Gerrit Jacobus van Rooyen (Gerrie) obtained his  B Proc degree from the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher  Education and a post graduate Diploma in Advanced Banking from the University of Johannesburg. After completing his articles as candidate attorney he was admited as an attorney of the Supreme Court of South Africa in January 1981. He practise as an attorney until he joined Santambank / Bankfin as Legal Adviser during 1989 . He was responsible to give advice on general banking matters and specialised in instalment sale agreements and mortgage loans. He joined MLS Bank Limited during 1991 as Senior Legal Adviser, Company Secretary and Compliance Officer and gained experience in the finance of the medical equipment and property for medical doctors and allied professions. He moved to Absa Group Limited as a director of Absa Secretarial Services (Pty) Limited during 2004 as Senior Company Secretary responsible for act as company secretary to the financial services portfolio of companies of the Group which included amongst others the following companies.

• Absa Financial Services Limited
• Absa Life Limited
• Absa Insurance Company Limited
• Absa idirect Limited
• Absa Trust Limited
• Absa Consultants and Actuaries Pty Limited
• Absa Fund Managers Limited
• Absa Asset Managers Pty Limited
• Absa Stockbrokers Pty Limited
• Absa Portfolio Managers Pty Limited

He was also the Committee Secretary for the following Board committees:

• Absa Financial Services Limited Audit Risk and Compliance Committee
• Group Actuarial Review Committee
• Absa Financial Services Exco Committee
• Absa Life Audit Committee
• Absa Insurance Company Audit Committee
• Provided oversight to the company secretary functions for the 5 Africa insurance entities.

He retired from Absa Group Limited at the end of June 2018.