RIP Ronnie Napier (1935–2025): The gentleman lawyer who shaped a legal legacy

Key topicsLed Webber Wentzel’s growth, transformation & pro bono expansionSteward of horse racing & respected amateur golf competitorLifelong advocate for ethics, mentorship, and professional excellence.Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here.The auditorium doors will open for BNIC#2 on 10 September 2025 in Hermanus. For more information and tickets, click here.By Paul O'Sullivan.Ronnie’s father, Ronald Macdonald Napier, was originally from Plumtree in what was then Rhodesia. A Flight Lieutenant, Ronald was assigned to No. 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron of the Royal Airforce in World War 2, flying Hurricanes and Spiƞires. Ronald died on active duty in North AfricaMarch 1944, when Ronnie was just 7 years old. Ronnie made a poignant journey to visit his father’s grave in Libya in 2009, as Libya had previously been a no-go country for non-Libyans. After his father’s death, he was brought up by his mother, Karin Lindstrom, who was one of the first female students to attend UCT.Ronnie attended Bishops Diocesan College and then Trinity College Oxford for his university years where he studied law and became both an accomplished cricketer playing one first class match for Oxford, and golfer. His post education life was spent practising law – a vocation to which he dedicated his entire career. He started his first, and only job at Webber Wentzel in 1958, when he commenced his articles and by 1963, Ronnie became one of only 8 partners at Webber Wentzel.By 1975, Ronnie was appointed Managing Partner of Webber Wentzel. He spearheaded the process of the firm’s international expansion, as well as the implementation of pro bono work for the less advantaged in the community. In the 1990’s Ronnie was part of the management team that led the process of diversification and transformation within the firm. He was also instrumental in the implementation of a compulsory retirement rule, to ensure the emergence of young blood in the firm. In recognition of his contribution to the firm, Webber Wentzel gave Ronnie a generous consulting agreement, affording him the opportunity to continue doing what he loved and a vocation to which he was committed until the age of 85 years. Ronnie’s management style was aptly captured by Mike Nicol, in his book ‘The Firm’, when he spoke about Ronnie’s way of sorting out disputes; “Problems are best solved by sensible people doing sensible things.”Together with his lifelong colleagues and friends – Carwith Geach & Ed Southey, they were the glue that bound the partners together over the six decades he spent at Webber Wentzel. When he finally retired, the firm had grown to 150 partners and over 600 employees, as well as establishing its pro bono department as the largest of any law firm in Africa, his role & contribution in growing Webber Wentzel was indeed significant.Apart from spending five years as Senior Partner at Webber Wentzel from 1997-2001, Ronnie was very active on a number of boards as a non-executive director including First National Bank, Norwich Life Holdings, NBS Bank and also various other boards and Industry bodies including as Chairman of Babcock, the Insurance Association of South Africa, The Insurance Crime Bureau of South Africa, the Fire Offices Association of South Africa and a director of Business against Crime.Ronnie was also the General Representative for Lloyds of London in South Africa for a period of over 16 years. He played a very active role in horse racing and owned many thoroughbred racehorses and participated in horseracing in all over the world in England, Australia, Dubai and Hong Kong.Ronnie’s influence in horseracing particularly as a steward at Turffontein Racecourse and as Chairman of the Jockey Club in Southern Africa from 1990 to 1995, the precursor to the current National Horse Racing Authority of Southern Africa. Ronnie spent more than 30 years on the Jockey Club board and led an entrenched ethical culture in the organisation. One of his horses, owned and bred together with his first wife Annabelle, and his brother and sister-in-law Pip and Penny Davies “Charles Fortune” won the Cape Metropolitan Stakes, in Cape Town, in 1985. Ronnie was an extremely accomplished golfer; he was a scratch handicap for over 25 years and also competed extensively in amateur golf where he made many friends. He represented Southern Transvaal and also notably reached the last 8 of the British Amateur. Ronnie was a member at both Johannesburg Country Club and Royal Johannesburg, and Men’s Club Champion at both. He was also a founder member of the River Club Golf course in JohannesburgRonnie married Gillian Annabelle Henderson in 1959, and they had 3 children together Richard, Katherine and Christopher. Sadly, Katherine (who Ronnie was very close to) died in a motor accident in 1985 and subsequently Annabelle also passed away from a long battle with cancer in 1987. Ronnie was fortunate to meet and marry his second wife Bev Martin nee Halstead in 1988 and together they pursued their love of horse racing and were regular visitors at Ascot. Ronnie leaves a loving wife, Bev, his sons Richard and Christopher, his stepdaughter Julia, 2 stepsons Lynton & Ward, and five grandchildren, as well as numerous loving family and friends, who will miss him greatly.

RIP Ronnie Napier (1935–2025): The gentleman lawyer who shaped a legal legacy

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