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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
SEPTEMBER
2016
Carlos Poñe chief executive – Africa, AECOM
addressing a media briefing.
AECOM is involved in infrastructure from construction to harbours and marine.
point of contact and does not have to deal with a large number of
different companies.”
Poñe added that AECOM has identified the power sector as a major
growth area in Africa, from transmission to distribution and even micro-
grid systems. “We are working on several transmission systems in East
Africa, and have just clinched projects in both Lesotho and South Africa.
This is an area where we foresee major growth, and we certainly have
the capability to tap into this sector on the continent.”
While the mining industry remains constrained by the global slump
in commodity prices, Poñe argued that mining projects in Africa in
particular have a major need for enabling infrastructure in order for
them to get off the ground. “This is another area where we can success-
fully deliver our expertise in EPC contracts.”
In the burgeoning area of environmental services, AECOM experts
from Spain are involved in building up the capabilities of various local
municipalities in this regard. “From ground engineering to air-quality
impact assessments to environmental health, we can conduct all of
these specialist studies in-house,” Poñe concluded.
NEW SALES DIRECTOR
Formerly the business’ national sales
manager, as of 1 June 2016, Venter
became responsible for Flowcrete’s
continued growth in the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) region as
well as ensuring that local market expansion
plans are executed.
Flowcrete South Africa’s managing director,
Craig Blitenthall, said: “Venter has an excellent
understanding of the business and carries with
him the values Flowcrete would like to portray.
His loyalty and commitment to the business
made this promotion the obvious next step.
“Over the last two years he has focused on
increasing Flowcrete sales nationally and he has
successfully executed and maintained the focus
on sales during an extremely challenging year.
He has travelled tirelessly throughout South
Africa and the SADC region, getting to know all
the Flowcrete approved applicators and clients.”
Venter said: “I’m very excited about this new
role and getting to grips with the opportunities,
challenges and possibilities that it will present.
“My true passion is selling and interacting
with customers, and as Flowcrete South
Africa’s sales director I’ll get the chance to work
with clients across multiple countries, as well
as further develop the Flowcrete brand within
South Africa at a promising time for the nation’s
construction industry.”
Emile Venter brings to this new role an
extensive amount of experience in sales as
well as a decade of experience in the floor-
ing industry.
After graduating from RAU in 1998, Venter
started his career in an IT capacity before
quickly progressing into a technical manage-
ment position. In 2006 Venter moved into the
construction industry when he began selling
and project managing soft flooring materials.
The leading resin flooring manufacturer Flowcrete South Africa has
appointed Emile Venter as its new sales director.
Emile Venter.
>
In 2009 he began working with Flowcrete
South Africa as a technical sales consultant in
Gauteng, after being impressed by the variation
and quality of Flowcrete’s products. He then
progressed to become the Gauteng regional
sales manager in 2012 and in March 2014 was
further promoted to national sales manager.