Thinking out of the box is the way Jannie Vermeulen tackles all his challenges and it is this innovative approach that he brings to Swartland Winery when he takes up the position of MD in May. He started his career in banking with Boland Bank after completing B Comm and LLB degrees. He had achieved the position of Group Manager Finance when he joined Pepkor. A stint at Ackermans followed with a term in Scotland – where opening a new retail chain for the group consolidated his love for commerce and his understanding of developing new export markets.
After leaving the Pepkor group he founded a very successful retail and finance partnership and as the market changed, he realised that a new direction was needed.
His love of figures and a keen interest in science made it an easy transition into the world of wine when joining Simonsvlei in 1997 and subsequently joined the Board of Directors of Simonsvlei after its conversion from a co-operative to a public company. Hence, he fully understands where Swartland may be in a similar transition.
