John started his career as an economist in the National Treasury. He was part of the team that implemented the country’s first Medium Term Expenditure Framework in the early days of Minister Trevor Manuel’s tenure as Finance Minister. Thereafter, he became the Southern African Macroeconomist for Globalinsight (IHSMarkit), a major United States based economic consultancy. From 2000, he was at Absa Group for 5 years, where he was the economist co-ordinating the Group’s macroeconomic forecasting process. In 2004, he was named Reuters Economist of the Year.
He acquired a passion for all things related to Consumer and Property Cycle Analysis during what was possibly the greatest consumer and property boom in South African history, and in 2006, he left the world of Macroeconomics to join First National Bank to focus on the Residential Property Market. There, he built up the then well-known FNB Property Barometer, which provided some of the leading housing market analysis in SA. More recently, late in 2018, he moved to the bank’s Commercial Property Finance Unit to set about developing its commercial property analysis.
He’s a social endurance sport junkie, having brought up the rear of the field in events such as the Comrades Ultra-Marathon, the Ironman Ultra-Triathlon, and ultra-unsupported cycling.
His sporting allegiances lie with Manchester United, and the greatest rugby team in the history of the World, the Blue Bulls.
