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Key facts at a glance
- Appointment announced: 3 December 2025
- Effective date: 1 July 2026
- Predecessor: Shirley Machaba (retiring after 6 years as CEO)
- Experience: 19 years at PwC, currently Head of Risk & Quality and Governance Board member
- First black woman to lead PwC South Africa
PwC South Africa has named Anastacia Tshesane as its next Chief Executive Officer, marking a historic leadership transition for one of the Big Four accounting firms in the country. Tshesane, a 19-year veteran of the firm, will succeed Shirley Machaba, who steps down in June 2026 after steering PwC through post-state capture recovery, mandatory audit firm rotation pressures, and rapid digital transformation. Known for her deep expertise in risk assurance, regulatory compliance, and governance, Tshesane has been instrumental in strengthening PwC’s quality controls and ESG frameworks, areas now critical as clients face stricter King IV, JSE, and incoming sustainability reporting rules.
Timeline of the leadership transition
- 2020: Shirley Machaba appointed first black CEO of PwC South Africa
- 2023: Mandatory audit firm rotation rules intensify pressure on Big Four dominance
- 2024–2025: Tshesane leads firm-wide risk & quality enhancement programme
- 3 December 2025: PwC announces Tshesane as successor
- 1 July 2026: Official handover
Key players
- Anastacia Tshesane: Incoming CEO, current Head of Risk & Quality, Governance Board member, qualified CA(SA)
- Shirley Machaba: Outgoing CEO (2019–2026), widely credited with rebuilding trust post-scandals
- Dion Shango: Africa Cluster CEO who oversaw the selection process
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