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Andrew Milne

Chief Executive Officer

As Executive Chairman, Andrew leads on ethical and responsible business practices to serve Spier's local communities and safeguard the environment.

Committed to the cause, he was a member of the core faculty of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s Cape Town-based Business and Sustainability Programme for several years.

Andrew’s favourite tipple is a wooded Chenin Blanc, specifically, the Spier 21 Gables range.

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Gerhard De Kock

Commercial Director

Gerhard is a number cruncher by day and an aspirational artist by night, exploring the beautiful medium of oil paintings. Born and schooled in the salty West Coast town of Vredendal, he has been with Spier since 2006. An avid mountain biker, you can find him on the trails working up a thirst for his long-running favourite Creative Block 5 - the perfect juice for a numbers man.

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Annebelle Schreuders

Chief Operating Officer, Home of Spier Wine

A lover of nature, hiking and art, you will frequently find Annebelle, high up in the mountains with her two sons and husband, artist John Murray. A force of creative energy, Annebelle has spent nearly two decades at Spier, first as Director of the annual Spier Arts Festival and then as Marketing Director. In her current role as COO of the Home of Spier Wines, Annebelle and her team have the daily joy of inviting guests to the farm and sharing our people’s inspirational stories, winemaking tradition and regenerative farming and working ethos. Her current wine of choice is Spier’s The Yellowwood organic.

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Heidi Newton King

Sustainability and HR Director

Fired up by Spier’s intention to build a powerful values-based culture and sustainable business practices, Heidi signed up to the team in 1998. She has been the lynchpin for many of Spier’s community partnerships and has brokered several successful collaborations. She is convinced that a sea-change is possible if we all do small things differently, every day. She has recently completed her MSc in Sustainability and Responsibility at Ashridge Business School in the United Kingdom.

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Frans Smit

Managing Director

After 25 years of serving as Spier’s Cellar Master, Frans became Managing Director in 2021. Under his leadership, Spier has been lauded as Editor’s Choice: Winery of the Year 2022 by the prestigious Platter’s Wine Guide which recognised the winery “for excellence at both the rarified and volume ends of the market”. He visits the remote Kalahari semi-desert region as often as possible, enjoying quality time with family, and to soak up its silence and starry skies. Regardless of where he is, though, his preferred way to unwind is tending to a fire with a glass of 21 Gables Chenin Blanc in hand.

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Danie De Kock

Sales Director

Danie has always loved two things: wine and leisure, which led him rather fortuitously to work in the wine industry. Danie kept hearing about Spier being a great company to work for so he made the move – 10 years later, he is very glad he did. Danie leads a talented sales team, driving their focus to keep growing our business. A successful weekend includes a self-caught fish and a glass of Creative Block 2.

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Kathryn Cilliers

Marketing Director

A psychology graduate turned brand strategist, Kathryn initially found her niche in advertising and market research. Following her love for the Cape and its winelands, Kathryn joined Spier in 2015 and stretched her creative and strategic wings in product development.

A farm girl at heart, Kathryn enjoys being outdoors with her husband and two little girls. She always makes time to benchmark taste wines against her favourite Farm House Chenin Blanc or Creative Block 3.

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Jaco Durand

Operations Director

A member of the Spier family since 1999, Jaco has moved from General Manager at one of Spier’s subsidiaries into Operations Director for our wines business. A Stellenbosch local and pan-African traveller, Jaco loves cooking up a storm and enjoys relaxing with a glass of Creative Block 2.

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Karin Smit

Finance Director

With a background in the pharmaceutical industry and an earnest commitment to volunteering, Karin combines the essential characteristics of a contemporary Finance Director: business nous and a gentle heart.

Responsible for the significant task of managing Spier’s finances, Karin unwinds by planning elaborate road trips or enjoying a glass of Seaward Chardonnay with her family of seven (including her three dogs) under the shade of an old olive tree in her backyard.

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Catrine de Villiers

Quality and Compliance Director

Since joining Spier in 2007, Catrine has been applying her vast knowledge of microbiology and biotechnology to ensure Spier’s wine is always of excellent quality and compliant with winemaking regulations. During her time at Spier, the doctor of microbiology has earned the farm various certifications, including FFSC 22 000, Vegan, Organic and Fairtrade, IPW and WIETA. After a long day of pottering in the garden or seeking out a fun adventure with her two active boys, Catrine enjoys a glass of Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc.

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Richard Newton-King

HR Director

A member of the Spier team since 1996, Richard continually strives to make a difference for our employees and community. Richard has been supplying Spier with grapes from his small family vineyard in the Helderberg since 1999, clearly explaining his preference for the Spier Creative Block 2.

His most significant hire was more than two decades ago during his time at Hollard Insurance in Johannesburg. The recruit was named Heidi, and she is now Richard's wife of 23 years.

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Johan Jordaan

Cellar Master

Raised on a grape farm in Rawsonville surrounded by vineyards and neighbouring cellars, destiny has played its hand in Johan’s flourishing career as an awarded winemaker. Graduating from Elsenburg College with a Diploma in Cellar Technology, Johan cut his teeth in wine and viticulture before joining Spier as a red winemaker in 2007. With Frans Smit as his mentor, Johan learnt and developed his skills as a valued team member while completing a series of targeted leadership courses. Along the way, he has notched up impressive accolades, including the Diners’ Club Winemaker of the Year award in 2011. Today, his passion and focus have expanded to meticulously craft a cellar environment where, just like the best wines, every team member develops to their greatest potential.