Raymond Ackerman
Encyclopedia
Raymond Ackerman is a South Africa
n businessman, who purchased the Pick 'n Pay supermarket
group from its founder Mr Jack Goldin (subsequent founder of the Clicks Group). Raymond Ackerman was chairman until he stepped down in 2010. He is also well known for his philanthropic
activities. He purchased four stores from Jack Goldin in the sixties.
After graduating from the University of Cape Town
with a Bachelor of Commerce
, he joined the Greatermans group in the Ackermans
division in 1951 at the age of 20 as a trainee manager. Ackermans had been founded just after World War I
by his father Gus, but was sold to the Greatermans group in 1940.
Ackerman was eventually offered a position at Greatermans head office in Johannesburg
. In the early 1950s, food retailing supermarkets first began to appear on the scene in South Africa. Norman Herber, chairman of Greatermans decided to start a food retailer called Checkers
. Ackerman was eventually put in charge of Checkers, making a resounding success out the business.
Ackerman won the Outstanding Young South African award in 1965, along with Gary Player
and by 1966, at the age of 35, he was the managing director of 85 Checkers stores; however, he was fired in the same year. In response, using his severance pay and a bank loan, Ackerman bought four stores in Cape Town
trading under the name Pick 'n Pay. Under his leadership, Pick 'n Pay eventually grew into one of Africa's largest supermarket chains, with a thirty seven billion Rand
turnover (2006 figure) and more than 124 supermarkets, 14 hypermarkets and 179 franchised outlets. The Pick 'n Pay Group employs more than 30 000 people in several Southern Africa
n countries and Australia
.
Ackerman has fought many battles with the South African government (both pre- and post-1994) in his attempts to free up the highly regulated South African fuel industry.
Ackerman is married and has four children, all of whom are involved in the business in various capacities. He received an honorary Doctorate in Law from Rhodes University
in 1986 and an honorary Doctorate in Commerce from the University of Cape Town
in 2001.
He was voted 79th in the Top 100 Great South Africans
in 2004.
Ackerman, together with his wife Wendy were awarded the 2010 David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership in Africa Award by The Synergos Institute Southern Africa office.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n businessman, who purchased the Pick 'n Pay supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
group from its founder Mr Jack Goldin (subsequent founder of the Clicks Group). Raymond Ackerman was chairman until he stepped down in 2010. He is also well known for his philanthropic
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
activities. He purchased four stores from Jack Goldin in the sixties.
After graduating from the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
with a Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Commerce
A Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
, he joined the Greatermans group in the Ackermans
Ackermans
Ackermans is a retail store based in South Africa. Founded in 1916 in Wynberg, Cape Town, Ackermans has over 450 stores across Southern Africa, including in Namibia and Botswana.-History:...
division in 1951 at the age of 20 as a trainee manager. Ackermans had been founded just after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
by his father Gus, but was sold to the Greatermans group in 1940.
Ackerman was eventually offered a position at Greatermans head office in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. In the early 1950s, food retailing supermarkets first began to appear on the scene in South Africa. Norman Herber, chairman of Greatermans decided to start a food retailer called Checkers
Checkers (supermarket chain)
Checkers is a FMCG retailer owned by Shoprite Holdings that operates in Southern Africa. Checkers currently has 26 Checkers Hypers and 158 Checkers supermarkets operating in South Africa and Namibia...
. Ackerman was eventually put in charge of Checkers, making a resounding success out the business.
Ackerman won the Outstanding Young South African award in 1965, along with Gary Player
Gary Player
Gary Player DMS; OIG is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six...
and by 1966, at the age of 35, he was the managing director of 85 Checkers stores; however, he was fired in the same year. In response, using his severance pay and a bank loan, Ackerman bought four stores in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
trading under the name Pick 'n Pay. Under his leadership, Pick 'n Pay eventually grew into one of Africa's largest supermarket chains, with a thirty seven billion Rand
South African rand
The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"...
turnover (2006 figure) and more than 124 supermarkets, 14 hypermarkets and 179 franchised outlets. The Pick 'n Pay Group employs more than 30 000 people in several Southern Africa
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...
n countries and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Ackerman has fought many battles with the South African government (both pre- and post-1994) in his attempts to free up the highly regulated South African fuel industry.
Ackerman is married and has four children, all of whom are involved in the business in various capacities. He received an honorary Doctorate in Law from Rhodes University
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public research university located in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, established in 1904. It is the province’s oldest university, and is one of the four universities in the province...
in 1986 and an honorary Doctorate in Commerce from the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
in 2001.
He was voted 79th in the Top 100 Great South Africans
SABC3's Great South Africans
Great South Africans was a South African television series that aired on SABC3 and hosted by Noeleen Maholwana Sangqu and Denis Beckett. In September 2004, thousands of South Africans took part in an informal nationwide poll to determine the "100 Greatest South Africans" of all time...
in 2004.
Ackerman, together with his wife Wendy were awarded the 2010 David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership in Africa Award by The Synergos Institute Southern Africa office.