News release by Kobus Lindeque, Area Director for Monsanto Africa

Monsanto re-organise to support sustainable agriculture in Africa

Sustainability will remain one of Monsanto’s key focus areas this coming planting season.  Globally, Monsanto is has committed to sustainably boost crop yields in the company’s key agriculture crops of corn, cotton, and soybeans.

The three-point commitment includes:

• developing better seeds to enable farmers to double yields in corn, cotton and soybeans by the year 2030, compared to a base year of 2000;
• helping farmers reduce by one-third the amount of key resources required to grow crops by the year 2030;
• and helping to improve farmers lives globally.

“We have made some changes to our business organization to address the challenges facing agriculture.  Some things, however, have not changed – Monsanto’s commitment to innovation, and our promise to our customers that we will operate with integrity and provide the very best products available. We are in business to serve our customers.  We have a robust pipeline full of products that will help deliver more yield per hectare, use fewer inputs per unit, and improve the lives of our farmer customers and their families.,“ says Kobus Lindeque, Area Director for Monsanto Africa.

To ensure we are well positioned to drive the growth commitments in our Crop protection and Seed and Traits businesses and to continue on a clear path to sustainability, the following changes were made in the Monsanto African Organisation. 

Kobus Steenekamp has been appointed Commercial Lead for the Africa Crop Protection Division.

The following employees will report directly to Kobus Steenkamp:

• Thom Steyn (Key Account Manager based in South Africa)
• Sydney Visser (Key Account Manager based in South Africa)
• Hannes Schoeman (Key Account Manager based in South Africa)
• Sandra Alai  (Key Account Manager based in Kenya)
• Cecile Bester: (Marketing Services Coordinator)

Kobus Burger was appointed Commercial Lead Africa - Monsanto Vegetable Seeds

The Leadership Team for the Seed and Traits business in Africa, will be as follows:

• Bennie Bester: South Africa Commercial Lead with responsibility for the whole of South Africa.
• Gert Heyns: Seed Marketing Lead for the whole of Africa.

In addition we have divided the Seed & Traits Sales areas in South Africa into five regions and the Regional Sales Managers reporting to the Commercial Lead for South Africa, Bennie Bester are:

• Pieter Basson
• Bright Breytenbach
• Corrie van Greune
• Hendrik van Staden
• Charles Krugel

To continue our focus on growth in East and Central Africa, we are pleased to announce:

• Paul Chimimba will be the Commercial Lead for Malawil.
• Abraham Mbugi will be the commercial Lead for Kenya, Uganda & Tanzania

With regard to other functions within Monsanto, the organization will be as follows:

• Andrew Bennett: Technology Development Lead for the whole of Africa.
• Willie Wessels: Regulatory Affairs Manager for the Sub Sahara Region.
• Arthur Schroder: Corn Breeding Lead for the Africa area.           
• Mourad Abdennadher: WEMA Lead.
• Jacques Magson: Trait Integration Manager for Africa

Ends

Enquiries can be directed to:

Magda du Toit
Corporate Communication Manager, Monsanto SS Africa
Mobile: 27 82 388 0187
Tel: 27 11 790 8254
Office fax: 27 11 790 8362
Personal fax: 27 11 790 8431