Michael is a decisive and driven leader with global experience in building and scaling businesses across diverse sectors. Over the past three decades, he has led companies through expansion, M&A, and restructuring in private equity-backed, listed, and family-owned ventures.
As Founder of Loxworth Capital, he focuses on identifying entrepreneurial opportunities and structuring deals that are commercially sound, fast-moving, and built for long-term value. He brings energy, clarity, and an action-oriented mindset to every project — expecting the same commitment and intensity from those around him.
Michael has launched and supported ventures across South Africa, Namibia, Europe, and the USA, including start-ups, growth companies, and real estate investments. He plays a central role in shaping strategy and driving performance across the Loxworth portfolio.
Known for his loyalty and investment in people, Michael leads with purpose and pace — ensuring that the businesses he backs are not only successful but built on trust, accountability, and shared ambition.
Evaristus is a dynamic leader, strategist, and entrepreneur with decades of experience in executive leadership, business development, and agriculture. He is the founder of CRJ Farming and manages thriving mixed-use farms in Namibia’s Otjozondjupa Region, integrating livestock, horticulture, and biomass innovation with a strong focus on sustainability.
He plays a pivotal role in building scalable, future-fit businesses and guiding transformational projects across Namibia and beyond. With deep insight into operations, stakeholder engagement, and strategic growth, Evaristus advises across agriculture, education, and investment sectors — connecting policy, practice, and profitability.
In addition to his business leadership, Evaristus contributes to academia through part-time lecturing in politics and administration, drawing from his experience at the intersection of governance, entrepreneurship, and rural development.
Above all, he is known for his integrity, clarity of vision, and unwavering commitment to impact—qualities that continue to inspire teams and transform communities.
Michèle is Chief of Staff and ESG Director, focused on building commercially successful businesses that embed sustainability and community impact into their growth strategy. She oversees acquisitions, investor relations, and partnerships with institutions such as development banks, ensuring transparency, structured reporting, and alignment between financial performance and responsible business practices.
In her ESG role, Michèle ensures environmental and social factors are integrated into day-to-day operations and long-term planning, in line with international frameworks such as the IFC Performance Standards. Her work supports compliance, strengthens stakeholder relationships, and contributes to resilient, future-focused development.
Michèle also coordinates leadership priorities, streamlines execution, and supports teams in delivering measurable results. She brings a practical, solutions-oriented approach to strategy, helping the business grow with purpose.
Her focus is on ensuring that profitability, sustainability, and social value are not competing interests, but mutually reinforcing pillars of long-term success.
Rachelle Smith is the Financial Director at Loxworth and a qualified Chartered Accountant (SA), overseeing financial strategy and controls across a growing portfolio of businesses in Southern Africa and beyond. With over a decade of experience in the manufacturing and project sectors, she has developed a reputation for building robust financial systems that support growth while managing risk.
Rachelle plays a central role in aligning financial operations with business strategy, ensuring effective capital allocation, cost control, and operational agility across multiple entities. She has led the automation of manual processes, resulting in greater transparency, productivity gains, and meaningful cost savings.
Her current focus includes refining operating procedures to improve margins, drive sustainable revenue growth, and strengthen group-wide profitability. Rachelle’s disciplined, tech-enabled approach is underpinned by a strong commitment to ethical and socially responsible business practices.
She is valued for her sharp analytical thinking, steady leadership, and ability to navigate complexity without losing sight of long-term value.
Victor is a highly accomplished operations and manufacturing leader with over two decades of experience across engineering, production, maintenance, and large-scale operational environments.
He is known as a hands-on, solutions-oriented leader who consistently delivers measurable improvements in productivity, efficiency, quality, and safety. With strong technical expertise and commercial acumen, Victor specialises in operational excellence, lean manufacturing, and the implementation of world-class manufacturing systems.
Currently operating at a group level across systems and operations, he leads the development and standardisation of end-to-end operating frameworks spanning agricultural, manufacturing, and supply chain functions. His work includes hydroponic production systems, packing operations, cold chain management, and infrastructure - driving alignment through KPI frameworks, digital tools, and continuous improvement.
Previously, Victor held full accountability for a major manufacturing facility, where he led multidisciplinary teams across production, engineering, quality, and health and safety, delivering sustained improvements in throughput, efficiency, and cost control.
He has a strong engineering foundation, having progressed from artisan level to senior leadership, with formal training in mechanical engineering and business management. Victor is known for his practical, no-nonsense approach, combining strategic thinking with disciplined execution. He is passionate about developing people, building capable teams, and driving continuous improvement, and is also a listed inventor.
Eben is an accomplished agronomist and seasoned agricultural professional with over a decade of hands-on experience in the agricultural sector, specialising in advanced farming techniques and project development.
With a B-Tech degree in Agriculture, Eben has spent the past eight years focusing on blueberry farming and driving innovative agricultural projects in Southern Africa. His expertise encompasses a broad range of agronomic practices, with a strong emphasis on sustainable farming, precision agriculture, and the integration of technology in farming operations.
Eben is committed to capacity building and knowledge transfer, recognising that empowering others through education is crucial for the long-term success of agricultural enterprises.
His leadership is marked by a strategic vision and a pragmatic approach to problem-solving, ensuring that both people and processes are optimised for efficiency and growth.
Gabrielle is a seasoned logistics professional with over two decades of experience in cost management, logistics, and supply chain operations. She has held progressively senior roles across industries including correctional services, mining, and oil and gas, consistently contributing to improved efficiency and operational performance.
As a logistics leader, Gabrielle has optimised inventory levels, consolidated transport operations, and streamlined warehouse costing and management systems. Her broad experience has given her a clear understanding of the critical role logistics plays in achieving business objectives and supporting effective operations.
Beyond logistics, Gabrielle has also overseen sales teams, managed contracts, and supported project execution—demonstrating versatility and a strong commercial focus. She brings a practical, solutions-driven approach to every challenge, with a focus on efficiency and results.
Known for her commitment to excellence, Gabrielle leverages her skills to drive operational success and business growth. Her hands-on style and strategic mindset make her a valued leader across the supply chain.
As the Head of Marketing and Research, Marion leverages her analytical mindset and strategic thinking to drive business growth and enhance brand visibility. With over a decade of working closely with cross-functional teams across the United States, Middle East, Europe, and Southern Africa, she values the power of collaboration.
Marion’s keen eye for detail and understanding of identifying and analysing market trends play a pivotal role in conducting thorough due diligence and research on potential growth opportunities for Namibia Berries. Her passion for creative storytelling together with her collaborative, inter-disciplinary approach are instrumental in designing and implementing compelling marketing strategies.
Marion holds a Master’s degree in Translation and Editing from Stellenbosch University, and she has completed various international short courses in open-source intelligence and advanced research techniques.
David is our Senior Agronomist and Plant Health Specialist, with oversight of Production, Plant Health, and Research & Development. He is a highly experienced blueberry and soft fruit horticulturist, having supported multiple projects across Southern Africa, including South Africa (Western Cape, Northwest, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga), Zimbabwe, and Zambia.
With over 11 years in the blueberry industry, David is known for his strong passion for team building, staff motivation, and skills development. He believes that knowledge sharing and practical exposure are key to strengthening and empowering agricultural teams and actively enjoys delivering customised training and development programmes for technical teams.
A passionate entomologist, David specialises in insect pest management through the implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems. He holds a BSc Honours in Crop Science (University of Zimbabwe), a BSc Honours in Applied Plant Physiology, and an MSc in Entomology (University of Stellenbosch). He also holds an AVCASA qualification and is a member of the South African Society of Crop Production (SASCP), as well as a dormant Professional Natural Scientist (Pr. Nat. Sci.) with SACNASP.
Reabetswe is a dedicated agricultural enthusiast with a Bachelor’s degree in Crop Production from Tshwane University. With four years of hands-on experience in the blueberry industry, she has honed her expertise in various aspects of agricultural production.
As Production Manager, Reabetswe’s key responsibilities include managing fertigation, overseeing irrigation systems, planning harvests, ensuring field quality control (QC), and maintaining cold room quality standards.
Her professional goals are deeply rooted in her passion for agriculture, with a strong focus on transferring valuable skills to young people who share her enthusiasm for the field.
Alex graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from the Namibia University of Science and Technology, and has over four years of experience in the agriculture industry.
As Assistant Production Manager, his responsibilities include quality control, management of staff productivity, planning and implementation of field trials, pest management, and management of all data capturing and analysis. Alex is passionate about young people’s involvement in the development of a sustainable food value chain.
Robert Herbst is the Irrigation Technician at Namibia Berries, and is responsible for managing irrigation and fertigation across all phases of blueberry production. His role focuses on ensuring precise water and nutrient delivery to support optimal plant health and crop performance.
He holds an Advanced Certificate in Fertigation from the Fertigation Academy, where he completed both theoretical and practical training in irrigation, plant nutrition, and fertigation. He also holds a Certificate of Competency in Agriculture and Forestry accredited by AgriSETA.
Prior to joining Namibia Berries, Robert worked as a Pack Line Manager in Ceres, overseeing the export packing of apples, pears, and onions. He later gained production experience as a Junior Production Manager in Worcester, working with olives, wine grapes, and cherries.
Robert brings strong expertise in irrigation system management, maintenance, and fertigation programming, with a focus on efficiency, reliability, and precision in nutrient management.
Mikhail is the Environmental and Cold Room Manager at Namibia Berries, where he leads the development and implementation of comprehensive environmental management strategies. With a passion for the intersection of agriculture and the natural environment, he is dedicated to addressing the complex challenges in this field.
As part of his role, Mikhail oversees the cold room operations, ensuring that produce is stored under optimal conditions to maintain quality and reduce waste. Mikhail is particularly focused on advancing biological pest control as a key component of sustainable agriculture, striving to find innovative solutions that balance environmental protection with agricultural productivity.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Conservation Ecology and a Master’s degree in Sustainable Agriculture from Stellenbosch University. Mikhail is committed to making a positive impact through effective environmental management practices.
Anita is a process-driven professional with over five years of experience in the blueberry industry, specialising in cold room management, production data, inventory control, and compliance.
She holds a National Diploma in Agricultural Management, with a focus on Plant and Animal Production, as well as a qualification in Quality Control Techniques from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
As Assistant Manager: Production & Cold Room, Anita plays a key role in supporting critical areas such as cold room operations, quality compliance, fertigation, and health & safety.
She is committed to driving excellence in both production and post-harvest processes through proactive monitoring, continuous improvement, and a strong focus on maintaining the highest standards of quality.
Community development, Community Engagement Participation and EIA are some of the tasks that Social Performance Officer/Manager Nathalia Shikangala-Djani very skilled at. She make it her mission to address and solve community issues. She has more than 10 years to work with community. She is studying towards Masters in Environment and Sustainable Development at the African University (AU) Zambia.
If she is not working Shikangala-Djani prefer spending her free time reading entrepreneurship and renovation books. She prefer staying at home to going out with her families to do outdoor activities.
John is a highly motivated and detail-oriented Project Manager with over four years of proven experience in site management, civil engineering, and project delivery. With a strong academic foundation in Civil Engineering and Project Management, John combines technical expertise with practical field experience to deliver high-quality results on complex projects.
Throughout his career, he has successfully contributed to the completion of major infrastructure and energy projects in Namibia, including the Rundu Water Treatment Plant and Gerus Solar One, Kaisosi Mass Housing, and Kaisosi Sunshine Development - demonstrating his ability to manage diverse teams, meet strict deadlines, and maintain compliance with industry standards. As a forward-thinking engineer, John is passionate about contributing to sustainable infrastructure and construction solutions that have a lasting positive impact on communities.
John is a qualified civil engineer with qualifications from Namibia University of Science and Technology in Civil Engineering and Project Management, as well as a postgraduate diploma in project management from Edubex.
Justina is a Development Practitioner and a certified Project Manager Professional (PMP) with over seven years of experience in sustainable land management, contract management and local economic development analysis. She brings a strong track record of aligning policy, strategy and operations to deliver inclusive and sustainable development outcomes.
Academically, Justina holds a Master’s degree in Development Policy and Practice from the University of Cape Town, a Post Graduate Degree in Sustainable Development from Stellenbosch University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Land Administration from the Namibia University of Sciencea nd Technology, and an Advanced Degree in Management from Southern Business School. Her PMP certification further strengthens her expertise in project execution, performance management and strategic transformation.
As an ESG Officer, she oversees the implementation of the Resettlement Action Plan and Livelihood restoration for Project Affected Persons (PAPs), ensuring IFC PS5 compliance, sustainability and community impact. She is driven by a commitment to sustainable land use, inclusive economic development and institutional excellence.
She is particularly passionate about bridging policy and practice, and positioning land and agriculture as the catalyst of long-term socio-economic growth.
Martin is enthusiastic and self-motivated, with a deep commitment to fostering strong collaborative relationships between organisations and the communities they serve.
With a solid background in community development, public speaking, and organisational relationship management, he excels in resolving conflicts and enhancing effective communication channels.
As Community Liaison Officer, Martin is dedicated to aligning organisational goals and initiatives with the needs and concerns of community members, ensuring effective implementation while maintaining professional and productive relationships with all stakeholders.
Enya-Dine serves as the Office Manager, bringing with her seven years of extensive experience in the establishment and development of blueberry projects.
Her background spans HR & wages, social and environmental compliance, and financial administration within the blueberry industry. Enya-Dine is known for her meticulous attention to detail and a strong commitment to getting things right the first time. Her ability to quickly learn new skills and her unwavering willingness to assist make her an invaluable asset to our team.
Outside of work, Enya-Dine is passionate about photography and enjoys immersing herself in a good book.
Anja is a dedicated compliance professional with a Bachelor of Laws LLB degree from the University of the Free State in South Africa.
With nine years of experience in compliance and internal auditing, Anja has spent six of those years specialising in agriculture. Her expertise includes assisting producers with GlobalG.A.P. and ethical audits, as well as carbon footprint submissions.
Anja has a strong passion for compliance and finds immense joy in successfully passing audits to facilitate the export of fruit. Her commitment to ensuring high standards and meeting regulatory requirements is evident in her work and career achievements.
As the team's Environmental, Health and Safety Officer, Nathalia is dedicated to ensuring compliance with all health and safety regulations within the agricultural operations. Her responsibilities include monitoring safety programmes and practices to prevent accidents, injuries, and health issues among employees.
Nathalia is an environmentalist with a strong passion for sustainability and environmental protection. She holds a Master of Science degree in Sustainable Health and Environmental Studies and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Climate Change and Sustainable Development att he Copperbelt University.
Driven by a deep commitment to promoting environmental resilience and sustainable living, Nathalia focuses on the intersection between human health, climate change, and ecological conservation. Her academic and professional interests center on developing innovative solutions that foster environmental awareness, policy integration, and community-based adaptation to climate challenges.
Sheida is a seasoned professional in the fields of Business Administration and Human Resource Management with over 8 years of experience developing teams and driving people-centred strategies. She possesses three years of experience in the banking sector and has dedicated the greater part of her career to the local authority fraternity, serving as a Human Resources Practitioner.
Sheida holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Namibia University of Science and Technology, which provided her with a strong foundation in business operations, management principles and organisational strategy. Building on this, she completed an Honours degree in Business Administration majoring in Human Resources Management from Stadio (South Africa), deepening her expertise in human capital. Fuelled by her dedication to leadership development and continuous personal growth, Sheida is currently advancing her studies with a Master’s degree in Management at Stadio, South Africa.
With a proven track record in process optimisation, talent development and performance management, Sheida brings together a strong academic background and steadily expanding practical expertise. She strives to use this skillset to contribute meaningfully to organisational success while promoting people-centred management practices.
Debbie is a dedicated HR professional with an Honours degree in Human Resource Management from the International University of Management. She recently completed an internship as HR Manager and IT trainee for an IFC-compliant Resettlement Action Plan at Namibia Berries.
Her experience also includes an internship with the HR Department at Kavango West Regional Council, where she gained practical skills in recruitment, employee relations, and performance management.
Passionate about inclusive work environments, Debbie is eager to contribute to Namibia Berries’ values and is committed to continuous learning and growth in the HR field.
Saba holds a Diploma in Animal Health from the University of Namibia (UNAM) and brings over five years of diverse professional experience across the animal health and retail sectors from reputable companies such as Agra and Bargain.
His background includes roles as a merchandiser, animal health counter salesman, general salesman, and pharmacy assistant, giving him a well-rounded skill set in customer service, product knowledge, and operational efficiency.
Saba is known for his strong work ethic, adaptability, and commitment to delivering high-quality service in every role he undertakes.
Hendrik is a qualified Petrol and Diesel Mechanic, and holds a certificate from the Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology.
With over five years of hands-on experience in maintenance and repairs, he has built a strong technical foundation working for reputable organisations such as John Deere and the Skorpion Zinc Mine.
Hendrik’s diverse industry exposure, attention to detail, and commitment to high-quality workmanship make him a reliable professional in heavy-equipment and automotive maintenance.
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