- Michael Barr (Non-Executive Director)
Michael, a Chartered Accountant, was a partner at the auditing firm BDO Spencer Steward before he was head-hunted to Investec Private Bank.
His initial responsibilities at Investec were private client stock broking, where after he pioneered the International Private Banking division. Soon after that he became the Regional Head of Investec Private Bank. This tenure covered a period of nine years, during which he also served as a Director on the Investec Main Board. Under his stewardship, the Investec Western Cape region grew profits every year and became the second largest profit contributor to the Private Bank in South Africa.
He currently holds numerous private company board appointments, notably as a Director of the Holding Company that have a substantial stake in the prestigious mixed use development, Melrose Arch.
Michael joins Auction Alliance as a Director and Board Member, and also heads up the Credit and Investment Committee. His other areas of key importance includes national marketing, HR, operational advice as well being a driving force behind group’s national corporate sales.
He brings a vast client database, immeasurable commercial property and finance experience as well as huge strategic experience to the Alliance team.
- Neville Bear (Commercial)
Neville completed his CIS in Natal in 1990. He worked in the export industry for 10 years, followed by a successful spell in a management position at Sally Williams Fine Foods.
In 2004 Neville was appointed as the Regional Manager of Auction Alliance's Gauteng Region and in 2005 took management control of the auction company's Northern Region including all provinces from the Free State to the Northern Border Provinces.
A keen entrepreneur, Neville has overseen the growth of the auction business in the Northern region. His range of skills and entrepreneurial thinking has proved valuable in developing the business in this region.
Under Neville's management the region grew rapidly; as a stalwart of our Group he was a major contributor to our rapid organic growth. Neville is a high quality, hard working leader who has been the backbone of our organisation and a critical cornerstone of our growth strategy for many years.
Contact: 083 387 0870 or nbear@auction.co.za
- Craig Berman (Residential)
Craig Berman aims to establish the auction mechanism as a first choice means of property purchasing across South Africa. Through his extensive industry experience and knowledge, Craig has been influential in the establishing of Auction Alliance as South Africa’s leading Auction Company. His leadership skills, insight and innovative ideas have facilitated the conclusion of a number of high-value deals and he strives to persistently introduce new ideas and techniques into the industry.
Craig is originally from Cape Town, where he lived most of his early life. After leaving school, he headed for Johannesburg where he established a name for himself in the retail world. He started out selling small appliances and through experience, began to develop his own unique brand of selling. After a few years, Craig founded Retail Communication Solutions (RCS), a company dedicated to retail-based communication, training, management and media solutions. He spent the best part of 20 years dedicated to the development of specialised sales formula’s, conceptualising company sales strategies and defining sales platforms for organisations such as Makro, Dion, Hyperama, Hi-FI Corporation and ABSA Private Bank.
In conjunction with RCS, Craig formed a property development company which specialised in the development of high-end homes.Through this passion, Craig became synonymous in the property industry with delivering quality and exceptional design. After the successful sale of his property division of the RCS group, Craig joined Pam Golding in 2007 where he was tasked with regaining market share in Sandhurst and Hyde Park. With his unique communication abilities, Craig began to re-engineer approaches and strategies and achieved excellent sales. Today, he remains a main shareholder in the RCS Group- which is recognised as a leader in the communication and media industry.
Contact: 082 444 4144 or cberman@auction.co.za
- David Bernstein (Human Resources)
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David is
the group head of human resources for Auction Alliance and
graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2003 with a degree in
Industrial Psychology and Labour Relations, specialising in Human
Resource Management.
He has since become a sought-after lecturer and was an internal
marketer at Varsity College. During this period he also consulted
in the fields of ergonomics, labour relations and conflict
management.
In 2005, he joined a leading South African recruitment company,
where he received further training and experience in the employment
sector, specialising in financial sector placements.
David joined Auction Alliance in March 2006, where his passion for
people and performance made an invaluable contribution to the
company's Human Resource Department. Under his leadership, Auction
Alliance was awarded the CRF Best Employers in South Africa award
in 2007.
Contact: 083 781 5909 or dbernstein@auction.co.za
- Mike Bosch (Commercial Eastern Cape)
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Mike graduated
at the University of Port Elizabeth on 1982, obtaining a BA Phys Ed
Honours degree. He was then employed by the UPE Sports Bureau where
he held the title of Sports Marketing Agent and head middle
distance coach of the highly successful University team. He had the
distinction of being named the SA Breweries Eastern Province Sports
Coach of the year, a year in which he coached no less than 5
Springbok athletes.
Mike himself has SA colours in athletics, duathlon and triathlon
and in the mid 80's held 8 EP records on the track and road from
3000 metres to 21 km's, an achievement which has never been
equaled.
Mike also spent 3 years teaching senior geography and phys ed at
Theodor Herzel High School in PE. In 1990 Mike was recruited by
Bowman Estates as a commercial and industrial property broker in
the Eastern Cape. He later headed and became a part franchise owner
of Seeff Commercial and Industrial Properties before going on his
own as Mike Bosch Properties.
Mike joined Alliance Group in 2007 and heads the EC division which
has become a major force in the EC with the PE team having
concluded the majority of commercial and industrial sales in and
around PE.
Contact: 041 373 8444 or mbosch@auction.co.za
- Pieter Geldenhuys (Agriculture North)
-
Pieter is
a qualified teacher and became a respected auctioneer after
completing his post graduate degree at the University of
Potchefstroom. His first auction position was in 1995, when he
became the regional manager of Seeff Auctions, Pretoria. In 2001 he
moved on and decided to further his career by becoming a
shareholder and director of Auction Alliance.
Pieter has since conducted some of the country's most high value
auctions and has a wide asset knowledge, conducting sales as far as
Namibia, Botswana and Swaziland. His largest auction was the sale
of almost 1 000 lots in Kleinzee, Northern Cape, which he began at
10am in the morning and ended at 7pm in the evening.
His career highlights include selling the assets of a massive
mine in Oranjemund, Namibia, and tearfully being thanked by a widow
for helping their family get value out of a deceased estate sale in
Volksrust.
Pieter's philosophy with all his auctions is to communicate with
transparency to both the buyer and seller. At the end of every one
of his auctions, he likes his clients to get the best possible
deal, thereby making a difference to their personal and
professional lives.
Contact: 082 808 1801 or pgendenhuys@auction.co.za
- Chris Halbert (Operations, Cape)
-
Chris Halbert
joined our team as Regional Operations Manger in the Cape region in
December 2009.
Chris is a qualified Chartered Management Accountant having
completed his under graduate studies at the University of
Stellenbosch followed up by post graduate studies in the United
Kingdom.
Chris brings with him a solid career of financial, administrative
and systems experience gained in his previous roles as Financial
Manager at Integer Home Loans and prior to that at Hays Specialist
Recruitment in the UK.
Contact: 076 376 2175 or chalbert@auction.co.za
- Hein Hattingh (Legal KZN)
Hein Hattingh was a practising attorney for 17 years, specialising in property and commercial law in the Free State, before joining Auction Alliance in 2000.
He had already been actively involved in the auction industry since 1999, and after selling his legal practice, he founded the Auction Alliance Durban branch. Under his astute management, Auction Alliance became a well known brand in the Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) area, conducting some of the provinces most high value transactions.
Since then, under Hein's management and operational control, the KZN region has experienced three years of strong organic growth.
As of the July 2009, Hein also began overseeing full regional control of Auction Alliance in the Free State. As a dynamic regional manager, Hein brings a wealth of experience to the company.
Contact: 083 639 0558 or hhattingh@auction.co.za
- Ismail Hendricks (Legal Cape)
Ismail Hendricks, graduated from UCT in 2001 with an Honours degree in Business Science, after which he worked as a business analyst for major banks, blue chip companies and government bodies.
Having taken part in the business reality TV show, The Apprentice, hosted by Tokyo Sexwale, Ishmail was head-hunted by Auction Alliance in 2006. He endeared himself to the viewing public with his business acumen and charming stage persona, and has carried this through to the Alliance auction floors.
With the success of Alliance's Rapid Auction Program (RAP), the sales platform for residential property, Ishmail has conducted over 1 000 residential auctions in the Cape region, making him one of the leading auctioneers of residential property in South Africa.
Contact: 082 908 6653 or ihendricks@auction.co.za
- Gareth Kitto (Regional Manager KZN & Free State)
Gareth is a graduate of the University of the Free State (CFP) and the Institute of Marketing Management (Gr Dip Mkt). He also has many years of executive management experience in the financial services and property industry.
Some of the highlights of his varied career include being the highest performing Regional Manager at BoE Wealth Management and working as Director: Marketing, Value added Services and Direct Business at Bond Choice, South Africa’s second largest mortgage broker, for the past seven years. His overall responsibility was for strategy and profitability of Bond Choice’s value added services and direct business
- Ariella Kuper (New Business Development)
Ariella currently heads up New Business Development for Auction Alliance, providing a national face for new clients, complex projects and new initiatives undertaken by the company.
Ariella has excelled in the academic and professional arena, achieving a BA Joint Honours in Economics from Wits in 1995, followed by an MBA in 2002 at the Cape Town Graduate School of Business (GSB), from where she received an exchange Scholarship to Columbia Business School, NY (USA 2003).
She was an international steel trader with Macsteel International, a private equity executive, and thereafter entered the auction arena, bringing with her an aptitude to quickly understand a variety of assets, including mining, maritime, aviation and property. The experience gained from trading included multiple languages, shipping, logistics, finance and international trade. The auction environment has offered Ariella a canvas to leverage off all these strengths on various levels to benefit an extensive client base.
As one of the only female auctioneers in SA, Ariella has raised in excess of R12.5 million for various charities, including high profile events like FIFA 2010, Francois Pienaar's MAD Foundation (>R3 million), Zanele Mbeki's IWFSA Leadership Cup, Anneline Kriel's Homestead, Wilma VD Bijl's Red Cross Children's Hospital, and Home of Hope, amongst others.
Contact: 079 899 9998 or akuper@auction.co.za.
- Rael Levitt (CEO)
Rael displayed early entrepreneurial ambitions during his school and student years. He sold his first property while still in matric and was selling property to varsity staff while completing his law degree at the University of Cape Town.
Rael has today become an innovator, entrepreneur and household name in the asset sales and services industry. He founded his first auction company at the age of 20 and was the founder of Auction Alliance, Valuation Alliance and Asset Alliance.
With his infectious personality, astute leadership and bold strategic moves, Rael has developed the Auction Alliance into Southern Africa's leading asset sales and services company.
A veteran and pioneer of the auctioneering business at age 40, Rael's knowledge and industry acumen are unequalled in the local market. He has personally sold billions of Rands of almost every asset type and his background in sales and marketing combined with extensive operational and general management experience make him a highly respected and popular leader of the ever-growing Auction Alliance brand.
Contact: 082 777 0999 or rlevitt@auction.co.za
- Gary Locketz (Non-Executive Director)
Gary Locketz, a qualified Chartered Accountant, completed his studies at the University of Cape Town in 1992 and passed the Public Accountants and Auditors Board exams in 1993.
After completing his articles at Grant Thornton International he joined AML Financial Services where he was a partner from1994 to 2006. AML Financial Services is a boutique accounting and financial services practice specialising in the financial management services of high net worth individuals and entrepreneurs.
Gary joined Auction Alliance in November of 2006 and brought with him vast operations, strategic and financial experience to his management of the group’s Operations and Finance departments as Chief Financial Officer. He also serves as a member on the Auction Alliance board of directors.
- Andrew Miller (Agriculture KZN)
-
Andrew was
educated at Kearsney College in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), and it is here
in the province's big school rivalries that he honed his
competitive edge and ability to perform under pressure.
Andrew began his career as an auctioneer in 1982 and has since
conducted thousands of sales throughout South Africa and most
neighboring countries.
In 1986, he gained valuable experience working in America and
travelling alongside some of America's leading purebred livestock
auctioneers. During his 26 years as an auctioneer, Andrew has
conducted just about every national breed stud sale in the
livestock and small stock industry. During this time, he has also
sold millions of rands worth of extremely high profile and high
value commercial and industrial properties.
Andrew is recognisable more recently for his regular television
appearances on the DSTV Super Sport channel as a member of
Bloodstock South Africa's international panel of auctioneers, where
he sells millions of rands worth of high value thoroughbred
yearling race horses. At the 2005 National Yearling Sale, he sold
the all time record priced yearling for R3,3million.
His
wielding gavel has also been in action for many charities around
the country, including The Captains Table and the Sunflower Fund.
As Auction Alliance's KZN-based auctioneer, Andrew conducts all the
auctions for the group in that region.
Contact: 082 493 2362 or amiller@auction.co.za
- Rowena Moodley (Operations, KZN)
-
Rowena is one
of the Pioneers of the KZN Branch and is currently with the Group
for 9 years. She has grown with the Branch which initially began
with 3 team members and over the past 9 years has grown to a
staggering 35 team members.
Rowena graduated with a diploma in Business Management in the year
2000 and commenced employment as an administrator in the KZN Office
and due to her passion, dedication and hard work, she has worked
her way up the corporate ladder and is now the Head of Operations
in the KZN Region.
Her eye for detail and meticulous management method has been a
vital part of the growth and success of the branch. Rowena is a key
player in ensuring that all administrative processes and procedures
are implemented and executed effectively and is also responsible
for the management of the team compliment in the KZN Branch.
Contact: 083 565 7797 or rmoodley@auction.co.za
- Sango Ntsaluba (Chairman)
Sango Ntsaluba is the CEO of Amabubesi Group and over a period of over 25 years has acquired wide experience in various businesses. As a Chartered Accountant, he spent a number of years practising in the firm he co-founded, SizweNtsaluba VSP, which has become the biggest black Accounting and Auditing firm in South Africa. He further holds a BComm (Fort Hare) BCompt Honours (UNISA) and Higher Diploma in Tax Law (UJ).
Over the years, including the time he spent at Transnet as a General Manager in Group Finance and later, as an Executive Director responsible for Restructuring and Railways, he acquired immense experience in the fields of transport, logistics and ICT.
He was a member of the Black Economic Empowerment Commission and also held various positions within The Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa (ABASA).
He serves on various public sector boards having been appointed by the relevant ministers. These boards are the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), National Housing Finance Corporation (NHFC) and the board of SASRIA.
He also serves on the boards of Digicore Holdings Limited, Basil Read Holdings, Barloworld Limited and Neotel. By virtue of him being the CEO of Amabubesi Group, he sits on various boards of companies where the group has invested, including his chairmanship at Auction Alliance.
- Jan Oberholzer (Valuations)
-
Jan graduated
from the University of South Africa in 2005 with a Baccalaureus
Technologiae (Real Estate - Property Valuation) degree. Prior to
joining the alliance group he was a Regional Manager (Valuations)
at ABSA Bank.
He joined the Alliance Group to further his career in 2006 and
fulfils the dual role of Regional Valuations Manager and Valuer in
the Northern Region.
Contact: 082 448 7093 or joberholzer@auction.co.za
- Charl Pienaar (Legal and Compliance Manager)
Charl completed his BCom LLB degree at the University of Stellenbosch in 2002. Between 2003 and 2005, he completed his legal articles at Jan S De Villiers attorneys. Subsequently, Charl joined the tax department at Deloitte & Touche at the end of 2005, where he spent two years. During his time spent at both, Jan S De Villiers attorneys and Deloitte, Charl completed a two year post graduate diploma in tax law at the University of Stellenbosch as well as an advanced post graduate diploma in value-added tax at UNISA. Charl grew up on a cattle and sheep farm in the Northern Cape, where his family still farm and in which he maintains an ardent interest.
Before joining Auction Alliance in 2010, Charl was the group legal advisor and company secretary at a property investment group. He is currently in the process of obtaining an additional post graduate diploma in financial planning at the University of Stellenbosch Business School which will finish at the end of 2011.
Other laudable achievements include Charl’s recent completion of Ironman South Africa in 2011. Furthermore, Charl possesses a keen interest in most sports, specifically cricket and rugby.
Contact: 082 282 3584 or cpienaar@auction.co.za
- Bruce Sneddon (CFO)
-
Bruce Sneddon
joined our team in his capacity as Chief Financial Officer in
December 2009.
Bruce, a qualified Chartered Accountant, completed both his under-
and post-graduate studies at UCT, followed by his articles at
Deloitte.
Joining the Alliance team as of December 2009, Bruce brings a
wealth of key financial and administration experience from his
roles as CFO at Integer, Financial & Projects Executive at
Truworths Limited, CEO and former Group Financial Director at
Appleton, as well as his position as group accountant for Norwich
Holdings SA Limited.
A cornerstone to his continued success is his healthy balance
between his professional career and family. Bruce further
attributes his focus to a keen interest in sports as he plays water
polo, competes as an active masters swimmer, and is also a keen
golfer and runner.
The strategic expertise that Bruce brings to the table is sure to
see Alliance Group make the most of the opportunities 2010 has to
offer.
Contact: 084 468 6885 or bsneddon@auction.co.za
- Rainer Stenzhorn (Commercial KZN)
-
German-born
Rainer Stenzhorn, the son of a hotelier, completed his chef
and hotel management diploma. Soon after, international hotel
groups beckoned, and by age 28, he was the president of the local
hotel and hospitality association in the Frankfurt region. This
position afforded him his first insight into hospitality
developments and sales transactions as he completed feasibility
studies on behalf of financial institutions and investors
alike.
Over 17 years ago, Rainer was asked to oversee the development of
two hospitality projects in South Africa for overseas investors.
During this time, hedecided that South Africa was the place he
wanted to call home. His work commenced in the South African hotel
industry as a consultant involved in a number of local hospitality
property transactions.
Rainer realised that the commercial property market was a
challenging industry and his in-depth industry knowledge could be a
big advantage. As a result, he joined the KZN Auction Alliance team
in March 2004 as business development manager, and since 2006, has
been in charge of the commercial sales department. Rainer has
initiated commercial property auctions to the value of over
R600million.
Contact: 082 321 1135 or rstenzhorn@auction.co.za
- Bradley Stephens (Legal National)
Brad completed his IMM and then his Bachelors of Business Administration, majoring in marketing communications. He has been with Auction Alliance for over five years, and currently heads up the company's legal division from Gauteng to as far as East London and Kimberley.
Prior to joining Auction Alliance, Brad ran his own stationary company for two years and is an accomplished tennis player, previously being ranked amongst the top 10 in South Africa, and earning himself a gold medal at the Maccabi Games in 1998 for doubles.
Brad has been a key figure for Auction Alliance in various high profile matters, such as the estate of the late PW Botha, as well as key liquidations over the last two years. Brad is an asset to the Auction Alliance team and his experience and expertise is crucial in the effective management of legal issues pertaining to some 400 to 500 clients.
Contact: 082 443 7731 or bstephens@auction.co.za.
- Willie van Rensburg (Agriculture Cape)
-
Willie is
Auction Alliance's branch manager in Paarl, and is actively
involved in residential, commercial and agriculture property sales
in the Boland region. He is also the company's regional auctioneer
in the Boland, Swartland, Northern Cape, West Coast and Overberg
areas.
After completing a university degree and post-graduate studies at
the University of Stellenbosch, Willie began his teaching career in
1975. He taught at a well-known high school in George, staying in
the profession for seven years before his twin passions of farming
and auctions took hold.
He joined Boland Bank in 1992 and operated out of Riversdale,
servicing regions such as Albertinia, Heidelberg and Stilbaai. A
brief stint at Seeff Auctions followed before he joined Auction
Alliance.
Willie's experience in farm and livestock sales is unrivalled in
the industry. This experience has led to concluded sales of some of
the most expensive farms in the Cape region.
Contact: 083 261 7641 or wvanrensburg@auction.co.za
- Greg Want (Operations, North)
-
Greg graduated
from the University of Johannesburg in 2000 with a Bachelor of
Commerce degree, and continued his studies to obtain an Honours
degree in exercise science in 2002.
Prior to joining the Alliance Group he was a Club General Manager
at Virgin Active, a leading health club chain. He joined the
alliance group to further his career in 2006 and fulfils the role
of Regional Operations manager in the Northern Region.
Contact: 083 400 4335 or gwant@auction.co.za