Three executives depart from KWV Limited
Tuesday, 11 May, 2004
Kirkby Communications
The new structure will give the group greater marketing flexibility
KWV Limited was gearing itself to be able to react more swiftly to changes in foreign and local markets through greater decentralisation of authority, which had led to its structures being modified. As a result three executive directors, group director finance, Nico Kotzé (51), 22 years service, group director trade policy, Willie de Klerk (50), 21 years service and group director human resources, Elna Mouton (51), 9 years service, opted to take early retirement from the group.
The group said in a brief statement that following its transformation from a co-operative to a company and its resultant abdication of industry responsibilities, the board decided to rationalise management structures with a view to better compliance with its corporate governance responsibilities.
KWV chairman, Danie de Wet, added to this saying he had started working towards creating a more streamlined, decentralised management structure since he took over the reins at the beginning of the year. He said discussions had been held with the three senior personnel about deploying them within the new structures of the company, but they had decided to take early retirement.
De Wet said he regretted their decision to depart because of their vast experience, as well as the work they had done for the group over many years, however, that with the changes taking place at KWV, it was necessary to make it more nippy, able to react faster, be more cost effective and have a structure that was transparent.
He said that the changes being implemented within the group would help to bring it in line with the King 2 Report relating to corporate governance. The new structure would give the two group’s two local subsidiaries, KWV South Africa, which is responsible for production and KWV International, which is responsible for marketing greater flexibility and the ability to make strategic decisions faster than in the past.
Danie de Wet said that a short-list of candidates to replace former KWV International MD, Vernon Davis, had been drawn up and that they had hoped to finalise the appointment as soon as possible.