As we mentioned in our previous article, to be able to make a difference in our client’s lives, VBKOM needed to do some introspection regarding how we as a company operate.

From the overwhelming research and scenario planning done by the senior Go4Growth project team, it was found that the current organisational structure did not sufficiently lend itself to growth.  Some of the issues with the current structure included that it leaned towards the unintentional creation of silos, and no lateral growth paths.

The Go4Growth structure provides clear and multiple career paths for employees, which is critical in professional services.

The redesign dictated a change in how we lead, how we cultivate and nurture greatness in each team member.

To successfully implement the new three-dimensional matrix organisational structure, the way we think about our business meant that we would need to start with the leadership of VBKOM.

The new structure saw that we scrapped the “old way” of thinking, and we introduced new business units that would easily create both vertical and lateral growth.  These include:

• Business Development
  • Under the guidance of George Olivier, this business unit actively pursues strategic opportunities, improve VBKOM’s market position and realise financial growth.  With his 20 years’ experience in Mining Engineering and Management, George has a natural talent for identifying opportunities that help realise clients' successes. George will lead a small team that will work closely with the technical delivery team to deliver tailored solutions to our clients. George asks the question: “Who within VBKOM carries the client’s interest?” His answer: “Everybody should, but I will ensure this.”
     
• Technical Delivery
  • Headed by Industrial Engineer, Strauss Oosthuizen, this business unit will be the engine of VBKOM, delivering solutions with technical substance, elegant presentation, and value.  Strauss passionately believes that the improvement of processes is key to success.  He will drive the technical delivery team to deliver creative and customized solutions that have the power to improve lives. Strauss believes that he is a “Swiss army knife” and finds a solution to every technical challenge.
     
• New Ventures
  • Eduan Pieterse has a keen eye for innovation and new ideas. Eduan has an entrepreneurial track record of successfully starting up businesses.   He is a Professional Project Manager, with international credentials in Qualitative and Quantitative Risk Management.  He has great vision, and has an absolute determination to realise success, not only in his clients, but in himself and in others. Leading the New Ventures business unit, Eduan will be key in identifying the opportunities for service delivery that VBKOM will need to cultivate in order to offer alternative services that our clients require to ensure their successes.
     
• Corporate Services
  • As the first female employee to join VBKOM in 2009, Lalieu Marais pioneered the way forward for VBKOM to give opportunities to more women within the mining industry at VBKOM.  VBKOM is proud to have 50% female representation in 2020. With her background in Financial Management, Lalieu will lead a group of individuals that will ensure optimal governance of the business as a whole.

This team of four esteemed leaders will be led by Manie Kriel, who has an acute sense of seeing the potential in others, and nourishing greatness in them. Transforming the leadership team of VBKOM has set the stage for the rest of the team to grow and help the business grow tenfold within the next few years.

In 2015 Manie started a process of identifying and developing a group of middle managers that have graduated into senior managers in 2020 – in the process doubling the leadership of the company. VBKOM is now well positioned for international growth from both; a leadership- and organizational design perspective.

As James Cash Penney, the founder of JC Penney once said, “Growth is never by mere chance, it is the result of forces working together.”

Follow our social media platforms for more developments on the VBKOM organisational structure.

A New Era of VBKOM has begun