Riaan van Greune

HR and Employee Relations executive with 25+ years leading Industrial Relations, People Compliance, Health & Safety and HR strategy across large multi-site, multinational and unionised retail and manufacturing operations in South Africa and Namibia. Trusted advisor to Executive Teams on labour risk, CCMA strategy, restructuring and Section 197 transfers, with a track record of building IR/ER governance frameworks that hold up under regulatory and union scrutiny. Combines deep technical command of the LRA, BCEA, EEA, OHSA, COIDA and POPIA with the emotional intelligence to keep disputes, hearings and negotiations fair, defensible and low-risk.

Known for turning policy and compliance obligations into practical, consistently-applied processes that managers and employees can actually use.

HR Manager: Employee Relations — National & Namibia - The Building Company (Pty) Ltd - South Africa and Namibia

(2020-08)

• Lead the Industrial Relations function group-wide, setting strategy and governance for IR/ER across all South African regions and Namibia, and advising the Executive Team directly on labour risk and compliance exposure.
• Act as lead company representative at the CCMA, owning the full spectrum of conciliations, arbitrations and Bargaining Council matters, and staying ahead of every amendment to the Labour Relations Act.
• Negotiate directly with unions and shop stewards on centralised and decentralised wage and substantive agreements, and lead strike, work-stoppage and lockout management to protect business continuity.
• Directed IR/ER strategy through multiple restructuring, retrenchment and Section 197 transfer processes — including store/brand mergers, closures and new-store openings — while containing legal and reputational risk.
• Authored and rolled out national IR/ER policy and procedure frameworks, and trained managers and HR practitioners on regulatory and legislative obligations.
• Chair disciplinary, incapacity and performance hearings, and built a group-wide IR administration and reporting system that gives the Executive Team early visibility of emerging risk.
• Partner with operational leadership on staffing plans, workforce planning, salary benchmarking and career development, translating Group HR strategy into regional execution.
• Chair Regional Employment Equity Committees and oversee EEA12/EEA13 submissions to the National Committee, keeping the business audit-ready.

HR Business Partner - The Building Company (Pty) Ltd - South Africa and Namibia

(2015-03 - 2020-07)

HR / Industrial Relations Manager - Invictus Group (Pty) Ltd - South Africa

(2009-02 - 2015-02)

• Held full HR, Industrial Relations and Occupational Health & Safety mandate; chaired disciplinary and grievance hearings and kept the business compliant with South African labour legislation.
• Led union wage negotiations and shop steward engagement, and represented the company at CCMA conciliations, arbitrations, Bargaining Councils and Trade Union retrenchment consultations.
• Built and managed an integrated OHS/SHEQ management system aligned to ISO 9001, ISO 14000 and OHSAS 18001, covering audits, hazard risk assessments and contingency planning.
• Owned the departmental budget and drove HR systems for performance management, induction and workforce training and development.

Regional Personnel Manager - Shoprite Checkers Group - South Africa

(1999-10 - 2009-01)

• Provided full-scope HR leadership across 16 stores and c.1,000 employees, directing branch, sales and admin managers on HR policy, compliance and discipline.
• Represented the company at CCMA conciliations, arbitrations, union negotiations and disciplinary/dispute cases, including drafting affidavits opposing and reviewing CCMA awards.
• Led wage and salary negotiations, union relations and strike-risk management across the region, keeping stores compliant and operational.
• Delivered recruitment, training and development for new employees and Trainee Managers, and drove succession planning and performance management group-wide.

Branch Manager - Shoprite Checkers Group - South Africa

(2002 - 2002)

Trainee/Admin Manager - Shoprite Checkers Group - South Africa

(1999 - 2002)

National Diploma - Human Resources

Post-Diploma National Certificate - Labour Relations Practice

Outcome-Based Assessor (Retail)

SAMTRAC (incl. Mining)

AHSEPP & Introduction to SAMTRAC