Our Team
Elijah Norton
Founder, Executive Chairman, and President
Elijah Norton founded the company’s predecessor in 2011. As the original founder, Elijah has overseen the organisation grow from its inception with only 2 employees in 2011 to a group of companies that generates over 250 million USD (4.5 billion ZAR) per year in annual revenue, has serviced hundreds of thousands of customers, and employs hundreds people across the globe.
Elijah originally started out the organisation as an agency selling F&I products for other companies; however, as the business grew, he decided to start his own F&I organization in response to him feeling that their offerings, customer service, and claims were poorly handled.
Eventually, as the organisation grew, Elijah saw a unique opportunity: to expand his successful model to multiple countries across the globe. In 2020, Veritas entered into the Canadian marketplace – starting with one province – and eventually expanding to all of them. Shortly thereafter, Veritas expanded into South America. In 2024, Elijah saw an eight-figure USD acquisition of shares in WAGAS SA, one of the largest F&I TPAs/MGAs in the European Union. And, in 2025, Veritas expanded into South Africa.
As Executive Chairman and President, Elijah’s role is to grow the business globally and service and cultivate the relationships we have with our business partners. Elijah has unique experience in complex finance and regulatory matters and has insurance licenses in multiple jurisdictions.
In his free time, Elijah enjoys traveling and hiking and is a history buff. Elijah resides in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, but frequently travels across the globe to the various countries that Veritas transacts business. He is constantly looking to expand Veritas’ competitive and innovative products to new global markets and enjoys learning about and studying the different countries where Veritas operates and plans to operate.
Elijah also operates and owns several other successful insurance and insurance-related businesses around the world.
Darius Graham
Global Chief Risk Officer
Darius Graham is the Global Chief Risk Officer for Veritas Global Protection. He has worked in the Auto Industry for 10 years, and for the for the past seven years he has been with Veritas Global Protection. Starting as a Support Manager, he has grown within the company and has worked roles in Compliance, Sales, Operations, and Claims.
Darius currently focuses on creating new products across the globe that are on the leading edge of the market while ensuring sustainability for the Company in all of its global markets. He has developed some of the leading products in multiple different markets and is bringing that experience to Veritas Global Protection South Africa.
As Veritas’ Chief Risk Officer, Darius is also responsible for monitoring losses and customer experience, ensuring that Veritas’ products are actuarially sustainable, competitive, and provide the best possible experience for the customer and client.
Darius has extensive knowledge of Veritas’ operations and brings a unique perspective to product development and risk management due to his experience in sales, claims, and Data Management. In Darius’ free time, he is an avid sports fan and also enjoys spending time with his daughter.
Kimberly Wakefield
Global Chief Revenue Officer
Kimberly Wakefield joined Veritas as its global Chief Revenue Officer in the beginning of 2025. Kimberly brings over 30 years of automotive F&I executive and leadership experience to the Veritas executive team.
Prior to working for Veritas, Kimberly was a founder and managing partner of a leading F&I e-contracting software company that she founded in the late 2000s. In 2024, she oversaw the successful acquisition of that company by a large private equity firm, in a multi-million dollar transaction. Before that, she worked for several leading dealer groups and F&I product companies, starting her career in the automotive F&I field in the 1990’s.
Kimberly’s leadership background, knowledge, long-time automotive F&I connections, and extensive experience make her an excellent edition to manage and oversee the growth of Veritas’ multi-faceted global distribution channels.
In her free time, Kimberly enjoys golf, hiking, and traveling.
Lesley Kruger
Vice President Compliance and Operations
An accomplished and qualified insurance practitioner, Lesley started her insurance career in 1996. Her wealth of cross class experience has been gained in all areas of the insurance industry, from retail broking, insurer, underwriting managers/managing agent to reinsurance broking and business development.
Lesley’s move to the UK from South Africa in 2021 enabled her broaden her experience in a different yet similar regulatory environment, with emphasis on her client-centric focus and innovative ideas of product development. Lesley’s extensive network of contacts within the London and African markets, combined with her strategic and analytical thinking skills, are invaluable.
Compliance is a core focus area for Lesley and this builds upon her many years of managerial and C-Suite level experience and stood her in good stead as the deputy COO of a Lloyds brokerage in London.
Petrus Potgieter
Country Manager (South Africa)
Petrus Potgieter, or Pottie as he is known, brings over 12 years of extensive experience in the motor retail industry, complemented by another 12 years specialising in motor warranty products. His career has seen him excel in various roles. Pottie’s deep understanding of both retail and warranty sectors has equipped him with a unique perspective and a robust skill set.
Pottie brings a level of experience that will be priceless to Veritas Global Protection South Africa (Pty) Ltd. Pottie views his role as Country Manager of Veritas as an exciting challenge and, in this role, he leverages his vast knowledge and experience to drive the company’s growth and establish its market presence. Pottie’s leadership and strategic vision are pivotal in navigating the complexities of the South African motor industry, ensuring that Veritas will be a frontrunner of innovation and customer satisfaction.
Lorenzo Farelo
Operations Manager
Lorenzo Farelo serves as the Operations Manager, where he is dedicated to streamlining system processes and ensuring compliance with the various regulations in the South African insurance market. With a robust background in the insurance industry, Lorenzo has previously worked as an insurance broker managing client portfolios and at an underwriting agency, collaborating closely with insurance brokers to market products effectively. Lorenzo has a wealth of experience in crafting products and ensuring efficient and effective operations.
Lorenzo holds a Short Term Insurance NQF5 qualification, a testament to his expertise and commitment to the field. His professional interests lie in leveraging technology to optimise business processes and staying abreast of the ever-evolving insurance industry.
Outside of work, Lorenzo is passionate about skill building and continually enhancing his skillset. He also enjoys playing chess, a game that sharpens his strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Yolanda Uys
Admin Manager
With 30 years of experience in the administrative and financial field, Yolanda is a valuable addition to the Veritas South Africa team and understands how vital effective administration is to the success of an organisation. In her role, Yolanda oversees a variety of functions that ensure that our operation runs smoothly. This includes our financial and accounting practices, management of office resources and providing support where required to the rest of the team.
Yolanda has previously worked at a general insurer as well as a large commercial brokerage in South Africa. Yolanda has a pivotal role in the organisation and strives to ensure that an environment is fostered within which the organisation and personnel can thrive.