Neil Pollock: Director/Past Chamber President
Neil Pollock heads up ProcureTrade a company focusing on sourcing of any book, if it is available, anywhere in the world.
ProcureTrade helps businesses, government, libraries and schools source their books
As a certified Business and Executive coach Neil provides individuals and teams with structures and guidance to achieve practical results.
Neil headed up Oniqua – Africa, an international analytics company focusing on the Mining and Oil & Gas industries. His role was client relationships and business development in Africa from Oniqua’s office in Johannesburg, South Africa. While at Oniqua, Neil led implementations of Oniqua’s solutions for clients like BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Newmont and Namakwa Sands. He managed local, regional and global projects around the world, including projects in the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Ghana, Namibia and South Africa.
Neil is currently still a Director of Oniqua Africa. With over 20 years of experience in project implementation, much of that focused on supply chain,
Neil provides expertise in change management, business process development and implementing new business models. His extensive understanding of the implications of optimization on an organization’s key internal stakeholders – especially finance, operations and supply chain management – helps him excel at leading complex projects that require enrolling and engaging diverse individuals and business units to buy into a project, successfully implement changes and drive business results.
Neil earned his honours bachelor’s degree in Industrial Sociology from the University of Pretoria, he is a certified project manager, business and executive coach.
Danie Bezuidenhout: President
Responsibilities
To provide platforms to promote Business to Business and Business to Government collaboration. Creating structures that foster and promote SME’s and address poverty and unemployment in SA.
Biography
His experience spans across 36 years in the financial Industry looking after other people’s money and his strength lies in accessing business needs through specific strategies to optimize and source the correct funding.
Danie is dependable, quiet and serious, always striving for excellence in everything, very decisive with practical situations, attentive to thoroughness and detailed. He stands for his values, morals, justice and practical procedure. Danie’s strength to relate to any person, at any level, building trusting relationships, influencing the behaviour of others, and building effective teams shows in all he does.
It is also not about what he does, but rather WHY. His passion is people, and to see them grow and prosper in their personal and business walks of life, speaks volumes about Danie Bezuidenhout, our President. We are indeed proud to have Danie at our helm.
Richard Ntjana: Vice President
2019 Bravo Taiwan Fellowship Exchange Program recipient, skilled with Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Richard has also completed Post Graduate Studies at the Wits University Business School among others include Finance and Investments, Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation and Management Advancement Program MAP 107. Richard also owns a company that does Electrical, Mechanical, Oil and Gas engineering related services. Richard is also involved in construction as a general builder and small scale property developer. He has successfully completed various projects in built environment as an entrepreneur. Richard is currently the CEO of PowerHouse Commercial Framework Southern Africa and the Vice President of the RCCI responsible for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development. He has a passion to develop small economies in local communities.
Linda Blackbeard: CEO / Director
CEO at Randburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry
South Africa – February 2012 – Present 8 years 2 months
Randburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry – CEO,
Current Vice Chairperson of the SACCI Chamber Forum
Winner of the 2018/2019 PAN AFRICAN GLOBAL – CONTINENTAL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Mentor & Motivator of Business growth & expansion, Locally and into the African and International Platforms of opportunity.
Prior to joining RCCI – Director of her own Hospitality Interior Design Company for 30 years, focusing into Africa.
Linda Holtes-Bird: International Desk -Documentary Compliance Executive – COO
Mary Gillet-de Klerk: Director
Ms Mary Gillett-de Klerk qualified as a social worker with a B.Soc.Sc. (SW)(HONS) from the University of Cape Town. She worked with a variety of NGO’s and also in private practice and academia over many years including as the National Coordinator for the South African Society for Child Abuse and Neglect (SASPCAN), an umbrella organization. In private practice she helped set up the South African Association of Social Workers in Private Practice (SAASWIPP).
Mary is the National Executive Chair of the Social Enterprise and Cooperative Society of South Africa (SEACSOSA) [www.seacsosa.org.za ] Mary is, furthermore, the Founder and CEO of the social enterprise, the Johannesburg Organisation of Services to the Homeless (JOSH) [www.joburghomeless.org].
Mary also owns a small consultancy, Social Enterprise Solutions, where she assists individuals and groups to establish social enterprises and trains groups in developing social entrepreneurship mindsets.
Over many years Mary has been active in the communities she has lived in through various residents’ associations and community forums. Furthermore, she also served on the St Stithians College Council while her sons were there.
Mary is also a Rotarian and member of the Rotary Club of Randburg where she also serves on its Board.
Dr Lee Thompson: Director
Dr Lee Thompson has a passion for developing teams and leaders through coaching and mentorship. Her commercial thinking drives results and her focus on the value of relationships makes way for growth in many spheres.
A belief that the economic, social and psycho-social wellbeing is the responsibility of all people in corporate and small business motivates Lee to seek out opportunities to create connection to solve for these challenges.
In April 2019 Lee joined the Universal Group of Companies as General Manager Sales, Distribution and Insurance.
Richard Lyon: Director (FCCI)
Richard Lyon, veteran of the food service industry in South Africa, has over 35 years of experience in both sales & general management, as well as training & development, while at Bidvest & latterly, prestigious Clients.
He retired early in 2015, to launch BizGro Sales Training & Development.
Client pressure has been such that the company has fast evolved into specialist sales placements.
Industries of focus are automotive, food, FMCG & real estate, partnering with leading Players in each sector
BizGro is represented in all major centres in South Africa.
Backed by big business, BizGro launched an Automotive Sales Academy in 2018, in support of creating employment for young talent.
Participating Dealership Groups accept Graduates as Sales Cadets.
Richard’s latest honour is being selected to the board of the Fourways Chamber.
The opportunity to support small entry level businesses, as well as connect with large local Corporates, is an exciting challenge. It is time to give back after having been so blessed himself.
Lindiwe Sinxolo: Director (FCCI)
Sakhane Gaze: Director (LCCI)