Johan

Proprietory family small holding which I commercialized and managed from 2018 to date. It produces various conventional vegetables crops (tunnels and open field production) throughout the season under irrigation. Livestock farming is secondary to vegetable farming operation and one of the financing vehicles for the vegetable farming operation.

This farm also serves as a vehicle for skills and knowledge transfer to other local small holdings in the vicinity who do not possess the requisite skills and technical production knowledge in commercializing small production operations within small holdings.

Operations/Farm Manager - Siba Agri-Small Holdings - Mpumalanga

(2018-08)

Proprietory family small holding which I commercialized and managed from 2018 to date. It produces various conventional vegetables crops (tunnels and open field production) throughout the season under irrigation. Livestock farming is secondary to vegetable farming operation and one of the financing vehicles for the vegetable farming operation.

This farm also serves as a vehicle for skills and knowledge transfer to other local small holdings in the vicinity who do not possess the requisite skills and technical production knowledge in commercializing small production operations within small holdings.

Operations/Farm Manager - Wensleydale Farms Pty Ltd

(2015-11 - 2017-02)

Wensleydale Farms is a certified organic farm operating under the German Organic Certifier 'CERES' for the annual awarding of operating and production certification/licence. Overall Responsibility: Overseeing the overall operations of the business to attain unqualified audits for the annual re-certification or operating licence.

• Ensuring that all operations across all business units (i.e. input procurement unit, production unit, fresh produce pack-house/ processing unit, dry goods unit and logistics unit) functions are at all times performed according to 'CERES' prescribed international requirements and regulations for certified organic produce
• Operational Budgeting for all business units
• New business development strategies to expand and increase off-take on the product offer
• Tracking and Tracing monthly Operational/Sales Targets against Planned Budget Targets
• Financial Management Function (Monthly revenue versus cost of sales analysis, gross profit analysis, net profit analysis)
• Quarterly operational reviews for each business unit to ensure high state of readiness for the annual 'CERES' audits of the business
• Management of other day to day operational issues relating to input procurement, production, processing and logistics

General Manager: New Business Development (East Africa) - Omnia Fertilizer International Division

(2012-09 - 2015-08)

As part of Omnia's overall growth strategy into Africa, tasked with the responsibility of identifying potential growth opportunities and requirements in both the East and North East African countries and to advise on the best entry and related growth strategies going forward for each market/country where Omnia had no footprint. Task was to gather intelligence, and through a strategy roadmap, advise Omnia on 'WHERE TO PLAY (new attractive market), HOW TO PLAY (strategy) and WITH WHOM TO PLAY (strategic partnerships/strategy delivery vehicles)'.

• High level country analysis, reporting and strategy formulations
• Investigation of perceived political risk for each country
• Institutional requirements analysis (i.e. policies and legislations)
• Analysis of potential financial risks of doing business
• Analysis of sectoral economic activity and investments (current and planned)
• Analysis of the role of Governments in the business environment
• Analysis of market attractiveness in respect of current and potential product demand, going rate on prospective margins and related financial variables
• Analysis of the trading environment including competitor analysis, customer analysis, analysis of potential business allies and understanding of entire logistics relating to importation of products
• Analysis of different supply chains and functionality of receiving ports to establish best logistics plans for strategy development
• Countries Investigated/Visited: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi
• Stakeholder engagement with Relevant Governments Departments and their agencies, International Credit Guarantors, South African Embassy in Eritrea, Minister of Agriculture (Eritrea), Importers, Port Operators, Wholesalers, Retail retailers, End users/Farmers, Country Product Registrars

Country Manager: New Business Development (Botswana/Namibia) - Omnia Fertilizer International

(2010-01 - 2012-08)

Exploration and exploitation of export opportunities for Botswana and Namibia and to be the custodian and the ambassador of the Omnia brand in these new markets.

• Understanding institutional requirements (product registration process and product registration, legal requirements for product trading, and so on)
• Identifying the best and fitting entry strategies (the choice between own entity or partnering with local intermediaries)
• Goal setting
• Marketing Management (Product strategy, Pricing Strategy, Distribution Strategy and Promotions Strategy)
• Stakeholder management (Internally, Omnia production team, export administrative department and external stakeholders)
• Relationship management (Governments and their agencies, distributors, farmers and transport contractors, Omnia agents)
• Keeping up to date with changes in legislation to maintain legal standing
• General management (admin, operations, financials, status reports, strategy evaluation, budget presentations, contracts' management)
• Stakeholder engagement with Farmers, Co-operatives, Distributors, International credit guarantors, Relevant Governments Departments and their Agencies/Parastatals, Country Product Registrars

Agri-Specialist – New Business Development - Omnia Fertilizer Pty Ltd

(2005-01 - 2009-12)

Emerging Commercial Farmer Development. Under this position, the first of its kind 'enterprise development model' was pioneered and operationalised within Omnia since 2006 to date. Target customers were and still are emerging/developing farmers and/or their farming businesses.

• Value proposition from the model: Unsecured finance for the selected entities
• Crop insurance (as one of the loan security)
• Plus Omnia's support (administratively) as security for the lending institutions
• On-the farm technical support by all players involved in the model
• Crop marketing through SAFEX puts
• Identified and developed a new breed of profitable and sustainable client portfolio for the organization and its strategic partners under the model
• Advanced the organization's products' sales through this WIN-WIN model
• Grew and sustained this model for the organization and strategic partners to date
• Areas covered: North West Province, Gauteng Province, Mpumalanga Province, Free State, Limpopo
• Stakeholder/Strategic Partners engagement: Landbank Corporate, Absa Agribusiness Finance, NWK Finance, Farmers/Producers, Crop Insurance Companies, Input supply industry players (seeds and crop protection companies), Mechanization companies, Crop traders, Buhle Farmers' Academy, Departments of Agriculture, Departments of Land Affairs

Agronomic Researcher (R&D) - Omnia Specialities Pty Ltd

(2002-01 - 2004-12)

To contribute to the product research and development department by managing the greenhouse trials for product and service differentiation purposes. This included finding innovative yet practical ways of optimizing the trial results to avoid costly procedures.

Matric - Mmanotshe Moduane High School (1991)

Matric Mathematics and Science Upgrade (1993)

National Diploma - Agriculture: Resource Utilization - Technikon Pretoria (1994 - 1996)

B Tech - Business Administration - Technikon Pretoria (2002 - 2003)

Post-Graduate Diploma - Marketing - IMM Graduate School of Marketing (2004 - 2005)

Programme for Management Development (PMD) - GIBS (2010)

Strategic Leadership Programme (SLP) - GIBS (2014)