Board
Andrew Douglas
Founder
Andrew is a Wine Warrior and Direct-to-customer futurist.
Andrew is the Group Managing Director of Southern Skies. After acquiring & scaling (5x) South Africa’s favourite wine event, The Wine Show, in 2015, Andrew has quickly gained a reputation as an innovative change agent and entrepreneur within the SA wine industry.
After building a successful career as an Events Promoter in the UK, Australia & South Africa, Andrew is now focussed on delivering marketing, sales and business intelligence solutions to SA wine producers.
In 2021 Andrew acquired wine.co.za – SA’s largest wine information portal, and CellarDirect – SA’s most used wine e-commerce storefront. He also recently launched Vintelligence – a consumer focussed wine research business servicing the needs of the SA Wine Industry locally and abroad.
Andrew served as Australian Honorary Consul from 2009 to 2011.
Andie Steele-Smith
Executive Chairman
Andie Steele-Smith has had a successful career in investment banking, corporate turnarounds and has advised, mentored and invested in companies in Europe, the United States, Australia and Africa.
Andie has acted as corporate advisor to a number of highly successful public and private companies including Norton Gold Fields, Gloria Jeans Coffee, RAB Capital, MTN, Tricon / Yum, Dimension Data and Netcare.
Since 2020, Andie has led the acquisition of a number of leading wine industry producing and distribution assets in South Africa.
Andie is well known for his extraordinary success in helping transform the youth of some of SA’s most troubled heartlands including Manenberg where he works closely in bringing peace and unity amongst gangs there.
Andie joined Southern Skies in 2021 to advise and guide Group Managing Director Andrew Douglas in the restructure and scaling of the business.
Shon Kumar
Non-Exec Director
Shon Kumar, completed a Bachelor of Economics and has a financial, IT and strategic background.
Shon held senior global roles at British American Tobacco for many years. In SA, Shon was Director of Corporate Strategy and CIO for Southern Africa and part of the Southern Africa Board.
Shon has led and implemented large scale transformational programs. Shon’s final role at BAT was delivering a 1.1 Billion pound global project across 180 countries.
Shon retired from corporate life to follow his passion for wine. He has completed the Michael Fridjohn Wine Judging Academy course, holds a Cape Wine Diploma and recently attained his WSET Diploma.
Shon joined Southern Skies in 2018.
Karen Newman
Company Secretary
As a dedicated & detail-oriented accounting professional Karen Newman has been meeting the accounting needs of corporations and individuals across a range of industries for over 20 years.
Karen has diverse skill set coupled with a flair for multitasking which augers well in the day to day management of administrative matters for the Southern Skies board.
Board Members
Andie Steele-Smith
Chairperson
Andie Steele-Smith has had a successful career in investment banking, corporate turnarounds and has advised, mentored and invested in companies in Europe, the United States, Australia and Africa.
Most recently he led the acquisition of the Doolhof Wine Estate.
Andie has acted as corporate advisor to a number of highly successful public and private companies including Norton Gold Fields, Gloria Jeans Coffee, RAB Capital, MTN, Tricon / Yum, Dimension Data and Netcare.
Andie is well known for his extraordinary success in helping transform the youth of some of SA’s most troubled heartlands including Manenbergwhere he works closely in bringing peace and unity amongst gangs there.
Andie joined Southern Skies in 2021 to advise and guide CEO and Founder Andrew Douglas in the restructure and scaling of the business.
Andrew Douglas
Founder & Group Managing Director
Andrew is a “Wine Warrior” and Direct-to-consumer futurist.
After acquiring & scaling (10x) South Africa’s favourite wine event, The Wine Show, in 2015, Andrew has quickly gained a reputation as an innovative change agent and entrepreneur within the SA wine industry.
After building a successful career as an Events Promoter in the UK, Australia & South Africa, Andrew is now focussed on delivering marketing, sales and business intelligence solutions to SA wine producers.
In 2021 Andrew acquired wine.co.za – SA’s largest wine information portal, and CellarDirect – SA’s most used wine e-commerce storefront. He also recently launched Vintelligence – a consumer focussed wine research business servicing the needs of the SA Wine Industry locally and abroad.
Andrew served as Australian Honorary Consul from 2009 to 2011.
Shon Kumar
Non-Exec Director
Shon Kumar, completed a Bachelor of Economics and has a financial, IT and strategic background.
Shon held senior global roles at British American Tobacco for many years. In SA, Shon was Director of Corporate Strategy and CIO for Southern Africa and part of the Southern Africa Board.
Shon has led and implemented large scale transformational programs. Shon’s final role at BAT was delivering a 1.1 Billion pound global project across 180 countries.
Shon retired from corporate life to follow his passion for wine. He has completed the Michael Fridjohn Wine Judging Academy course, holds a Cape Wine Diploma and recently attained his WSET Diploma.
Shon joined Southern Skies in 2018.
Pieter van Niekerk
Chief Intelligence Officer
Pieter van Niekerk is an ocean-loving-cowboy who has built a successful career as an agricultural economist and agribusiness manager in the beef, horticultural, banking and wine industries of South Africa.
As Senior Agricultural Economist at Vinpro, he focussed on the wine industry value chain, with a grape-to-glass approach to wine business management and advice – acting as a regular industry commentator.
Pieter joined Southern Skies in 2021 and oversees the data science and research needs of the group.
Day to day Pieter runs Vintelligence – a Southern Skies subsidiary providing business intelligence to the SA Wine Industry locally and abroad.
Karen Newman
Company Secretary
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