About Us
Amiene van der Merwe
Amiene van der Merwe, the Managing Director, holds a Masters Degree in Education obtained at the University of Oregon, USA, in 1989. She returned to South Africa to co-found an NGO offering Peace and Democracy Education to youth leaders. Thereafter she spent half a decade undertaking rural community development work whilst also acting as a teacher trainer in the Enterprise Dynamics training programme. She was elected by the Department of Trade and Industry as a representative for women in craft in the Western Cape to attend the Global Summit for Women in Hong Kong in 2001. Upon entering the tourism industry in 2002, she qualified as a tourist guide and shortly afterwards launched her own specialist Tour Operation catering primarily for the need of women travelers. For the past year and a half she is the sole proprietress of a Boutique Backpackers in Kalk Bay.
Lynn Maggott
Lynn Maggott, the Financial Director, is an accounting professional who completed a National Diploma in Cost & Management Accounting at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in 1983. Lynn held the position of Financial Manager at a number of world class manufacturing businesses throughout her 20 year career-span that included Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Brand House, Indigo Cosmetics and Cadbury’s South Africa. In 2003 she started her own Destination and Events Management Company offering professional conference, event and incentive co-ordination services. She is a widely recognized player in the tourism industry and as such served as Chairperson of the Western Cape Chapter of the prestigious SATSA (Southern Africa Tourism Services Association) from Aug 2006- Aug 2007.
Venetia Volkwyn
Venetia Volkwyn, director of Administration and Human Resources, obtained a Diploma in Business Management and a Certificate in Public Relations from the Damelin Management School. She was the Communications and Community Affairs Manager for Warner-Lambert SA before it merged with Pfizer. Major components of her job function included the successful implementation of the company’s Public Relations and Corporate Affairs strategies as well as the management of their Corporate Social Investment programme. She was also responsible for coordinating various conferences, functions and events for the company. As a qualified tourist guide, she has been working in the tourism industry since 2002 before branching out into business tourism.
Thope Lekau
Thope Lekau, non-executive director, received the H.J. Heinz Foundation Fellowship to study small scale entrepreneurship at the University of Pittsburgh, USA in 1997. Two years later she established Kopanong B&B in Khayelitsha that has since attracted many prestigious tourism accommodation nominations and awards (Tygerberg Tourism Bureau Award of Excellence, 1999; final shortlist AA Travel Guides Accommodation Award Program, 2001; AA Travel Awards finalist for Township Modern B&B, 2005). As a registered tourist guide and community economic development worker, she is a role-model and local legend. She is dedicated to the economic betterment of the community and as a trainer who is in the advanced stages of securing THETA (The Tourism, Hospitality, Sports Education & Training Authority of South Africa) accreditation, she mentors local women in guesthouse keeping, small business management and catering skills. In 2006 she represented South Africa in a Department of Trade and Industry Trade Mission to Ireland.
Ferose Oaten
Ferose Oaten, non executive director, is the managing director and sole member of AVTS Roadworthy Stations. She serves as president of the RMI (Retail Motor Industry Organisation) and chairperson of the Businesswomen’s Association (BWA) in the Cape, as well as being national vice-president of the BWA. She is also an experienced trainer and facilitator. She studied Librarianship at UCT, and then worked at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station for 12 years, occupying positions ranging from information management to human resources, transport management and finally in quality process management. She also completed a SMP (Senior Management Programme) at the University of Stellenbosch Business School. She joined AVTS as the test station manager, and took over the business, in a buy-out in 1997. Since then, she has grown the business from the one branch, to 7 branches in the greater Cape Town area, employing 78 members of staff.
Spier Green Capital
Spier Green Capital, represented by non executive director, Tanner Methwin, has a 30% share in the Green Cab. Tanner Methvin has been working in the field of Social Innovation for the past 20 years assisting public, private and not-for-profit organisations to build a more environmentally conscious, socially just and abundant world.
In Los Angeles, California Tanner served as the Executive Director of LA Works, a volunteer action centre, which develops and implements community service projects. Upon arriving in Cape Town, South Africa, Tanner was the Director of Source Consulting, a management consulting firm whose clients included the Paraffin Safety Association, Jazzart Dance Company, Cape Metropolitan Council, and the Independent Development Trust to name a few. Presently, he is the Executive Director of the Africa Centre, an inter-continental arts and cultural organisation, based in Cape Town, that is dedicated to the use of artistic dialogue, theory, and practice as a tool for social activism. While at the same time, Tanner also serves as Director of Earth Capital, an investment management and consulting company, which focuses its investments on start-up and early stage businesses within the green goods and services sector. Earth Capital also consults to larger businesses and organisations interested in transitioning and achieving sustainable business practices.
He currently sits on several boards including: The Kalakuta Trust, Spier Holdings, Biolytixs, African Centre for Cities, Green Cab and the Africa Centre.
Tanner achieved a Bachelor of Arts degree at Vassar College in New York and a Masters of Business Administration from the Drucker School at the Claremont Graduate University, in California.