Peter Ramaut
Chairman of the Board
Peter is an experienced Chief Financial Officer at different medium-sized international companies and an independent Board member with broad exposure to international business.
Besides his focus on compliance and structure, he supports transforming business strategy into the best financing structures to optimise value and return for the various stakeholders.
Nick van Huyssteen
Co-Founder
After completing his B. Com (Hons) majoring in Business Economics, Nick was involved in various industries supplying labour to the Mining and Petro-Chemical industry. He was the co-founder of African Bank Ltd. He remained in an executive capacity until 2000, whereafter he was involved in the Coal Mining industry, specifically the beneficiation of coal dumps.
Michael Rodenburg
Co-Founder
Global CEO with international experience in building, scaling, global expansion, M&A & restructuring businesses within private equity backed, listed joint ventures & family owned businesses. Lived and worked in the USA, UAE, Switzerland, Belgium and South Africa.
Johan Swanepoel
Managing Director & Partner
Johan has more than 40 years of experience in fruit farming, logistics and distribution. Johan was involved with several significant agricultural developments in southern Africa, managing production that included fruit growing, sorting and packing. He developed and managed 170 ha of blueberry farms in North West and Gauteng Provinces, where he was responsible for effective and profitable management of all aspects of the farms, including: – Farm and infrastructure development | Crop & Fertigation Management | Nurseries and trials|Finance | HR, Labour and Skills development. Johan has a welcoming, hands-on approach and is passionate about his staff’s upliftment through training and development. He has upskilled thousands of employees into skilled artisans in the sustainable fruit growing sector.
Meet the team!
Jaco Verryne
Development Manager
Experienced, self-motivated, ethical, production driven individual with a key focus on planning, developing, executing and managing large-scale agricultural projects. Attention to detail, logistics, labour planning and a passionate attitude drives me to focus on the bigger picture. It’s a beautiful thing when a career and a passion come together.
Amogelang Kekana
Financial Controller & Analyst
Amogelang serves as the Financial Analyst and Controller, bringing her extensive expertise in various industries to the team. She holds both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from the prestigious University of the Witwatersrand.
After completing her studies, Amogelang went on to complete her Chartered Accountancy articles at one of the Big Four audit firms. With a diverse background in energy, mining, technology, hospitality, manufacturing, consulting, logistics, and financial services, Amogelang is well-equipped to handle the financial intricacies. Beyond her professional accomplishments, she is deeply committed to making a positive impact on society, promoting social responsibility, and empowering others to reach their full potential.
Renè Schoeman
Assistant to Johan
Renè’s strong work ethic ensures all administrative and processing duties on the farm are run professionally. She provides crucial support and assistance to staff members as well as all HR admin functions. Renè is integral to the seamless functioning of the Saronsberries office. She believes in a strong organisational culture, a structured info management system with solid policies and procedures.
Len Coetzee
Estate Manager (Phase 1 & 2)
Len has more than 30 years of intensive experience in fruit growing. He is very (very!!) passionate when it comes to plants and is still one of those farmers who believe that his steps belong between the plants. He believes in the saying: “Happy workers make happy plants, happy plants give happy berries, and happy berries give happy customers”. (When he is alone among the plants, he talks to them!) His whole being is focused on improving people’s lives by educating them, explaining why their work is important, and getting them to take responsibility in all areas. Len is a pioneer of sustainable agriculture, which is the use of good practices to ensure that our children can also benefit from the impact we have on the environment today. His motto in life is: “If your work is your passion, it is not a job, it is a lifestyle.
Adele Coetzee
Production Administrator
Adele gained extensive experience in general office administration on a blueberry farm for 5 years. Prior to this she worked for an accountancy firm where she gained extensive experience in finance. Currently one of her main focuses is to keep track of the budget on a daily basis to avoid overspending, which means she keeps the budget “live” This is a great help to the management team. She is a focused, hardworking person who takes her work seriously. Adele believes in getting the job done no matter what.
Mikhail Havenga
EHS Manager
Mikhail has a diverse background pertaining to the environment and agriculture, with a BSc in Conservation Ecology and in the final year of his MSc in Sustainable Agriculture from Stellenbosch University. He contributes to developing a sustainable equilibrium between agriculture and the environment. Some of Mikhail’s responsibilities include implementing and maintaining a sustainable environmental and social assessment and management system in a way that complies with local and international legislation. He also ensures the protection and conservation of biodiversity and respect for cultural diversity in the workplace. Mikhail is also leading the Saronsberries crop research trial as well as developing and managing quality assurance.
Phori Sehlooho
Production Manager
Phori’s key role is to promote production and build a friendly and approachable working environment. Soft on people and hard on standards is his motto.
Eddie Ueckermann
Agricultural Economist
Eddie is an Agricultural Economist working in both the analytical and practical aspects of Agri-Business & Farming. He uses his abilities toward improving sustainability in Agriculture by specialising in enterprise resource planning platforms.
Francois Boonzaaier
Compliance Officer
Francois has been working in the agricultural sector for the past 5 years, focusing mostly on farming stone fruit and blueberries. At Saronsberries his focus is on compliance, ensuring that the farm maintains and even exceeds the global standards to export fruit.
Michael Nyirongo
Coldroom Supervisor
Michael is all about teamwork and hard work, ensuring that Saronsberries fruit is of the highest quality and that the working environment is safe for all employees.
Reabetswe Tjiane
Production Assistant
Reabetswe graduated in 2018 from Btech Crop Production at Tshwane University of Technology. Reabetswe duties include fertigation, irrigation, harvest planning, QC field, and cold room quality control.
Winny Masoma
Production Assistant
Winny has a very strong personality and good communication skills and she can control difficult situations and turn them around with great strategy. Winny has more than 4 years of experience in agriculture. She is very passionate about working with people, and her focus is labor-related matters and managing large projects.
Colin Mankopan
Administration
Colin supports Saronsberries’ administrative requirements including assisting the team to ensure that all audit requirements are met. Colin’s attention to detail and structured way of working helps to keep the Saronsberries’ office organised and efficient.
Want to work for us?
As a rapidly expanding project, we’re always looking for smart, intuitive people to join our growing team.