Transformational leader: An inspirational story with care at its core

By Fiona Wakelin & Koketso Mamabolo

The Omnia Group comprises a diversified range of complementary chemical services businesses across mining and agriculture with a broad geographic spread. The Group extracts operational synergies and efficiencies across its businesses. It has been in business since 1953 and is listed in the Chemicals sector of the Johannesburg Securities Exchange.

Getting back on course

In late 2018 Seelan, a former CEO of Stanlib, joined Omnia’s board as a non-executive member after serving in various senior positions in financial services. When he arrived the chemicals company’s finances were in a dire state with their debt sitting in the billions of rands. In March of the following year Seelan, an entrepreneur at heart, had a chance to move from an oversight role to a more hands-on one as the Chief Financial Director and, a few months later, he was appointed CEO after having served in both roles during a transition period. 

Being in a position to have a more direct impact on the operations of the business aligns with what Seelan enjoyed as a child. “I always knew that I enjoyed tactile experiences and seeing things happen,” he says. When he joined the board it became clear that the company needed restructuring if it was to survive and preserve not only the jobs of the thousands of people Omnia employs but also the hundreds of thousands of people whose lives their work has an impact on.

“So I thought, ‘let me put my shoulder to the wheel and see if I can change this,’” he recalls. “My contribution was just to help guide, to bring together the banks, shareholders, board, staff and other stakeholders. We’ve had a very good and successful four or five years after that.”