MANAGEMENT TEAM

Martin Venter is founder and CEO of the Val de Vie Group of Companies. He has sufficient experience and knowledge to lead the development and professional team for the conceptualization and the implementation of any size of property development. His qualifications include BLC (Law), LLB (UP), Hons., MBA (US) and R.E.E.S, Private Equity and Venture Capital (Harvard Business School). Martin gained extensive experience in property development and property investment as one of the founding directors in Atterbury Property Cape (Pty) Ltd. As developer he has completed many successful residential and commercial property developments. He was awarded the ABSA entrepreneur of the year in 1994. He focusses on deal making, business development and strategic planning.

Morné Bosch is the Managing Director of the Val de Vie Management Group of Companies which includes Val de Vie Management, a private company contracted to manage and administer all estate operations. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Val de Vie HOA and follows a hands-on approach in managing the estate operations to ensure that the stakeholders’ vision is achieved. His field of expertise lies in business restructuring, and operations management. He completed his articles at PricewaterhouseCoopers, obtained a CA (SA), and an MBA (USA).

Renier Swart is the Sales Director of the Val de Vie Group of Companies, as well as the Managing Director of Val de Vie Construction, Chairman and a shareholder of the Star Motor Group and also the Chairman of Security and Infrastructure subcommittees of the Val de Vie Estate. His qualifications include BCom Accounting Honours and CTA (University of Pretoria), BProc (UNISA), CA (SA), PPRE and MPRE. Renier joined Nissan SA in 1996 after completing his articles with PwC. He successfully started a number of Nissan, Ford, Mazda, UD, Fiat and Alfa Romeo dealerships and is a multiple franchise dealer of the year award winner. He also served and chaired a number of vehicle franchise dealer councils. His entrepreneurial skills were acknowledged in 2001 with the Pretoria Business Chamber Business of the Year award. Star Motor Group holds the current Nissan Dealer-Group-of-the-Year-Award. Renier also joined Paarl Boys High’s Raad van Beskermhere in 2018. Before joining Val de Vie Estate, Renier also successfully completed several large commercial property developments. His Valentia Manor house won the prestigious Best Residential Property in Africa award for 2016/17. His ability to implement a sales strategy was successfully honed in the motor industry and he oversees all property sales.

Ryk Neethling / Marketing Director and Shareholder of the Val de Vie Group of Companies

Ryk Neethling has played an instrumental role since his appointment in 2009 as the Marketing Director & Shareholder of the Val de Vie Group of Companies. Ryk’s business career started while he spent time in the real estate industry in the USA, assisting in the development, management and sales of various commercial properties in Arizona and California. This experience equipped him in establishing Cape Winelands Properties, the official on-site property agency for Val de Vie Estate, with his business partners. His strategic approach to implementing brand and marketing plans is evident in the numerous successfully sold-out developments of the Val de Vie Group of Companies. Under Ryk’s leadership, theVal de Vie brand has internationally been positioned as pioneering in the world of luxury property development. Ryk holds a BA degree in Psychology and Business from the University of Arizona. He is a Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Ambassador, founder of Learn to Swim Academies, three-time World Champion and an Olympic Gold Medalist.

Sarel Rossouw is the Financial Director of the Val de Vie Group of Companies. He has a wide-ranging background in auditing, finance, financial management, corporate governance, tax and reporting. He worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers until December 2007 where after he joined Val de Vie. Sarel is a qualified CA (SA). He is Chief Financial Officer of all the companies in the group and able to take care of the full financial cycle, from feasibility, finance and cash flow management to reporting.

James Wilson (Chief Executive Officer: The Amdec Group)

James Wilson is a qualified Chartered Accountant. In 1989 he joined forces with his father, John Wilson, a Civil Engineer by profession, to establish the Amdec Group. As Chief Executive Officer of the Amdec Group, James focuses mostly on overall strategic planning and team leadership.

The Amdec Group is a privately-owned company with an established reputation as South Africa’s leading developer of New Urban Lifestyles. This reputation, along with the high-profile developments upon which it is based, is founded upon the belief that there is a better way of living, working, relaxing, and interacting. Amdec aims to develop buildings and public places that foster enjoyment, connectivity, and a greater sense of well-being, while offering energy efficiency, sustainability, and convenience.

The Amdec Group’s prestigious portfolio spans a number of pioneering real estate assets including the iconic Melrose Arch mixed-use precinct in Johannesburg; Evergreen Lifestyles, South Africa’s leading retirement lifestyle brand; Westbrook, a 128 hectare residential estate in Port Elizabeth; The Yacht Club and Harbour Arch in Cape Town; Val de Vie Estate in the Cape Winelands; and IntaSpace, the country’s leading provider of flexible self-storage solutions

Patrice Motsepe (Chairperson at African Rainbow Capital)

With a BA and LLB, Patrice Motsepe became a partner at Bowman Gilfillan in 1994, specialising in mining and business law. Three years later, he ventured into mining, buying shafts from Anglo Gold and establishing African Rainbow Minerals.

In 2003, as part of The Giving Pledge, he formed the Motsepe Foundation, where he aims to donate half his wealth during his lifetime. The aim of the Foundation is to use the principle of ubuntu to uplift others.
Motsepe is now chairperson of a variety of companies, including Ubuntu-Botho Investments, and is the deputy chairperson of Sanlam. He is the chairperson of ARC.

He became an entrepreneur at the age of seven, working in his father’s grocery shop. He is now married to Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe, with whom he has three sons, and owns Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club.

Johan van der Merwe (Co-Chief Executive Officer at African Rainbow Capital)

After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, Johan went on to do a Master in Income Tax (University of Pretoria) and an M Phil Finance at Cambridge University. He also participated and completed the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School and the Challenge of Leadership at Insead Business School.

He joined Investec Asset Management in 1997 as Head of Resources and became the Global Sector Head of Resources in 2000. He was also a director and Executive Committee member of Investec Asset Management. In 2002 he was appointed as CEO of Sanlam Investment Management. In May 2003 van der Merwe was appointed CEO of the Investment Cluster responsible for all the investment businesses in the Sanlam Group. In 2005 and 2007 he took, in addition to Sanlam Investments, responsibility for Sanlam Capital Markets and Sanlam Employee Benefits respectively.

He is now Co-CEO of African Rainbow Capital and a non-executive director on the Sanlam Investments, Sanlam Capital Markets and Sanlam Employee Benefits Boards.

Michiel Scharrighuisen (Co-founder of Giflo)

Michiel Scharrighuisen is one of the founding directors of Giflo. Giflo is a commercial property development company as well as a property investment company. They have offices in Pretoria and Paarl and their core business involves the expansion of their property portfolio by sole greenfield developments, joint venture developments and direct acquisitions.

Reghardt Scharrighuisen (Co-founder of Giflo)

Reghardt Scharrighuisen is one of the founding directors of Giflo. Giflo is a commercial property development company as well as a property investment company. They have offices in Pretoria and Paarl and their core business involves the expansion of their property portfolio by sole greenfield developments, joint venture developments and direct acquisitions.