Mike Brown | Former Nedbank Group CEO

Wishing you and the Get-Agent-First team every success as you bring this vision to life. As you move toward launch, stay focused on clarity of purpose, strong partnerships, and long-term value creation. Platforms that succeed are the ones that listen, adapt, and remain disciplined in execution. Surround yourself with individuals who offer honest advice, think long-term, and contribute as mentors would.

Mike Brown served as the Chief Executive Officer of Nedbank Group from March 2010 until his retirement in May 2024, following a distinguished 30-year career at the bank. Over his 14 years as CEO, he played a key role in reshaping Nedbank into a more digitally focused and sustainability-driven financial institution.
Earlier in his career, he headed Nedbank’s Property Finance division and also held the role of Executive Director at BoE Limited.

Marie-Josée Nadeau | First woman to become Chair of the World Energy Council.

"A structured, centralised digital platform can reduce this fragmentation by connecting mining operations, contractors, and regional service providers within a single searchable ecosystem. In doing so, it has the potential to increase participation for smaller and emerging businesses, improve procurement visibility, and strengthen local economic integration around mining hubs. All the best to the Get Agent First team"

Case Study: How One Listing Can Lead to Unexpected Business Opportunities

The South African mining industry employed approximately 473,484 people directly in 2024. Based on available data from major mining groups and studies, 16–21% of the workforce typically resides in company-provided accommodation (hostels, villages, or on-site housing). This equates to roughly 75,758–99,432 workers in such housing (using the midpoint range for calculations: ~87,595 people).

For the industry:
If a conservative estimate of R3,000–R5,000 per housing unit per month is applied for electricity consumption—taking into account additional water-related energy requirements such as pumping and heating—the total expenditure becomes substantial. The total monthly electricity expenditure is estimated at approximately R227–R497 million, based on an accommodation population of roughly 75,758–99,432 workers and an assumed housing density of one unit per 4–8 workers, equivalent to approximately 9,500–25,000 units. On an annual basis, this equates to an estimated R2.7–R6 billion in industry-wide electricity spending for worker accommodation, with water-related energy usage representing a significant component due to the power required for pumping and treatment processes. Industry-wide potential (midpoint ~87,595 workers):

Monthly savings:

R114–R340 million (if 60–80% offset across units).
Annual savings: R1.4–R4.1 billion (gross; net lower after financing/payback).

Why Most Businesses Are Invisible Online

Today, roughly 4.91 billion people use Google to search online, yet fewer than 0.5% ever move beyond the first five results, and almost none reach the next page. This means businesses are harder than ever to discover when customers need them, and customers struggle just as much to find the right providers when it matters most.