Our Team

Michal, possessing a PhD in Forestry, an MBA earned in South Africa and a Master’s degree earned in the USA brings distinguished qualifications to his role as the CEO of CMO. He also holds a part-time extraordinary professorship in forest sciences at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, showcasing his academic prowess. With an illustrious forestry career spanning over 80 countries across the northern and southern hemispheres, Michal has garnered extensive experience in forestry companies and held global leadership positions in major corporations. Notably, he served as the head of the worldwide forest certification division at SGS, the world’s largest […]

Christi is a qualified Professional Accountant (SA) and a Tax Practitioner. He has been a partner in accounting firms since 2010, rendering expert accounting, tax, and financial management services. He possesses strong leadership skills and an exceptional work ethic. In his current role as CFO, he oversees the financial and strategic operations of the Group including financial planning and analysis (FP&A) to drive profitability and performance improvement while ensuring compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements. Together with his team, he provides financial information and data, as well as advice on key business decisions in the Group’s various corporate and […]

Taylor holds her Masters’s degree in Human Resource Management, a BCom Hons Human Resources and Labour Relations degree as well as a BCom Human Resources and Labour Relations degree. She has spent her entire career based in South Africa and obtained her education from the University of Pretoria, boasting top-of-the-class and cum laude accolades. Starting off her career she spent time as a tutor and leader at the University and continued to build her network and skill set. During the early stages of her career, she joined a well-known trade union and built excellent Labour Relations skills, knowledge, and first-hand […]

Andrew has a Ph.D. in Forestry, an MSc in Forest Science, a BSc in Forest Science, and an NDip in Forestry. He has visited over 30 countries in his 20-year forestry career and began his career as a practicing forester and managed new plantation developments in pine, eucalypt, and wattle plantations. During his early career, he managed fire protection, silviculture, harvesting, roads, and transport activities. As his career progressed, his technical strengths emerged, and he filled technical management functions in commercial forestry culminating in his being appointed the Forest Engineering Manager of Mondi Forests. This significant practical and technical exposure […]

Corris is a formally qualified FSC and ISO auditor, having worked for more than 20 years in the auditing field as the Global Chain-of Custody Manager for forest certification standards for SGS.  During this time, he was intricately involved in the development of forest certification standards with multinational teams from across the world. As Global Manager, he travelled to more than 45 countries to audit forest product companies, agents, and SGS affiliate offices, ensuring the integrity of the certification systems. He also conducted internal training to expand auditor capacity within SGS and to support back-office teams in maintaining a credible […]

Ben has a B Tech in Forestry and has been working extensively in Sub-Saharan Africa since leaving the employ of Sappi Forests some 15 years ago, giving him the opportunity to work in over 10 countries over this period.  His 30 years of operational experience in the forestry supply chain has equipped him with the required competencies to successfully roll out CMO Group Schemes across the world.    Ben pays attention to detail and his analytical nature of operations allows him to fulfill a specific role in CMO as a finisher.  Ben strives to develop simple, practical solutions to complex issues […]