John Mitchell

John has been a lead trainer at JSF for 28 years, guiding hundreds of students to not only feel more confident with finance – but to be genuinely competent. Known for his warmth, patience, and knack for turning financial fog into clarity, John’s impact runs deeper than spreadsheets: his students leave his courses empowered, equipped, and often wondering why finance ever seemed intimidating in the first place.

He’s taken this approach across borders, delivering courses everywhere from South Africa to Eswatini to Saudi Arabia – and 14 other countries in Africa and the Middle East. Whether online or in the classroom, John’s sessions are practical, energising, and often anchored by his signature “Business Game,” which makes finance feel real, relevant – and yes, even fun.

John’s career began at Gold Fields Mining and Development, where he held diverse roles in HR, procurement, and management. He’s also served as Director (now Owner and Director) of the School of Finance, and holds a B.A. in Philosophy from UCT with studies in economics, law, maths, and more.

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, making a bold career shift that’s become a major asset to the team. As a qualified bookkeeper, she manages the company’s accounts with precision and care. She also handles the development and upkeep of the JSF website, ensuring everything stays current and running smoothly. Behind the scenes, Petra is the person making sure your course registration goes off without a hitch – and she’s the one who’ll have your certificate ready once you’ve completed your training. From finance to tech to admin, Petra plays a key role in keeping things on track.

Paul Juby

Paul is JSF’s Operations Manager and resident systems nerd. He joined JSF to modernise the day-to-day — improving how things run behind the scenes, sharpening communication with clients, and using analytics to guide better decisions. Previously, Paul spent six years in London, where he ran operations on one of the largest affordable housing grant programmes in England. He brings a solid audit mindset to everything: clear processes, traceable decisions, and “does this actually work?” thinking.

He’s data-minded and hands-on with tooling, with practical experience in VBA, Python and SQL, and he enjoys building automated, data-first solutions that save time and reduce errors. Paul also supports SEO and strategy work at JSF, and contributes to the blog. Earlier in his career, he taught Maths, Science and English at primary school level, and also taught English at a university in China. Outside of work, he’s usually surfing — or building something out of salvaged PC parts.

Acknowledgement

Peter van Ryneveld

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.