René is the Regional Manager for Business Assurance and Food Services – Southern Africa at Intertek.  A leader with 20 years management experience including operations, human resources, projects and sales.

Being passionate about people and technology, she successfully led several transformation projects.  Her passion for people is a major driver in Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability and Human Rights.

 

Thavan Naidoo graduated with an Honours Degree in Food Science and Technology at the University of Johannesburg, seconded by a Master’s in Microbiology at the university of Witwatersrand in 2000. He began his career as an Inspector with the Export Control Board and was later headhunted to run a microbiology testing laboratory and attain accreditation against ISO 17025.

In 1998, McDonald’s had approached and offered him a Technical Management position, based in South Africa. At a time when bovine spongiform encephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease) was rife across the globe, Thavan developed the fold over grilled chicken which was sold in SA and other African countries. He spent most of his time with processing plants from burgers (meat, poultry fish) through to confectionery and salads to ensure that new standards developed in food engineering was constantly upheld. He also had developed the breakfast sausage without altering equipment used in McDonald’s stores, thereby reducing costs for extra equipment. 

Thavan is currently a Director at Tpro Consulting and a Co-Director at FSM Global (Pty) LTD. The latter organisation running for 15 years. Both companies are involved in development, establishment, implementation of Food Safety Management Systems as well as testing, auditing, and certification of food manufacturers not only in South Africa but also in the SADC regions. He holds professional memberships at SAAFOST (South African Association of Food Science & Technology) as well as SAATCA (South African Auditors & Training Certificate Association) and is a Member of the Institute of Directors.

Specialties: ISO 17025, ISO 22000,FSSC 22000, ISO 18000, ISO 14001, HACCP(SANS 10330), SANS 10049:2011, ISO 9001, SQF, technical adviser for laboratories, operations, procurement.

Thavan likes to share knowledge as such has published articles locally, in the Beeld and Food Manufacturing Africa on Food Labelling and Food Safety. 

 

Rika Kemp is an Internal Auditor, covering Food Safety Management Systems based on FSSC/ISO22000, SANS 10330. 

Rika's career started in 1986 when she joined a food manufacturing organisation as food technologist working in facilities; then moved onto retail for a short while. She has advised suppliers into the retail and food service institutions for the past 25 years to comply with customer requirements, standard as well as regulatory and statutory requirements.

Rika performs internal audits on the above listed items when an impartial pair of eyes are required. She has also conducts supplier audits for Intertek (previously SAFSIS & FSA) since 2008. She has conducted FSSC 22000 audits since 2013, and has some experience in the Middle East.

Rika enjoys being a training facilitator to transfer the knowledge and experience she has gained over the years.

Linda has B. Sc. Chemistry (Wits) and an M. Tech – Environmental Health (Food safety) Central University of Technology.

She has been involved in management system consulting, training and auditing since the early 1990’s, when ISO 9001 was first implemented in the food industry in South Africa. As Risk Manager at a large manufacturing organisation, she gained exposure to ISO 14001 and underwent SAMTRAC training for occupational health and safety.

She developed a food safety focus commencing in 2004 when retail food safety audits started. She pioneered formal SAATCA registered training of food safety auditors and was a SAATCA board member. She has held Lead auditor status with SAATCA in food safety and Auditor status for Quality management systems.

Linda has provided successful assistance to more than 30 organizations in their achievement of management system certification in quality and food safety. She has conducted numerous training courses on HACCP, FSSC 22000 and internal auditing. Over the last five years she has expanded her expertise into areas of risk management, corporate governance and sustainability. 

Linda is the co-founder of Food Focus, a company which aims to educate on the subject of food compliance, supporting everyone across the length of the food chain.

Linda loves the food industry and wants to help it do the right thing the right way - from food safety to quality to health and safety and all areas of corporate governance.

 

Steyn has been inspiring and training people for more than 25 years.  He has had the privilege of speaking all over the world, to small groups and large audiences. From small companies to multimillion-dollar companies, as well as young people just starting out. He has also helped companies such as the Ziglar Foundation, ABSA Bank, Old Mutual Insure, Sanlam, International Millionaires Network and many more, sharing business principles.