Chris spent 20 years working in corporate strategy and complex deal negotiations in the US, Europe, South America. Since then he has uncovered a hitherto hidden passion for farming as he seeks to ensure Rotondo spearheads the development of the walnut industry for South Africa. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant has a Masters of Science degree from the University of Oxford. Chris frequently beats Adam at table tennis.

Penney has been a frustrated farmer for years creating urban farms wherever she has lived. Now that she finds herself one of the owners of Rotondo, she has dived head first into the world of walnuts and has loved every moment. She has a Masters of Science from London University (University College) and a Bachelors in Speech Pathology & Audiology from Stellenbosch University.

Graeme is a non-executive board member. He is also a partner at an investment management company. He spent many years in London and the Cayman Islands in investment banking and advises high net worth individuals and family offices. He obtained a B. Comm (Fin Acc) from the University of Stellenbosch and is a CFA Charter holder. Graeme represented the Cayman Islands at the World Triathlon Championships; also hard to believe these days.

Didier is our General Manager of Rotondo, overseeing Africa’s largest walnut orchard and leading the production of premium, world-class walnuts. He began as Orchard Supervisor until 2021, when he advanced to Orchard Manager, and in 2025 was appointed General Manager. Currently in his third year of a B.Comm in Marketing and Management Science, he combines strategic leadership with exceptional physical discipline, demonstrated by his experience as a provincial-level rugby player and competitive off-road and Enduro motorcyclist.

Stacey is our vibrant, people loving Marketing and Sales Manager, passionate about walnuts, farming, health, and wellness. Married to a mango, sugarcane, and citrus farmer, she’s a proud mum of four boys. Her deep love and appreciation for walnuts began after her second-born son suffered a near fatal fall, leading her to discover walnuts healing power with the brain and body health. She holds a Diploma in Marketing and Business Management from Varsity College. After returning to South Africa from London, she worked in the NGO sector before joining Rotondo Walnuts.

Lynn joined the Rotondo team in 2021 bringing international experience in business administration and human resources. She has worked in new business start-ups and ongoing project management. Lynn’s analytical and problem-solving skills combined with her love for people allows her to effectively manage our HR and Shared Services roles at Rotondo.

Lukas, our Head Agriculturist, obtained his M.Sc. Agric in Horticulture from the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein. He joined the Rotondo team in 2004, where he has been dedicated himself to becoming Africa’s premier walnut specialist. His scope of interest includes Irrigation Scheduling, Integrated Pest Management, Pruning, Fertilisation and is leading our move towards Regenerative Farming Techniques. Lukas likely loves walnut trees more than anyone in the world.

Vuyo is the Nursery Supervisor at Rotondo Walnuts, overseeing all nursery operations with a focus on plant health, propagation quality, and day-to-day team coordination. With a hands-on approach and strong technical knowledge, Vuyo ensures that young trees are nurtured to the highest standard.

Before joining Rotondo in 2014 Ayanda had a career in the entertainment and hospitality industry. He was quickly promoted to Agriculturalist Assistant. Ayanda continued his training and is our Occupational Health and Safety Consultant. He is responsible for the handling and storage of dangerous chemicals on the farm. He is also one of our go-to guys for anything IT related.

Wian, Orchard Manager, holds a BCom in Investment Management and Banking, blending sharp business acumen with extensive hands-on agricultural expertise at Rotondo Walnuts. After his studies, he successfully owned and managed a restaurant before transitioning to agriculture, where he built deep experience in macadamia, avocado, and banana production. His career also includes working on international superyachts, gaining global perspective and refined management skills. Today, as Orchard Manager, Wian drives orchard performance, irri

In 2018 Archie joined Rotondo in the Orchard team. He was responsible for harvesting and maintenance. His expertise and diligence meant he was swiftly promoted to Orchard Assistant Manager. Archie’s natural leadership gift  is an invaluable asset to the farm.

Stalie began working on Rotondo in 2002. He has spent most of his career in our orchards and is skilled with all the equipment used to manage the orchards. Stalie has recently been promoted to Supervisor and can drive and operate any of the twenty different types of vehicles on the farm. Stalie is a part-time pastor and we are very privileged to have him be part of our Rotondo family.

Ntobeko joined Rotondo in 2019. He was initially one of the forklift drivers in the Processing Unit and in August 2022 he was promoted to Shift Leader and is now one of our Processing Supervisors. He has been the recipient of multiple awards on the farm proving how hard working and diligent he is.

Dean is our livestock and engineering manager. He grew up in Graaff-Reinet on a livestock farm. He has a BTech in civil engineering and worked in the industry for 4 years before returning to his childhood passion and dream as a farmer. Dean comes from deep farming stock and his knowledge, experience and enthusiasm on the farm is contagious.

Pearly has many years of experience in Sales and Administration. She started her career as photo-processor in 1994. She moved into retail in 2005 and was steadily promoted. She was a manager at a busy hardware before she joined Rotondo as Office Manager in July 2022. Pearly is our Chief Happines Officer and never fails to bring a warm smile to everyone she meets.

Deandre started with us early in 2022. He brought his experience in network cabling and security cameras and general understanding of farm maintenance. Deandre is a fast learner and has gleaned significant knowledge of our processing and packaging lines, the management of our fleet of farming equipment as well as the irrigation systems in our orchards.

Makae is a born and raised Aliwal North local. He joined Rotondo in 2002 directly after school. He has worked as part of the irrigation team and the chemical storage team where he rose to the He has been a team leader in both departments. After a decade at Rotondo he moved into the processing unit where he is a supervisor. Makae is one our most valuable prayer warriors. He commits the farm daily to God’s protection.

Max is the Maintenance Manager. He arrived at Rotondo in 2023 from Parys. He is a qualified Red Seal diesel mechanic and a qualified John Deere Level 2 Technician. Max finds his happy space with grease on one hand and a piece of metal in the other. Max is creative and loves to problem solve and is our first point of call when we need creative solutions to mechanical problems.