The first salvos of change for 2012 have been fired in the South African fruit industry.
As the export fraternity starts returning to the office after the Christmas and New Year’s break they will have to look for a new chief executive for their Fresh Produce Exporters’ Forum (FPEF).
Stuart Symington, who steered the FPEF for the best part of the past decade, is leaving the organisation to take up the challenging role as chief executive of the Perishable Exports Control Board (PPECB).
The move is likely to bring considerable change in the industry at the start of what is seen as a very challenging year for the South African produce industry.
While the board of the FPEF has started the search for a new leader, the challenge which awaits Symington at PPECB is considerable.
PPECB has been without a chief executive since August last year when the organisation parted ways with Luvuyo Mabombo.
“Symington’s mandate is clear,” says Louis Vorster, chairman of the PPECB. “He has to restore the culture of client service delivery at PPECB and put the organisation on a new path.”
Vorster says the board of PPECB had been concerned with service delivery for some time and that he was pleased that the PPECB could appoint someone who has so much knowledge of the fresh produce sector to take up the challenge.
Symington is currently on leave and not responding to media calls. He will join PPECB on the first of February.
The FPEF, meanwhile, is unlikely to appoint a successor before the end of January and it may be some time before the new appointee will start with his term.
The FPEF also has to appoint a new chairperson to replace Rory Antrobus of Green Marketing, who vacated the position at the end of last year.
