Agri SA kondig nuwe Hoof Uitvoerende Beampte aan | Agri SA appoints new Chief Executive Officer

English to follow:

Agri SA is verheug om die aanstelling van Johann Kotzé as sy nuwe Hoof Uitvoerende Beampte aan te kondig.

Jaco Minnaar, Agri SA President, het Kotzé gelukgewens en sy opgewondenheid oor die nuwe fase wat voorlê, uitgespreek.

Kotzé se aanstelling kom op ‘n kritieke tyd in Suid-Afrika se trajek. Ons het leierskap oor verskeie sfere van die groter Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing sowel as die landboubedryf nodig. In die komende jare sal landbou die gekombineerde impak van uitdagings soos klimaatsverandering, agteruitgang van infrastruktuur, verval van dienslewering, landelike veiligheid, verskuiwings in die globale markte en beleidsonsekerheid moet navigeer.

Kotzé het groot geword in ‘n boeregemeenskap in die Noordwes-provinsie. Hy het later ‘n graad in Landbou-ekonomie aan die Universiteit van Pretoria voltooi, ‘n Meestersgraad in Besigheidsbestuur en Administrasie asook ‘n Uitvoerende Ontwikkelingsprogram by die Stellenbosch Besigheidskool.

“Kotzé is ‘n kreatiewe leier met ‘n passie vir boerdery en die volhoubaarheid van die voedselstelsel. Hy bring ‘n rykdom van ervaring as voormalige landbou bankier in die landbousektor en ‘n bekende leier in georganiseerde landbou,” sê Minnaar.

Kotzé het sy loopbaan as ‘n boer begin. Daarna het hy ‘n landboubankier by Absa Bank geword. Nadat hy as korporatiewe bankier in Mosambiek gewerk het, het hy ‘n onafhanklike besigheidskonsultant geword. Kotzé het teruggekeer na die bankwese en was verantwoordelik vir Landbou in Afrika by FNB. Sedert 2017 dien hy as die Hoof Uitvoerende Beampte van die Suid-Afrikaanse Varkprodusente Organisasie (SAVPO).

“Gedurende my loopbaan het ek geleer dat Suid-Afrikaanse landbou wêreldwye respek geniet vir sy doeltreffende boerderypraktyke. As ‘n landbougemeenskap moet ons die natuurlike hoop wat Suid-Afrikaanse boere daagliks uitleef, kombineer met pragmatiese oplossings vir die komplekse uitdagings wat ons in die gesig staar.

“In die toekoms sal ons ons denke oor wat realisties moontlik is in die huidige sake-omgewing, moet uitdaag om landbou in staat te stel om vennootskappe in die breër sake- en internasionale gemeenskap meer volhoubaar te benut.”

“In die huidige omstandighede moet ons nie deur frustrasie meegesleur word nie, maar gesamentlik met innoverende oplossings vorendag kom. Die etos en integriteit van ons strukture moet die nodige klimaat skep vir ‘n kultuur wat ontvanklik is vir verandering.”

“Ek het die vertroue dat ons as ‘n bedryf ‘n nuwe verhaal kan skryf en die groeipotensiaal van landbou in Afrika kan ontgin. Toekomstige volhoubaarheid is fundamenteel ‘n vraagstuk van leierskap.”

Kotzé se termyn by Agri SA sal op 1 Oktober 2023 aanvang neem.

Navrae:

Jaco Minnaar

President, Agri SA

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Agri SA is pleased to announce the appointment of Johann Kotzé as their new Chief Executive Officer.

Jaco Minnaar, Agri SA President, congratulated Kotzé and expressed his excitement over the new phase ahead.

“Kotzé’s appointment comes at a critical point in South Africa’s trajectory. We need leadership across so many spheres of both the larger South African society and the agricultural industry. In the coming years, agriculture will have to navigate the combined impact of challenges such as climate change, deteriorating infrastructure, decaying service delivery, rural safety, shifts in global markets and policy uncertainty.”

Kotzé grew up in a farming family in the North West province and went on to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Economy at the University of Pretoria, a Master’s Degree in Business Management and Administration as well as an Executive Development Programme at the Stellenbosch Business School.

“Kotzé is a creative leader with a passion for farming and the sustainability of the food system. He brings a wealth of experience as a former agricultural banker and a renowned leader in organised agriculture,” says Minnaar.

Kotzé started his career as a farmer and thereafter, he became an agricultural banker at Absa Bank. After working as a corporate banker in Mozambique, he became an independent business consultant. Kotzé returned to banking and oversaw Africa Agriculture for FNB. Since 2017, he has served as the Chief Executive Office of the South African Pig Producers Organisation (SAPPO).

“Over the course of my career, I have learned that South African agriculture commands global respect for its efficient farming practices. As an agricultural community, we need to match the natural hope that South African farmers embody with pragmatic solutions to the complex challenges we face. Looking ahead, we will have to challenge our thinking on what is realistically possible in the current business environment and position agriculture to leverage partnerships in the broader business and international community.”  “In the current conditions, we should not be tempted by frustration but collectively facilitate innovative solutions. The ethos and integrity of our structures need to create the necessary conditions and a culture receptive to change.”

“I am confident that as an industry we can collaboratively author a new narrative and unlock the growth potential of agriculture in Africa. Future sustainability is fundamentally a question of leadership.”

Kotzé will commence his tenure at Agri SA on 1 October 2023.

Enquiries

Jaco Minnaar

President, Agri SA