Martha Bessenger works at SA Home Loans as the Senior Manager: Life Assurance Claims and Operations and is a Manco member.

Martha began her working career as a New Business Administrator with a major Life Assurance company, and at the age of 25 was appointed into her first management role as Administration Manager. Her career then took on a more specialist role as a Medical Underwriter and she completed the required training in Anatomy and Physiology. Her job entailed medical and financial risk assessments.  Unfortunately, all staff of the regional office in Durban was retrenched and she decided to follow her passion for developing children and bought her own Creche, which she successfully ran until an opportunity arose to re-enter the Life Assurance industry.

She was appointed as a Senior Medical Underwriter for a major Life Assurer in South Africa, managing a team of Underwriters.

She then took the position at SA Home Loans 15 years ago that she continues to fulfil, leading and managing the Life Assurance Department.  In this role she continues to assess both death and disability claims, whilst managing the entire operation. Whilst assessing claims, Martha regularly needs to communicate with those who have lost a loved one or become disabled, and her caring and compassionate manner comforts those and helps them through this difficult time.

Martha has a passion for people!  In both her personal and professional life, she looks for opportunities to make a difference.  In SA Home Loans she has played a key role in leading various Social Responsibility initiatives while chairing the committee and this includes the building of three pre-schools and other ‘life changing’ initiatives.

As a leader, she thrives on caring for and developing her team to reach their full potential and believes that a leader is only as good as what his/her team is.