Danone Southern Africa appoints first female head of manufacturing

Tsholofelo Ngobeni, head of manufacturing, Danone Southern Africa. Source: Supplied

Tsholofelo is a seasoned operations leader, with experience in operations, safety, quality & food safety, manex, supply chain and engineering in the FMCG sector locally and internationally.

Before joining Danone, she worked at Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa and was previously employed by Bimbo QSR Kellogg Company SA, L’Oréal SA, Henkel and BMW SA.

“Tsholofelo is a remarkable individual with the extensive expertise required to take on a role of this magnitude. She has demonstrated capabilities, with a strong work ethic and a focus on ensuring health, safety and environmental issues are prioritised which aligns deeply to the Danone brand values. We’re excited to witness her personal growth and contribution to the business, in this role,” said Kid Nkantsu, Danone Southern Africa operations director.

Danone Southern Africa's brand portfolio includes NutriDay, Ultra Mel, Yogi Sip, Inkomazi, DanUp and more recently Alpro.

Breaking barriers

Ngobeni commented on her new role, “To be the first woman appointed in this position at Danone Southern Africa is not only about breaking barriers but also paves the way for future generations of women to succeed and thrive in the industry. I am eager to take monumental steps with a company that believes that the health of people and the health of the planet are interconnected.

“I have always known Danone to be a producer of quality products, who places the people they employ and their environmental footprint at the forefront of operational excellence.”

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Tsholofelo holds a qualification in Chemical Engineering and an MBA. She also completed the Certified Supply Chain Professional(CSCP) program and Certification in Planning & Inventory Management(CPIM) with APICS.

Nkanstu concludes, “We are excited for this new chapter and to embrace what Tsholo brings to this role. Her calm and objective-orientated demeanour will be most valuable with the implementation of a modern and innovative manufacturing strategy, as well as solid strategic operational goals that aim to result in even higher product quality, integrity, and customer satisfaction.”