help clients unlock more value from the relationship. We want to move to more integrated, consultative partnerships, where we listen and connect Experian’s capabilities to clients’ strategic priorities around growth, risk, regulation, fraud, digital transformation and inclusion.
The third priority is to scale innovation in a disciplined way. Innovation must be practical, repeatable and grounded in real client needs. Whether it is next-generation scoring, fraud and identity solutions, digital onboarding, analytics or alternative data use cases, the goal is to help clients grow responsibly while improving confidence in every decision.
Underlying all of this is trust. In our industry, trust is not a slogan. It must show up in our governance, controls, service quality and the way we engage with clients and regulators.
As data becomes more powerful and more scrutinised, how do you see Experian balancing innovation with trust and responsibility?
I do not see innovation and responsibility as competing priorities. In our industry, responsible innovation is the only sustainable form of innovation.
Experian has an important role to play because we operate in decisions that affect access to credit, financial opportunity, fraud prevention and consumer confidence.
Data can unlock enormous value, but that value is only meaningful if clients, consumers, businesses and regulators trust how it is used. That means being clear about purpose, disciplined in governance and data quality, and thoughtful about transparency, fairness and explainability.
What do you believe truly differentiates Experian in today’s market, and how will that evolve under your leadership?
We have strong data assets, advanced analytics, technology platforms and deep credit industry expertise. These are powerful in isolation, but our real differentiator is how they come together to help clients solve complex problems.
Clients are looking to make better decisions, implement faster and use solutions that adapt as their businesses evolve. Experian’s ability to combine local market understanding with global capability gives us a distinctive advantage.
Under my leadership, I want that differentiation to become even more client-relevant. That means being easier to do business with, more consultative in how we engage, more disciplined in how we execute and more intentional about scaling innovations across clients, sectors and decision journeys.
The evolution I would like our clients to feel is simple: Experian should be seen as a trusted strategic partner that helps shape better decisions and drive better growth.
What should our clients expect to feel or experience differently in how we partner with them going forward?
I would like our clients to feel that we understand their priorities, that we are listening carefully and that we are focused on the issues that genuinely move the needle for their business and their customers.
That also means being honest and practical, as we cannot try to do everything at once.
Clients should expect a partnership that feels more connected, more proactive and more strategically aligned to their priorities. Nothing gives me more concern than an expectation gap that leaves a client feeling that we do not care about their business.
What principle or mindset has guided you most throughout your leadership journey?
Listening deeply enough to understand the context, the people, the facts and the trade-offs. Then being clear about the direction.
The genesis of that comes from decades ago, when I read Stephen Covey’s book. One line that has always stayed with me is: “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”
Listening cannot become hesitation. Once the context is understood, provide clarity, take accountability and, most importantly, follow through.
What does success look like for you, not just for Experian, but for the clients and communities we serve?
Success is broader than financial performance, although sustainable growth remains essential.
For me, success means Experian is growing because our clients are growing, and our clients are growing because we are helping them make better decisions and serve their customers with greater confidence.
For communities, success means our data, analytics and technology contribute to a more inclusive and trusted financial ecosystem. We often take it for granted that most people have access to the market; however, there remains an underserved, credit-invisible population that could benefit from responsible credit extension in South Africa.
Experian’s success is linked to helping our clients unlock that population responsibly.