Leadership

Financial & Business Management Training Application

Leadership Team

Petro Naudé

New Business Director

Petro holds a BA degree and HDE diploma from the University of Pretoria as well as a B.Ed degree from North West University. Petro has more than 33 years of practical experience in project management, land use and infrastructure planning, local government affairs and economic development, organisation re-engineering and strategy formulation (locally and regionally), corporate governance, environmental management, education, mining and agriculture. She has extensive community consultation experience, working with local communities since 1992. Petro has been at the helm of the successful Jobs Fund and ABSA farmer development programmes over the past five years.

Jerome Topley

Managing Director, SerDev

With a career that has weaved through the multi-tiered fabric of the agricultural sector for over a decade, Jerome Topley stands at the wheel of SerDev, a division of the Sernick Group dedicated to farmer development, as a testament to progressive leadership in agricultural development.

Jerome’s journey, marked by a dedicated tenure in government roles, has been characterised by a seamless transition into the private sector, reflecting his adaptability and profound understanding of the sector’s dynamic environment.

Patrick Sekwatlakwatla

Head of Inclusive Growth and Marketing

Patrick is regarded as the originator of the Sernick farmer development programme in conjunction with Nick Serfontein. Patrick has more than 20 years’ experience in the agricultural sector. He’s also South Africa‘s first black animal judge, can judge and screen all types of breeds and has extensive knowledge and experience on all dynamics of the feedlot business and livestock farming. Patrick additionally serves as a board member on the South African Fat-stock Judging Association.

Michael Atkinson

Collaborator – Funding Broker

Michael holds a Bachelor of Social Science in Innovation and Law degree from the University of Natal as well as a Master of Science in Energy Innovation degree from the University of Surrey, UK. As an economist specialising in the evaluation of investments on behalf of investors, banks and government agencies, Michael facilitates funding for the various farmer development programmes and also manages the monitoring and evaluation function for the Jobs fund programme.

Developing Africa’s Farmers Of Tomorrow, Today.