Name: Andy Crocker
Position: Managing Director: Meadow Feeds

Andy was appointed as Managing Director, Meadow Feeds on 2 February 2012. Having previously farmed in the Kwazulu Natal midlands Andy Crocker joined Meadow Feeds as a Technical Adviser in 1998 as part of the team that established the Eastern Cape operations. He holds a BSc. Agriculture (University of KZN) and a Masters in Business Management (Henley Management College, UK), and is a Registered Professional Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions. In 2000 he became the Technical Support Manager for the Eastern Cape before moving to Meadow Paarl as Sales Manager in 2002. Originally appointed as General Manager of the Port Elizabeth mill in March 2005 he became Chief Operating Officer of the Eastern Cape region in July 2006 before heading the formation of the Cape Region in November 2010 as Chief Operating Officer responsible for the Paarl, Ladismith and Port Elizabeth operations.

Andy Crocker will serve as an Executive Director on the Board of Astral Operations from March 2012.

Name: Roedolf Steenkamp
Position: Managing Director: Astral Foods: Africa operations

Roedolf Steenkamp was appointed to the position of Managing Director: Africa Operations for Astral Foods in February 2012.

He joined the company on 2 April 2002 as General Manager of the Group's feed milling operations in Zambia and Zimbabwe. In November 2005, he was promoted to Chief Operating Officer – Africa. In June 2009 he was promoted to the position of Managing Director: Feed Division of Astral Operations.

Roedolf Steenkamp also serves as an Executive Director on the Board of Astral Operations Limited.

Name: Cathy Sexton
Position: Finance Executive: Feed Division

Cathy joined the Feed Division as Financial Executive on 1st February 2006.

She completed her articles in 1982 at Pim Goldby (Deloitte’s) Johannesburg, remaining in the profession until she qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1986. In mid -1987, she entered commerce and was employed by Golden Lay Farms as Financial Accountant at their Fairland Head Office.

Name: Willem Stander
Position: Procurement Executive: Feed Division

Willem Stander joined Meadow Division in the Raw Materials department, moving to Paarl in 1985 as a Nutritionist. Willem Stander was promoted to Marketing Manager in 1989, and further promoted to Raw Material Director in Paarl in 1995.

Name: Leon Lourens
Position: Executive: Quality and Risk, Astral Operations Ltd

Leon has been in the employ of Meadow Feeds since July 1972 and was Production Manager of the Pietermaritzburg mill from 1975 until he had a short three-year break from the group (1984-1987).

Leon rejoined again in Jan 1988 as Production Manager at the Pietermaritzburg mill and was involved in Quality Systems during 1993 with the implementation of the ISO 9002: 1994. Pietermaritzburg was the first animal feed mill in the Southern hemisphere to obtain certification.

Leon was promoted to Quality & Risk Executive for the Astral group in February 2010.

Name: Dr Pieter Henning Ph.D. Pr Sci Nat (Anim Sci)
Position: Technical Executive Ruminants: Feed Division

Dr Henning is a specialist in Ruminant Nutrition, with more than 25 years of experience in R&D, product development and applied ruminant nutrition. He holds a PhD degree in Animal Nutrition from the University of Pretoria and is a registered member of the South African Council of Natural Scientific Professions. Dr Henning travelled extensively and participated in research projects and international scientific meetings in various countries. He is author and co-author of numerous scientific and technical publications.

Name: Jannie Nagel
Position: Credit Management Executive: Feed Division

Jannie started his career at the Landbank in 1976. He gained extensive experience in financing farms as the Head of Operations at branch level. His primary focus was the registration of collateral, financing corporate long and short term loans and production loans. Jannie joined Meadow Feeds as the Credit Management Executive in January 2012.

Name: Gerhard Pretorius
Position: Technical Executive Monogastric: Feed Division

Gerhard was employed by Meadow Feeds Randfontein as Assistant Nutritionist from 1 December 1999 and was promoted in 2004 to Technical Assistant Poultry, with research and development as main function.

In 2007 he became the Technical Manager for Pigs and Format.

Gerhard was promoted in February 2010 to Executive: Monogastric responsible for pig and poultry nutrition.

Name: James Berry
Position: Chief Operation Officer: Paarl

James obtained his B.Sc. Agric Degree in Animal Science from the University of Natal. He started his career at Karishavn Estates responsible for the poultry, timber, citrus and banana sectors. In 1996 James joined Epol in Pietermaritzburg as Nutritionist and was promoted to Technical Manager in 1997. He obtained a B. Tech (Mgt) (Natal) and in 2000 moved to Swaziland to head the Feedmaster project as a Division of Ngwane Mills (Pty) Ltd, where he was responsible for the construction of the feed mill and the launch of Feedmaster as a brand into the local Swazi and South African markets. In January 2005 James moved to NuTec as the Technical and Product Manager and in July was promoted to Commercial Manager. In February 2006 James was appointed Chief Operating Officer of NuTec.

In July 2012 James was promoted to Chief Operating Officer at Meadow Feeds Western Cape.

Name: Ulric Daniel
Position: Chief Operating Officer: Zambia

Ulric graduated from Rhodes University in 1996 with a BSc degree majoring in microbiology. He started his career with Nedan Oil Mills and travelled extensively throughout the South African, Zambian and Zimbabwean farming communities in order to source soya beans and sunflower for the mill. He then moved over to Mikon Breeders, a poultry breeding operation, as a marketing manager. In 2003 he moved up to Zambia as General Manager of Bokomo Zambia which is also a poultry breeding company.

He was employed by the Feed Division in 2008 in order to start a Greenfield poultry breeding operation in Zambia, namely Progressive Poultry T/A TIGERChicks. He was promoted to Chief Operating Officer – Zambia in April 2011 in order to head the Feed Division’s operations in Zambia, namely Tiger Animal Feeds and TIGERChicks.

Name: Michael Schmitz
Position: Chief Operating Officer: KwaZulu Natal Region

Michael was initially employed as a Technical Advisor at Meadow Feeds Delmas in 1987 and was later appointed as a Nutritionist specialising in poultry nutrition. In August 2000 he was appointed to the position of General Manager at Meadow Feeds Randfontein.

In January 2005 he was appointed Chief Operating Officer at Meadow Feeds KwaZulu Natal.

Name: Eugene Viljoen
Position: Chief Operating Officer - Northern Region

Eugene Viljoen joined Meadow Feeds Delmas in 1999 as a Poultry Technical Advisor and in 2003 he was appointed as a Nutritionist at Delmas. He was promoted to Operations Manager at Delmas in March 2006. Eugene has a BSc. (Agric) from Pretoria University and is currently busy with his MSc. (Agric) Nutrition, focusing primarily on poultry nutrition.

Eugene Viljoen was appointed as the Commercial Manager on 1 November 2010 and as the Chief Operating Officer of Northern Region on 1 February 2011.

Name: Hugo Buys
Position: Procurement Manager: Feed Division

Hugo obtained an Agricultural Research diploma at the Pretoria Technicon.

He was employed at the Animal and Dairy Research Institute for 9 years, working in the Poultry Breeding and Nutrition departments before joining Meadow Feeds Randfontein in 1988 as a Technical Advisor. During his six years at Meadow Feeds, Hugo was also involved in procurement at Meadow Feeds Delmas and the Northern Region.