Our people

Do you have a nickname?
Goooch.

At which branch/in which area are you based?
Etana Brand team.

In a couple of sentences, please explain what you do.
I handle all internal communications for Etana, compile daily website blogs on various issues pertaining to our business, and provide support to fellow Brand team members when and where required.

How long have you been with Etana? What did you do before?
I officially started with Etana in November 2010. Before that I studied at the University of Johannesburg and completed an honours in journalism.

Etana believes in employing and working with only the best. How do you feel about this?
For a company like Etana to grow and become the force everyone wants it to be, it needs to employ the best people for a position that suits their characters. It feels great working with people who are incredible at what they do, who have a passion for it and constantly strive for bigger things. Etanans have this mindset of getting the job done, and I think this stems from our managers, who don’t take themselves too seriously, but take what they do seriously.

Etana has specific values – be open, know, grow, make it happen and give. How do you feel about these and have you seen other Etanans showcase these values since you joined the company?
Working in the Etana Brand team, you have interaction with Etanans on a daily basis. Here you get an idea of how these people do actually live the values; any event or scenario that has the ability to better the company and them, they will do – even if it means running onto the Ellis Park field in a Speedo. Etanans are also afforded the chance to give of their work time to contribute meaningfully to charitable causes, and we work with incREDible people who are always willing to help where they can.

Provide a fun fact about yourself, what you enjoy doing in your free time or a special characteristic about yourself!
I am a very keen motorsport enthusiast. I enjoy all sports and love taking part in them, but racing is something that takes me to another level. I hate staying at home and always find a need to be around my mates and have a good laugh – nothing better than one of those. However, I do enjoy time to myself where I can chill, relax and take stock.

What have you enjoyed most about Etana since joining the company?
I have enjoyed the ability to get on and do what I am tasked with how I want, but always have the peace of mind that someone is there to help when a challenge arises. The company is very dynamic, and Etana feels like a place where everyone is on the same level. I have also been fortunate to visit some of the branches in our “local is lekker” regions, and the welcome you get from fellow Etanans is incredible.

Tell us more about your family
I am very proud of my father, Alec, who runs his own business that services vehicles, but specialises in building and restoring race cars – hence the petrol-head mentality came from. His workshop is like a home away from home for me, and I try to spend as much time there as I can. My mom is the support structure that keeps us all in check, and she puts up with a lot of nonsense. She helps with the running of my dad’s business and makes sure that it remains a business rather than a hobby for him. I have an older brother, Gavin, who works in the events industry, is a keen Arsenal FC supporter and is now keen on golf.

What is your favourite RED thing?
I would say Pablo Clark Racing’s amazing Ferrari F40 race car, but Brand team member Kurt Solomon took that one already. I will go with my RED Etana race suit that I hope to wear more regularly in the future.

Anything else you’d like to share?
I am not very good at sharing; what’s mine is mine!