Chief Executive Officer

Job Purpose

Leads Air Chefs by setting the vision, strategic direction, and performance agenda for the business. Drives executive decisions on growth, transformation, governance, and capital allocation to strengthen resilience, protect the licence to operate, and deliver sustainable value for the group. Represents Air Chefs with the board, group leadership, and external stakeholders to maintain alignment, credibility, and long-term performance.

Strategic Leadership

• Lead the development and execution of the Company's strategy, ensuring alignment with shareholder expectations and long-term sustainability objectives.
• Identify and commercialise growth opportunities that support the expansion of Air Chefs as a diversified food solutions business.
• Position the organisation for future competitiveness, innovation, and market relevance.

Business Performance and Growth

• Deliver sustainable revenue growth, profitability, and financial resilience.
• Drive business diversification and market expansion while strengthening existing customer relationships.
• Ensure the achievement of approved strategic, financial, and operational objectives.

Corporate Governance and Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with all applicable legislative, regulatory, governance, and fiduciary requirements.
• Foster a culture of ethical leadership, accountability, transparency, and sound corporate governance.
• Provide effective enterprise risk oversight and organisational resilience.

Operational and Commercial Excellence

• Ensure the efficient and effective delivery of products and services across all business operations.
• Drive customer-centricity, innovation, quality, and continuous improvement throughout the organisation.
• Build and maintain strategic commercial partnerships that create sustainable value.

Stakeholder Leadership

• Serve as the principal representative of the organisation with the Board, Shareholder, customers, regulators, business partners, organised labour, and other key stakeholders.
• Build confidence and trust through effective stakeholder engagement and relationship management.

People, Culture and Transformation

• Create a high-performance, values-driven organisational culture.
• Develop executive leadership capability, talent pipelines, and succession readiness.
• Lead transformation, diversity, inclusion, and organisational renewal initiatives that support long-term success.

• Corporate governance principles, including the Companies Act, PFMA (where applicable), King IV and related governance frameworks.
• Strategic management, business growth, diversification, and organisational transformation.
• Financial management, budgeting, performance management, capital allocation, and financial sustainability.
• Corporate risk management and internal control frameworks.
• Commercial management, business development, and strategic partnerships.
• South African labour legislation and human capital management principles.
• Customer experience, service delivery, and operational excellence methodologies.
• Supply chain management and procurement governance.
• Food manufacturing, food services, hospitality, FMCG, logistics, or related operational environments.
• Stakeholder and shareholder management within complex and highly regulated environments.
• National transformation, Employment Equity, and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) frameworks.

Experience

• At least 15 years' relevant management experience, of which a minimum of 8 years must have been at Executive Management level, reporting to a Board, CEO, Group Executive, or equivalent governing authority.
• Proven accountability for organisational strategy, financial performance, governance, risk management, and people leadership.
• Demonstrated experience leading a medium to large, multi-site operational business.
• Demonstrated track record of achieving business growth, turnaround, transformation, or diversification objectives.

• Strategic and Visionary Leadership: Demonstrates the ability to define and execute a compelling long-term vision that drives sustainable growth and organisational success.
• Commercial and Financial Acumen: Exhibits strong business judgement, financial stewardship, and a results-driven approach to value creation.
• Integrity and Ethical Leadership: Upholds the highest standards of governance, accountability, transparency, and ethical conduct.
• Stakeholder Influence and Relationship Building: Builds credibility and trust with the Board, shareholders, customers, employees, regulators, and other key stakeholders.
• Transformation and Change Leadership: Successfully leads organisational renewal, cultural transformation, innovation, and business diversification initiatives.
• Resilience and Decisiveness: Demonstrates courage, sound judgement, adaptability, and the ability to make informed decisions in complex and challenging environments.