Paul studied B.Sc. Horticulture and Economics at the University of Stellenbosch; upon completion, he started working in the family business, heading one of the fruit production units. He continued studying, first Senior Business Management at the Graduates School of Business and later Master in Philosophy in Value and Policy Studies at the University of Stellenbosch. He worked as a production manager, financial manager and eventually general manager. As general manager, Paul and his team have helped establish De Rust Estate as a multifaceted agricultural business, being one of the leading apple and pear growers in South Africa, one of the country’s premium wine producers and one of the top Hereford studs while leading the way in sustainable farming and conservation. De Rust Estate is a BWI champion and has won the Nedbank Green Award for Best Practice. It is a founding member of Thandi, one of the first BEE farms in South Africa and is widely seen as one of the most successful projects in the industry. Thandi also became the first Fairtrade wine brand in the world.

Raymond’s commitment to community service is evident in his roles as a co-founder and non-executive partner of Black Elephant Vintners (BEV), an artisanal premium wine producer in Franschhoek, and his service on the boards of several community service organisations, including firstmiracle.org, BEV’s social-impact initiative and Franschhoek Wine Valley Tourism Association.

Since 1988, he has garnered extensive corporate and entrepreneurial experience in various fields in the financial services industry, including investment banking, private equity, asset management, and stockbroking. Raymond was an investment executive at Remgro Limited and also served as a non-executive director on the boards of several investee companies across various sectors in the group. Before that, he co-founded and was CEO of institutional stockbroking firm Noah Financial Innovation for ten years until July 2011.

Raymond is the group CEO of the telecommunications infrastructure holding company Community Investment Ventures Holdings (CIVH). He has a B. Business Studies (Honours) from the University of Zimbabwe and is a fellow of the African Leadership Initiative and Aspen Global Leadership Network.

Wendy owns the De Morgenzon Wine Estate outside Stellenbosch. She was a director of Liberty Investors Limited, Deputy Chairman of Women’s Investment Portfolio Limited (Wiphold) and Deputy Chairman of the Connection Group Limited. She was a founding director of The Tribune Trust and a founding director of Sphere Holdings Limited. Her philanthropic involvement includes being a director of the Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre and a trustee of The Donald Gordon Foundation. Wendy is also a member of the Global Philanthropists’ Circle (GPC) and a director of the Southern African board of the Synergos Institute. She serves on Harvard University’s Presidential Advisory Board and is a member of Harvard University’s Women’s Leadership Board. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum (IWF) and Women Moving Millions. She was honoured as one of the Leading Woman Entrepreneurs of the World in 2006. She received the Forbes Woman Africa Business Woman of the Year and the Forbes Woman Africa Woman of the Year awards in 2015.

Sir De Villiers Graaff, the 4th Baronet [of Cape Town], is a South African businessman and the owner of De Grendel Wine Estate.

De Villiers, a man of humble beginnings, embarked on his journey in agriculture, earning his degree from the University of Stellenbosch in 1993. His passion for farming led him to the Hex River Valley, where he cultivated table grapes for 15 years, all the while serving on various industry bodies including the SA Table Grape Industry Association. In 2011, he joined his father at the De Grendel family estate, a pivotal moment in his career. His dedication and hard work were recognised when he succeeded as the 4th Graaff Baronet on January 24, 2015.

As the managing director of De Grendel Wines, Sir De Villiers Graaff has not only overseen significant growth in the winery’s production but also spearheaded the opening of an acclaimed restaurant on the estate in July 2012. His business acumen and foresight led to the introduction of Three Spades Cider in 2018, a premium craft cider that bears the farm’s historic emblem of three spades. This venture into cider making was a natural progression from the family’s long involvement in apple farming, a testament to Sir De Villiers Graaff’s ability to adapt and innovate in the ever-evolving wine industry.

The Graaff family motto is Justis Favet Creator (The Creator Favours Justice). It underpins De Grendel’s philosophy of a shared history, shared responsibility, and shared future for all those who live and work on the farm. Responsibility to the environment and responsibility to the people of De Grendel work hand-in-hand, driving a vision to do business with integrity and respect and to continue building De Grendel as a sustainable enterprise at the centre of a thriving community. Beyond his grape growing and wine-making endeavours, Graaff has initiated various projects, including a solar farm, land reform, affordable housing titles for long-serving farm workers, and the reintroduction of indigenous games like bontebok and eland. He is deeply committed to social responsibility, serving as the Chairman of the Waitrose Foundation, which focuses on the upliftment and empowerment of farmworkers and their families.

Niclas Kjellström-Matseke is a Founding Partner and Head of Europe & and Africa for 17 Asset Management, which structures its business around the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, he is CEO of Infigo Properties and Chairman & Founder of Perennis Africa, which invests in Southern African growth companies. Niclas is a recognised international business leader with a background as a CEO and international investor in Europe and Africa. He was the CEO of Novamedia Nordics, which operates The Postcode Lottery and is the world’s third-largest private donor, distributing U.S. $11 billion. Under his leadership, Novamedia became the industry’s most profitable company.

A dedicated philanthropist, Niclas serves on the Board of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, is the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation Chairperson, and is a Member of the Leadership Council of the U.N.’s Sustainable Developments Solutions Network. He has held numerous other board positions, including serving as an Advisory Board Member of The Elders Foundation, which Nelson Mandela set up to get global leaders to work together for peace and human rights, Board Member of SPER, the ethical council for all Swedish regulated gaming companies, was Honorary Advisory Board Member of Aung Sang Suu Kyi’s World Freedom Fund at Partnership for Change, and Board Member of Novamedia Norsk PoskodeLotteri. Niclas graduated with an MBA from the Stockholm School of Economics and Babson School in the U.S. He also has a B.A. in Economics & Social Science from Uppsala University.

Ken Forrester started a career in the Hotel industry with Southern Sun in the early days of Sol Kerzner after studying Hotel Management at the Johannesburg Hotel School. He then went on to specialise in the restaurant trade, buying a share in one of the best restaurants of the day in the centre of Johannesburg, and from there, he created a string of restaurants and related activities, culminating in being elected Chairman of the Federated Hospitality Association of SA (FEDHASA).

In November 1993, Ken and Teresa bought an abandoned historical vineyard planted in 1689 – a delightful 50-ha property in Stellenbosch. Still, his love for food and wine dictated that he be Chairman of Chaîne des Rôtisseurs from 1993 to 1999.

Ken Forrester’s focus shifted to an old bush vine Chenin Blanc vineyard. Over the past 30 years, he has significantly shaped the South African wine industry, particularly as a leading advocate for Chenin Blanc. His contributions were acknowledged by The South African wine industry, which awarded him The 1659 Visionary Leadership Award in February 2023.

Ken Forrester is a founding member of the Chenin Blanc Association and currently serves as its Chairman. In this role, he plays a crucial part in enhancing the reputation and market presence of Chenin Blanc, both within South Africa and on the global stage.

Johan is an experienced business leader in the financial services sector. He has 23 years of sector-specific experience in the private wealth management industry, where he served as CEO and then Chairman of Stonehage Fleming South Africa while also serving as a member of the Group’s Senior Leadership Team.

He is an adviser to several ultra-high-net-worth South African families, serves as a director of a number of investment companies and trusts, and acts as an independent trustee for various family trusts and public benefit organisations. In April 2024, he became non-executive Chairman of Stonehage Fleming South Africa to focus on his and his family’s business interests.

Johan is particularly interested in supporting educational initiatives that allow the children of South Africa to change the future for the better. He also enjoys drinking and collecting fine wines. Johan holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial Electronic) from the University of Stellenbosch and is a CFA Charter holder.