The Team
Adolf Joubert - CEO
Adolf has a background in Business Management & - Consultation and was running his own businesses for many years until he joined BZH Exporters & Importers in 2005 as partner. Together they continued to build out BZH Exporters & Importers to become a sought after international and local source of botanicals.
His primary role was to ensure that the strategic growth of the company was developed to the benefit of all stakeholders - the growers and suppliers of raw materials as well as their clients, local and international.
Annemarie Rautenbach – Local sales & Administration
Annemarie, wife of Adolf, has, 'by default', become part of the Afrinatural team – Firstly by taking firm control over the administration and finances, but slowly also taking over the local sales portfolio. She has become known as the face of Afrinatural to big or small local buyers of indigenous botanicals. Her ability to care for each order as if it was her own, has made her a popular partner to many of the regular buyers on Afrinatural’s books.
Junita Bester – Manager International Marketing, Sales & Exports
Junita carries with her an extensive experience in both local and international marketing, business development and exports in the field of African botanicals stretching over a period of more than 12 years.
She has an extensive knowledge of indigenous plants of South Africa and also including plants from West, Central and East Africa – botanicals, pressed oils, extracts and essential oils. She brings with her the ability of developing strong and long term business relationships especially with international clients as well as approved suppliers. Her loyalty is strongly aimed at her clients and her goal is to deliver top quality service and material to her clients.
Michelle Rautenbach – Manager International Marketing, Sales & Exports
Michelle joins the team primarily as Operations Manager but will also assist with sourcing and developing a new base of clients in our fast-growing export portfolio. She will primarily be focusing on customer relations. Michelle is a dynamic, innovative problem solver.
She joins the team with 8 years’ experience in international and local public relations and comes with a tertiary qualification in commerce. She has a passion for Africa and her people and is very excited about local growth and development.
Natalie Jordaan (or Natalie Zhou 周) Corporate Executive, Chinese Business Unit
Natalie has over 15 years’ experience in International Relations, in particular those relations (trade and cooperation) between China and South Africa. She is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, and is, in fact, a Master’s Degree graduate of Shandong University, Jinan, China, and almost a decade of living & working experience in Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai, mostly in fields such as imported wine & other agricultural products, as well as creative direction and marketing and advertising.
Natalie’s passion for cooperation and trade between China and South Africa has consumed her entire adult life and career.
Nosisi Zenzile – Warehouse and Production Manager
Nosisi is the Superwoman in charge of Afrinatural’s warehouse & production where she has been appointed for more than 11 years. She runs reception of raw materials, dispatch of finished products, production, inventory management and many more.
Nosisi has a passion for her job and for the people she works with.
Jean-Jacques de Chazal – Production Manager
Jean Jacques (understandably, also known as JJ) has been involved in overseeing cultivation, harvesting and processing of botanical materials more years than Afrinatural exists! He epitomises our commitment to caring – in his position to his staff. Over the period that he has been responsible for Production Management, Afrinatural has had zero staff turnover and has developed a highly skilled and knowledgeable production team.
We are expanding.
As our business expands, we intend making new appointments.
Watch this space!
Our team of collaborators exist of the following
Our Main Advisor on Cosmetic Oils
Karen Swanepoel – president of SAOEPA
Karen Swanepoel – president of SAOEPA
- M.Sc. - Ph.D. (In progress) in(Economic Botany)
- Teaching Career over more than 30 years
- Numerous publications in scientific Journals – many internationally
- Speaker at various forums – many internationally
Supplier 1 from Southern Africa
- He has a B.Sc degree, in Botany
- He has excelled at locating unique botanicals species for many European Phytomedicine companies over more than 20 years
Supplier 2 from Southern Africa
- Has an Engineering Diploma
- One of the few successful manufacturers of pressed Oils, Essential Oils and harvesting of raw materials in the Northern regions of South Africa
Supplier 3 from Southern Africa
- Has a Pharmacological degree
- One of the few successful manufacturers of pressed Oils in her country
Supplier 1 from West Africa
- He has B.Sc in Building Technology Honours (1975) and acquired Chartered membership of the Chartered Institute of Building, U.K.
- In 1995 he ventured out into sourcing indigenous West African Plant products. His motto is always to supply quality material consistent with international standards. They have a wide field of international clients that can testify to the way we conduct business.
Supplier 2 from West Africa
- He has a degree in botany and Postgraduate diploma in ethnobotany (plants use)
- He has been in the trading of West African botanicals for 20.I have also been working with Kew botanical gardens as a Country representative in the collection and processing of rare plants species.
- He has also lead Earthwatch research expeditions in the country for many years.
- He is consulted by his country's National Herbarium for specific identifications.
Supplier 1 from East Africa
- He is a qualified Food Technologist
- (waiting for a more comprehensive CV)