Seed Co International Limited Board

Pearson Gowero

Chairman

Pearson Gowero amassed nearly 4 decades of experience in consumer-facing industries. He began his career in prominent Southern African retail businesses specializing in clothing, footwear, textiles, and accessories. In 1997, he transitioned to Delta Corporation Limited, now an associate of SABMiller Plc (now ABInBev), where he gained further FMCG experience, managing the Coca-Cola franchise. Over the years, he held various roles in Marketing, General Management, Sales, and Distribution. Notably, he served as the Country Managing Director for SABMiller Africa Zambia and Malawi for five years.

Pearson became the Chief Executive Officer of Delta Corporation in 2012 until his retirement on 2021. Throughout his career, he contributed to the corporate landscape by serving on the boards of listed companies as well as subsidiaries and associates of the Delta Group. Additionally, he has been a member of the National Council for the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) since 2012. Presently, he holds the position of Non-Executive Director at Zambeef Products Limited in Zambia and serves as the Non-Executive Chairman of NMBZ Holdings Limited and NMB Bank Limited in Zimbabwe. Educated with a BSc Hon degree in Economics from the University of Zimbabwe and an MBL from UNISA, his extensive background reflects a wealth of expertise in the business realm.

Morgan Nzwere

Group Chief Executive Officer

Morgan is a Chartered Accountant who holds a Masters in Business Leadership from the University of South Africa and has also attended the Strategy Master Academy at the University of Cape Town’s Business School. He attended the Advanced Management Programme 181 at Harvard Business School in Boston. Morgan has been involved in the seed industry since 1998 having joined the company back then as Chief Financial Officer. He has previously held senior corporate positions with entities in the Mining, Manufacturing, Retail, Banking and Real Estate industries. He sits on the Boards of FBC Bank and TSL Limited.

John Matorofa

Group Chief Financial Officer

John qualified is a Chartered Accountant having trained with Deloitte & Touché Chartered Accountants Zimbabwe after graduating with a B.Acc (Hon) degree from the University of Zimbabwe. He holds an MBA from the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom. He successfully completed the Senior Executive Leadership Program at the London Business School in 2012. John has over 12 years’ experience in the seed industry working for Seed Co. Before joining Seed Co in 2004, John held senior financial management roles with a number organisations that include the Lonrho Group, Zimbabwe Newspapers and PG Industries.

Kushatha Moswela

Non Executive Director

Kushatha has over 20 years extensive experience in Life and Short-Term Insurance, Risk and Actuarial Consulting. She is the Group Director of Operations for Equity Insurance, a subsidiary of Equity Group Holdings, Plc.

She is the previous Managing Director of Old Mutual Short-Term Insurance Botswana, COO of Old Mutual Botswana and for leading the successful start (set-up) of Old Mutual Life Insurance Botswana in 2016. Kushatha has work experience from various countries that include Kenya, the UK, South Africa and Botswana. Her key areas of expertise are on insurance general management and leadership, actuarial, risk managed and internal audit. She started her career with KPMG as a risk consultant.

Kushatha holds an MSc Actuarial Science and a BSc (Hons) Actuarial Science degree from the University f Kent, UK. She is a member of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, UK and is a nearly qualified Actuary. She holds a CFA level 1 pass and recently graduated from the Emeritus Executive Leadership Course. She is currently pursuing a DBA qualification.

She received an award as one of the Top 50 Women in Insurance in Africa 2022. She is the previous Chairperson of the Botswana Short-Term Insurers and Underwriters Association (BSTIUA). She is a Trustee of PulaMed Fund and a Non-Executive Director to Seedco International Limited.

Remina D. Chitengu

Non Executive Director

Davidzo is the Financial Controller and Director of Unki Mines and is the Principal Officer of the Anglo American Pension Funds. Davidzo has over 20 years’ experience in the finance and accounting field. She is the current chairman of the Generation Medical Aid Fund. She currently sits on the boards of CABS and Bishopslea Preparatory School for Girls. She has chaired the Zimbabwe Association of Pension Funds (“ZAPF”) Board. Davidzo holds a B.Comm (Hon) degree in Finance from NUST and is an associate member of the global chartered management accountancy body CIMA.

Regis Fournier

Non Executive Director

Régis is the CEO of Limagrain Field Seeds and member of Limagrain Group Executive Committee since August 2019. He studied Agronomy in Montpellier and Paris and holds a Master in Agronomy.

He began his career in 1992 in Maisadour, a cooperative group in the South of France, and progressed to marketing and sales functions before becoming Director of the Seeds Branch in 2003. He has been Director of Innovation and International Development of the whole Maïsadour Group, and lately oversaw all the Vegetal productions and business in the Group.

Régis served as member of Maisadour Group Management Committee and Board, and General Manager of Mas Seeds, a JV between Maisadour and Syngenta. He was also Chairman of Euroseeds from 2018 to 2021, the trade association for the seed industry in the European Union and the European Economic Area, and member (previously Chairman) of Union Française des Semenciers (UFS), the French seed association for seed companies and plant breeders.

Andrew Barron

Non Executive Director

Andrew Barron is a farmer and managing director of Mbabzi Estates Limited and Lincoln Investments Limited. He continues to serve on a number of boards including Press Corporation PLC, Mpico PLC, Seed Co Malawi (Chairman), Mpico Malls Limited, Team Planet Limited and Plantation House Investments.

Fermin Azanza

Non Executive Director

Fermín is currently the Head of Research of the Field Seeds Division at GROUPE LIMAGRAIN. He is a senior research executive with more than thirty years of experience in research and strategic management of Trait research and plant breeding in the biotechnology, seed and agribusiness industries. Fermín has a solid experience leading research programs and linking these with commercial opportunities. He also gained relevant international experience across Europe, US, South America, and Asia throughout his career, including JV’s and stakeholder management. Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, Spanish and French. He holds a PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics (University of Illinois), a Masters in Plant Breeding (Mediterranean Agronomic Institute) and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology (University of Navarra).

Frederic Savin

Non Executive Director

Frédéric is the CEO of Limagrain Africa, and he has been with the Limagrain Group for the whole of his career, in various roles in seeds businesses. He joined Vilmorin as Product Manager (vegetable seeds) in 1988 and later became Marketing Director.

He continued his career with Harris Moran Seed Co, a Limagrain subsidiary, as Sales Manager for Europe. Frederic subsequently moved to the Vilmorin’s subsidiary in Turkey for 8 years, where he worked in the field seeds, vegetable seeds, fertilizers, and home-garden products.

Frederic is an Agricultural Engineer and French Foreign Trade Advisor.

Maxen P Karombo

Non Executive Director

Mr. Maxen Phillip Karombo was appointed as an Independent Non-Executive Director effective 21 September 2023.

Mr. Karombo is currently the Chief Executive Officer of OK Zimbabwe Limited. He is a Chartered Marketer with close to 30 years’ regional working experience, and he holds a Bachelor of Technology Honours Degree and an MBA.

Kenias Mafukidze

Non Executive Director

Mr. Kenias Mafukidze was appointed as an Independent Non-Executive Director effective 21 September 2023.

Mr. Mafukidze is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Media Holdings.

He is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years‘ experience and he holds a Bachelor of Accountancy Honours Degree as well as an MBA and MPhil in Development Finance.

Anthony Carvalho

Non Executive Director

Mr. Anthony Carvalho was appointed as a Non-Executive Director following his nomination by the Limagrain Group effective 21 September 2023.

Mr. Calvalho is currently the Chief Financial Officer for the Limagrain Group and is an Accountant by profession. He brings with him significant experience in financial affairs and investments having worked as Chief Financial Officer for the Roullier Group as well as experience in audit and financial advisory acquired at Deloitte & Touche.

He holds a Master’s in Information Systems (Institut Mines-Telecom SudParis), supplemented by a Master’s in Audit & Financial Advisory from Université Paris Dauphine and a Master’s in Finance from ESSEC.

Tineyi Chatiza

Group Company Secretary

Tineyi has close to 20 years of experience in corporate finance, accounting, governance, compliance, and risk management covering multi-sectors. Prior to joining Seed Co in 2018, he spent nearly 10 years in charge of corporate finance at one of the leading investment banking boutiques, Corporate Excellence, in Zimbabwe.

Tineyi holds a Bachelors’ Degree in Business Studies and qualified fully with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) as well as the Institute of Bankers of Zimbabwe (IOBZ). In addition, he is an Associate Member of the Institute of Risk Management of South Africa, and a Public Accountant registered with the Public Accountants and Auditors Board of Zimbabwe (PAABZ).