Seriti Green has appointed Jasmin Pillay as Chief People Officer, strengthening its executive leadership team as the renewable energy company expands its operations and deepens its contribution to South Africa’s Just Energy Transition.
Pillay brings more than 20 years of international experience in people strategy, organizational effectiveness, leadership development and cultural transformation. Her career includes senior roles at Microsoft and PETRONAS Lubricants International, spanning fast-growing start-ups and large, complex global organizations.
She joins Seriti Green at a pivotal stage in the company’s development, as it scales its renewable energy portfolio and builds the leadership, capabilities and culture required to support sustained growth.
“I am delighted to share that I have joined Seriti Green as Chief People Officer,” Pillay said. “What attracted me to the company was the opportunity to apply my experience in a business that is helping shape South Africa’s future. The combination of growth, purpose and impact made this feel like a meaningful next chapter, both professionally and personally.”
Pillay’s decision was also influenced by the company’s leadership. She engaged with Seriti Green CEO Peter Venn and Chairman Mike Teke before accepting the role, gaining insight into the organization’s long-term ambitions and people-centred approach to growth.
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As Chief People Officer, her responsibilities extend beyond traditional human resources. The portfolio includes organizational capability, leadership effectiveness, workforce planning and culture, as well as economic and enterprise development and social development. This broader remit reflects the close link between Seriti Green’s internal organizational strength and its wider economic and social impact.
“Today’s Chief People Officer helps shape organizational capability, leadership effectiveness, workforce planning and culture,” Pillay explained. “In a growth business, the question is not simply whether you have enough people. It’s whether you have the right skills, leadership and organizational environment to deliver your strategy.”
Her experience navigating technological and business model change has particular relevance as the energy sector evolves. Pillay emphasised that the Just Energy Transition is ultimately about people.
“Infrastructure and investment are critical, but the long-term success of the transition will depend on whether people have access to new opportunities, new skills and sustainable careers,” she said. This is especially significant in regions such as Mpumalanga, where communities have historically been closely tied to the coal value chain.
Seriti Green’s projects have already created more than 1,700 jobs, while its job-seeker and vendor platforms are connecting individuals and local businesses to emerging opportunities. Pillay’s role will help strengthen the connection between the company’s internal capability and these broader development priorities.
Her immediate focus will be on listening to employees, understanding the organization and building on its existing culture—preserving entrepreneurial energy and agility while establishing the structures needed for greater scale.
