Meet Luna Nevhutalu, CEO of Sanlam Structured Solutions (SSS)
Luna Nevhutalu’s roots run deep in the province of Limpopo. Born in Polokwane, she spent part of her formative years in the township of Turfloop – a township, like many others at the time, marked by unrest and clashes between police and residents in the years leading up to democracy. Her parents, raised in the villages of Xhihoko and Tshisaulu, came from humble beginnings, growing up without access to electricity or running water until after 1994. Despite these challenges, they became her greatest role models, demonstrating the power of education as a path out of poverty and a foundation for a brighter future.
Today, she serves as the CEO of Sanlam Structured Solutions (SSS), a role that has deepened her appreciation for creating stability in volatile markets and navigating times of turbulence. A self-described connector of people, she is a champion of women, having built a strong community of support around her. A community that fosters growth, uplifts each other, and embraces the shared experience of raising children within a close-knit village. She is deeply passionate about humanity, driven by a desire to empower others and cultivate a sense of belonging. A firm believer in ubuntu, she carries an unwavering love for this continent – through its triumphs and challenges, for better or worse.
Every day, Luna and the SSS team use financial engineering and derivatives to solve specific problems or develop products to enhance investor returns. While it involves financial modelling, it also relies on a deep understanding of people and their needs. Too often, investing seems impersonal. But there’s nothing more human than money.
Here are the makings of a human-centric money-mindset: Luna’s story.
Belonging in the world: When Luna was 18 months old, she, her older sister, and their parents moved to the United States, where both her parents pursued postgraduate studies. Her father earned a PhD in microbiology, while her mother completed her master’s in nursing. Growing up among other immigrant families, Luna and her sister recall being asked if they lived among lions back home in Africa. Their father’s groundbreaking research would later contribute to the development of a prophylactic treatment for Bilharzia, used by the US Army. During their time overseas, Luna experienced firsthand what it meant to find one’s place in a foreign world. This formative experience shaped her deep desire to help people feel like they belong.
Silent activism through education: In 1991 – the year former president Nelson Mandela was released – Luna’s family returned to Polokwane. Her parents took up lecturing positions at the University of the North, continuing their pursuit of knowledge while uplifting others. Both went on to further their studies: her father completed numerous courses, including the Advanced Management Programme at Oxford, while her mother earned a doctorate in philosophy at Stellenbosch University. Their commitment to empowering young people through education shaped Luna’s core values. Growing up in a home where activism was expressed through knowledge-sharing instilled in her a deep belief in education and lifelong learning as a pathway to opportunity and progress. This passion for transforming lives through learning remains a defining part of who Luna is.
The scenic route: Luna’s journey through actuarial science at the University of Cape Town was anything but linear. From being at the top of her class in school to grappling with the challenges of a demanding degree, she found herself tested and humbled. Yet, it was the support and care of others that carried her through – teaching her the power of resilience, balance and human connection. This experience laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment to persistence and growth. Pursuing her MBA at INSEAD further deepened her love for continuous learning, even when the path wasn’t easy. It also gave her the opportunity to build meaningful connections with people from diverse backgrounds across the world – broadening her perspective and reinforcing the value of shared experiences. Her MBA instilled her love for continual growth and upskilling, even when it isn’t easy.
A generalist specialist: Diving into derivatives in the banking world as a first job during the financial crisis fed Luna’s love for finding solutions during chaos. It also started a deep appreciation for the human experience as the world witnessed the widespread job losses and uncertainty that defined that period. Later, persuaded into the insurance industry, her role involved focusing on the management of insurers’ financial markets risks. Much of this work revolved around safeguarding the retirement savings of ordinary people – a responsibility that deepened her understanding of financial security at systemic level. In this role, she discovered that her true strength lies in connecting dots, and people, to deliver solutions. This gave her a unique lens for her role today; a 360-degree view of what’s possible. It wasn’t the journey planned, but it was the right path all the same. A circular growth story.
Today, Luna does a dance between opportunity, objectives, parameters and risk; she looks at what’s possible within specific confines. It’s an iterative approach; solutions aren’t static. Life isn’t either. As someone tasked with developing solutions, Luna seeks the human in everything – emotion is a layer to add, not subtract. This is what her story has taught her. To prioritise the person.
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