Ben Durandt
Restructuring Professional | Operational Turnaround & Business Recovery
“Helping businesses restore stability through strategic leadership, operational turnaround and commercial insight.”
“Bringing clarity, commercial judgement and practical leadership to complex insolvency matters.”
My Philosophy
Successful business recovery begins with understanding the operational and financial realities of an organisation. Every business faces unique challenges, and sustainable solutions require practical leadership, commercial insight and decisive action.
My approach is built on hands-on executive experience, combining financial discipline with operational leadership to identify practical opportunities for improvement, strengthen organisational performance and restore confidence. Every engagement is focused on delivering solutions that are realistic, measurable and aligned with the long-term objectives of the business.
I believe successful turnarounds are achieved through strong leadership, disciplined execution and informed decision-making. Working collaboratively with boards, management teams and stakeholders, I strive to help businesses overcome operational challenges and position themselves for sustainable future success.
Qualifications & Professional Memberships
Qualifications
- Master of Commerce (Business Administration and Management)
- Bachelor of Commerce (Honours)
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Chartered Accountant (SA)
Professional Memberships
- South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)
- South African Restructuring and Insolvency Practitioners Association (SARIPA)
- INSOL International
What Clients Can Expect
- Commercial advice informed by extensive executive and turnaround experience.
- Independent business assessments supported by sound financial analysis.
- Practical leadership during periods of operational and financial change.
- Clear communication and collaborative engagement with boards, lenders and stakeholders.
- Hands-on support in implementing operational improvement and turnaround initiatives.
- A commitment to strengthening business performance and achieving sustainable result.
Areas I Specialise In
- Business Turnaround & Recovery
- Independent Business Reviews
- Business Rescue Support
- Interim CEO, CFO & COO Services
- Corporate Recovery
- Financial Restructuring
- Operational Improvement
- Liquidations & Insolvencies
Representative Experience
Ben has completed specialist restructuring and turnaround programmes in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Malaysia, providing him with valuable international insight into business recovery and restructuring practices.
Drawing on more than 30 years of commercial and executive leadership experience, I have worked with businesses across a diverse range of industries, providing strategic leadership, operational support and financial restructuring during periods of change and financial distress.
As a Chartered Accountant (SA), I combine financial expertise with practical executive experience to help businesses improve performance, strengthen operations and navigate complex commercial challenges.
Representative assignments include:
- Assisting Business Rescue Practitioners with the restructuring and operational management of major businesses across the mining, construction, manufacturing and industrial sectors.
- Acting as Interim Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer for businesses undergoing operational turnaround and restructuring.
- Conducting independent business reviews on behalf of banks, financial institutions, creditors and shareholders to assess business viability and restructuring options.
- Advising on significant restructuring engagements involving ASA Metals, Dilokong Chrome Mine, CMC di Ravenna, SA Calcium Carbide and Kleinfontein Colliery.
- Providing executive leadership during the curatorships of Saambou Bank and Leisurenet, helping to stabilise operations during critical periods of organisational change.
Industries I Know Best
- Mining
- Manufacturing
- Construction
- Agriculture
- Transport & Logistics
- Shipping
- Financial Services
- Industrial Operations
