About Us
Overview of Johannesburg School of Finance
Johannesburg School of Finance (Pty) Ltd (Reg No. 2025/279323/07) is a private sector provider of finance and finance-related training. Our main focus areas are:
- Short courses in business and financial management for the corporate market
- Entrepreneurship skills development for school learners and educators.
- 1-on-1 coaching for directors and other high-level decision makers.
Our corporate clients include listed and unlisted companies, organisations, institutions and funds from all sectors of the economy.
We present courses throughout South Africa each year and have also carried out assignments on behalf of clients in Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, South Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Mauritius as well as in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Australia.
Directors: John Mitchell
Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE)
We detest any classification of people based on race or skin colour. Nevertheless, in accordance with South African legislation, we qualify as a Level 4 (100%) contributor.
Our B-BBEE status is registered annually with the Department of Trade and Industry. Click here for a copy of our certificate.
Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act)
Click here for a copy of our POPI Act policy.
Our People
We take great pride in the quality of our delivery. The selection of competent course presenters is of paramount importance to us.
Our presenters are selected according to the following criteria:
- practical subject knowledge
- ability to communicate with students
- empathy
- humour
- enthusiasm
- patience
- appropriateness for the level of course being presented.
The selection of presenters is guided by our teaching philosophy which is to develop skills as well as knowledge, in a hands-on and non-threatening manner and in a way that enables learners to enjoy the learning experience as well as gain maximum benefit from their attendance. We therefore avoid selecting presenters for their level of expertise alone and we do not engage people who are not able to transfer knowledge and skills in a manner that is suited to the needs of the learners.
John Mitchell
John has been developing and presenting finance courses for the School of Finance for the past 26 years. He has run the business game both as part of finance training courses, and at company conferences. He served as a Director of the company for 16 years, and is now both owner and Director. Before coming to the Johannesburg School of Finance he worked for Gold Fields Mining and Development for 16 years in a variety of capacities including: Human Resources, Procurement and the Management of Gold Fields Printing Pty Ltd. He has travelled into Africa and the Middle East to present Finance Training courses, as well as within South and Southern Africa.
Andre Lanser
Andre brings more than twenty-five years of real investment-management experience to the classroom, shaped by time in private equity, venture capital, and roles at firms like Aviva and Hanover Acceptances. He’s been involved in everything from operational restructures to building investment systems to helping deliver returns across PE and VC portfolios. What students appreciate most is how approachable he makes finance feel. Andre teaches IFRS, financial statement analysis, LBOs, M&A, credit underwriting, and financial modelling in a way that’s practical, friendly, and grounded in real deals. His sessions are interactive, hands-on, and designed to build confidence quickly. Whether you’re new to finance or sharpening existing skills, Andre has a talent for turning intimidating concepts into something clear, logical, and genuinely useful. He has worked with organisations such as Standard Chartered, HSBC, SABIC, Barclays, Saudi Aramco, Nedbank, Rothschild, and Cinven, and is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) with ICAEW.
Petra Tripmaker
Petra joined the Johannesburg School of Finance in 2005, after making the bold decision to change her career path completely. She is a qualified bookkeeper and maintains the accounts of the company. She is also skilled in website development and maintenance and keeps the JSF website up to date. On the administrative side, Petra is the face behind the name who will be organizing your registration, and your certificates after you have completed your courses.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Peter van Ryneveld, founder of the Johannesburg School of Finance, passed away in October 2023. We honour his vision and dedication – his clarity, warmth and drive shaped the School from day one.
A graduate of Stellenbosch (Economics) and Cambridge (Law), Peter combined academic rigour with a gift for making finance accessible and engaging. He launched the School to bridge the gap between finance and non-financial professionals, laying the foundation for our signature style – clear, simple, and human. He also pioneered “Banangoes,” a practical finance game that reached thousands of school students nationwide.
Outside the classroom, Peter was a sportsman and sailor, known for his love of rugby, ocean adventures, and time with family. We continue his legacy with deep gratitude – staying true to his mission of financial education that empowers and endures.