ABOUT MAKOENA

Gerhard's love for seeing spreadsheets and planning changing into pallets and containers becoming a product and brand on a shelf and assisting retailers and store owners to get it off the shelf was the catapult for the birth of MAKOENA Food & Beverage Consulting.

MAKOENA originated from many student friends calling him Koena, but for some typical African flavour the "Ma" was added. Gerhard also fondly points to Aaron Makoena one of the famous Bafana Bafana players sharing the same name!

His passion for business and building brands using his marketing and financial knowledge, operational expertise and love for brands all comes together when he talks about growing a brand and a business successfully. 

Starting back in 1994 with a holiday job, Gerhard worked his way up in the business world. His background of finance and accounting forms the base of his business outlook as all businesses are there for profit and growth.

His exposure and involvement in all other area's of business has made him a truely wellrounded FMCG specialist. His experience in the FMCG business environment was further enhanced when he enrolled and finished his MBA at the Stellenbosch University Business School.

Gerhard's knowledge and understanding of the impact decisions in one area of the business can have on the rest of the business makes him a true asset. Through the years he gained a strong commercial understanding and business trading background which was further grown gaining extensive experience in brand building within the Southern African FMCG market. As a strategist he has extensive expertise in marketing, brand building, business management & improvement, financial management, operations, warehousing and distribution and project management.

He has a strong focus on achieving business results. As leader he ensure high-level business outcomes are achieved through motivation, influencing and team building.