In 1996, I had completed four-and-a-half years as a marketing research analyst at Kantar and was keen to move. I was already in my third round of interviews at Plascon when a friend I had studied with suggested I apply for his job at Nampak because he was leaving for Canada. Marketing was in my blood and I thought that I would do a year at Nampak’s Metal Box Liquid Packaging division and add packaging to the four aspects of marketing before going abroad myself.
It’s hard to believe that was 25 years ago and when I was offered a transfer to Nampak’s UK division, I opted to stay in South Africa.
I’ve been blessed with a series of mostly inspirational leaders and had the privilege of working for nine divisions in roles that have varied from e-commerce manager, sales and PR to the environment and research and new product development.
Mentors who have inspired and guided my journey have included Derek Perryman, who hired me and taught me to think outside the box because there are often better ways to achieve a goal and to understand what drives each person so that I could lead and get it done. Additionally, Steven ‘Staffie’ du Toit showed me how to manage and motivate people, Andrew Marthinusen to stand up for what I believe in, Vanessa von Holt and Di van Breda how to maintain style and grace under pressure and Clive Glover the importance of passion, energy, drive, striving for perfection and promoting products and services, especially when times are tough.
There are some brilliant minds on my current team too, who continue to inspire, but it would be inappropriate for me to mention their names now.
Today, I would describe my management style as consulting widely, then making a decision and sticking to it. I’m inspired by business leaders such as Brian Joffee for his ability to analyse and turn diverse businesses around, Mark Bowman, the former head of ABInbev, for the ability to reinvent himself and by Elon Musk, who matriculated just one town away in the same year as me. If he can do it…
Although my first love is marketing, in a B2B environment, the real action is on the sales side, specifically on the new product and market development side where I find myself now.
I’ve also worked with the majority of our African operations and been able to experience the fantastic diversity of cultures within our group. I’ve realised that earning trust is important in different countries because people join people, not just companies. Additionally, manners and culture play as big a part as quality and price and not everybody operates on a Joburg mentality.
What keeps me at Nampak? I feel that I am making a real difference and am stimulated while working on cutting-edge projects that will be firsts in the country and shape the way of things to come. Recent team highlights have included the biggest single order in the history of the Liquid Cartons division (a thrill in a Covid year), two gold medals at 2020’s Gold Pack Awards for Spar’s two-litre milk cartons converted on unbleached cartonboard, as well as launching the country’s first water and roasted coffee bean brands in Pure-Pak cartons.N
Nampak’s (National Amalgamated Packing’s) history is one of mergers and acquisitions, going back well over 100 years. Each time this happens, it brings with it a breath of fresh air and new organisational culture into the company melting pot. In my tenure so far, the three main mergers have been with Crown Cork, Kohler and the UK divisions of Plysu and Blowmacan.”
