Executive Leadership
Pieter Hanekom
Chief Executive Officer
B Acc, BCompt (Hons), CA (SA)
Pieter spent several years at Pioneer Foods where he held various senior management positions. He was the managing director of Ceres Fruit Juices and later the executive responsible for the Ceres Beverage Company. He joined the group in 2015 and was appointed as deputy chief executive officer in July 2020. Pieter was appointed CEO on 1 October 2021.
Tiaan Schoombie
Chief Financial Officer
B Compt (Hons), CA (SA)
Tiaan has been chief financial officer of the group for the past 23 years. Prior to joining the group , Tiaan spent nine years at Deemster Foods in financial management and then later as the General Manager of Deemster Foods. Tiaan joined RFG Foods in 2000.
Con Costaras
Managing Director: Fresh Foods
BSocSc (Hons), BCom (Hons)
Con joined the Group in 2001 as the General Manager of the Fresh Foods division. Prior to joining the company, he gained valuable experience in fresh prepared foods through running his own Durban-based restaurant, in addition to careers Halls and First Lifestyle, and commercial head for prepared foods at Woolworths.
Richard Phillips
Divisional Managing Director – International
BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA
Richard worked for Dell Computers in the USA before joining RFG in 2003 as general manager of international sales. He was seconded to manage the group’s canning operations in Eswatini in 2009 and returned to South Africa in 2011 when he was appointed group commercial director. In 2019 Richard took a planned sabbatical and returned to RFG in April 2021 as divisional managing director responsible for the international business.
Job Mpele
Commercial Director
BA (Law), LLM, MBL
Job previously held the dual positions of head of human resources and head of commercial for Coca-Cola in Eswatini. In 2003 he joined RFG Foods as human resources manager at the Eswatini operations and relocated to the group’s head office two years later. In 2010 Job was appointed as human resources director and was appointed to his current position in 2019.
Jacques Cilliers
Operations Director: Long Life Food
M.Eng (mech) (cum laude)
Jacques started his career with Clover and then moved to Pioneer Foods where he held various senior positions. He was the executive responsible for operations at the Pioneer beverage and snacks factories. He joined RFG in 2015 as general manager of the juice factory in Wellington. He was appointed to his current position on 1 October 2021.
