All About Stowe Holdings

Qualification: N Dip Land Surveying, NH Dip Land Surveying Photogrammetry. Henk has more than 21 years of working knowledge and experience within the IT Fuel Industry.
Business Experience: Henk Stander co-founded the company under the Stowe banner in 1998 and has been a senior managing partner since the company opened its doors for business in January 1990. In 1995 the company registered as a private company under the South African Companies Act and Henk has been the Chairman to the Board of Directors, as well as holding the position as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer since then. He also chairs various subsidiaries of Stowe and acts as Trustee on a number of business & family Trusts. He matriculated with exemption in 1978 at Paarl Gymnasium in the Western Cape, South Africa and after completion of a 2-year compulsory service in the RSA National Defense Force, he received his Higher Diploma in Land Surveying at the Cape Technicon in 1983.

During a 11-year tenure at Surveys & Mapping in Mowbray, Cape Town, he specialized in Photogrammetry and served in this field as a part-time lecturer at the University of Cape Town, before specializing in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for the last 2 years of his employment. His keen interest in Information Technology and specifically the unique aspects of specialized service delivery in the field of Fuel Management Systems and related technologies, contributed significantly to the company’s focus & growth that today employs close to 200 people, with a corporate customer-base that spans in cases to over 20-years of formal relationships with well-known Fuel & Oil Industry brands. 

Qualification: Business Management Dip, NH Dip Land Surveying, GIS and Photogrammetry. One of the Founding partners, Steve has also been involved within the IT Fuel Systems industry for more than 21 years.
Business Experience: Steve Owen is a co-founder and current Director of Stowe Holdings, and after a land surveying background took the big step in 1991 along with Henk Stander, to develop the small business they had started. This has grown into what we now know as Stowe Holdings (Pty) Ltd. Initially responsible for developing the DOS based system (Netpump) that NetPOS is based upon, Steve was then responsible for installation and support until the company grew and he was needed to focus on managing the Technology side of the system. His role within the company has changed as the business has grown, focusing on business needs such as technology developments, projects and new business. His current role within the company is to provide specialist services to areas of the business that need development or re-evaluation. He also performs a business analyst role between clients and various service providers to ensure that the client receives a working, integrated product to manage their business. Another aspect includes key account management to certain clients where projects need intensive focus.

Qualification: With various Financial and Business management courses and accreditation to her name, Barbara has combined her previous financial experience with more than 10 years within Stowe.
Business Experience: Barbara is the current financial director of Stowe Holdings, and has held this position since 2003. Her previous experience includes a position as PR & Client Liaison : Progressive Systems College (1998 – 2000. She was also a Director of Econometrix Treasury Management between 1990 – 1997. Her start within the financial industry was within the Foreign Exchange department of First National Bank and later as a Currency Trader for the same institution. Barbara’s Tertiary Achievements include various Financial Courses

Qualification: Vesh has various of formal accreditations in Specialist Fuel Management Systems, with more than 15 years of experience in the industry.
Business Experience:Systems Engineer (Chairman’s award in 2002), Senior Systems Engineer (Engineering and Technology), Regional Manager (Gauteng), Engineering Manager, Divisional Manager: Field Services, Director: Field Services Department Function : To ensure that Stowe’s Field Services division functions according to Stowe’s KPIs, core values and operates within a prescribed budget. It is also the responsibility of the Divisional Manager to maintain high staff morale, low staff turnover and as well as to maintain good internal and external customer relations

Qualification: Education: B Paed (HMS) and then switched to a BA (Arts) majors in English and Education.
Business Experience: After starting at JHI Properties, (Excellerate Property Holdings) in 2001, she challenged herself and moved into finance. She spent 9 years in finance with her last position as Fin Manager Accounts Payable, pushing herself to get qualified academically as well as learning with hands on experience as she went along. Once again, she took a leap to develop her career and moved into Procurement where she has spent the last 7 months as the Manager: National Procurement and Office Support (JHI Group). The combination of Procurement and Finance, is incredibly challenging, but she is enjoying this tremendously.

Qualification: B.Sc Computer Science and Mathematical Statistics
Business Experience:Raymond has more than 15 years experience within the Fuel and Oil Industry After starting on the Stowe Service Desk in 1996, he moved into the field a systems Engineer and then moving Senior Systems Engineer. He later moved into R&D department as a Delphi Developer, enhancing and maintaining Stowe Proprietary Products. He is an expert in Delphi, SQL as well as Electronically Communicating to Devices like Pumps, Tagging. He is also an expert in ISO 8583 for EFT.

At that point he moved in to manage the Development Resources, managing the Software Development Life Cycle as well as System and Business Analysis. In his position as Research and Development (R&D) Manager he is a Proprietary and 3rd Party Product Expert. Focusing on problem management as well as managing the technologies used for Stowe’s Customer Support Obligation. His position also includes Hardware and Software Management, Researching, Testing, Piloting, Sign-Off, Documentation and Problem Management. In his current position as Technology Manager all these elements fall under his wing.
Department Function • Technology Division has the following core departments • IT Department • Manage and Support Stowe IT Infrastructure • R&D Department • Research Function • Proprietary and 3rd Party Products Experts • Problem Management • Managing the Technologies used for Stowe’s Customer Support Obligation • Hardware and Software Management • Development Function • The enhancement and maintenance of the Stowe proprietary products (NetPOS, NetACC and Datawise) • Supporting Tools for 3rd party applications and Products • Pastel, HEAT, Retalix, etc

Qualification: Electrician, Heavy Current Electronics; Bsc (Eng) – Electronics
Business Experience: Electronic Support Engineer for Halliburton Energy Services • Electronic component-level repairs of sensor-assemblies for well-property measurements • Hydraulic maintenance of sensor-assemblies for well-property measurements Logging & Perforating Engineer for Halliburton Energy Services • Measurements of geo-properties of rock-formations in oil-wells. • Explosive User in Charge • Radiation Supervisor Field Engineering Manager for Stowe Holdings • Management of technical & logistical challenges to optimally resolve support- and installation-requests • Service Level Management Call Centre Manager for Stowe Holdings • Managing & motivating team towards optimal customer service, effective & efficient incident/problem-resolution and accurate record-keeping. • Monitoring & management of Service Level Conformance. • Compilation of Support-related Statistics
Department Function: Two Departments exist within the Division
1. Service Desk a. Provides effective & efficient incident-/problem-resolution with optimal customer-service and accurate record-keeping. b. Compiles monthly service-level statistics
2. Data Bureau a. Monitoring & management of transaction-data movement from sites to other Service Providers and/or Stowe’s information-hosting system Datawise b. Management of site-connectivity c. Monitoring & management of price-book data from head-office systems to sites d. Call-analysis and –validation with customer call centre

Qualification: Diploma in IT (MCSE)
Business Experience: In 2005 Emmanuel joined Stowe Gauteng as a Field Technician, as has moved up through the ranks on almost a yearly basis. Moving up to a Systems Engineer, then Senior Systems Engineer, he made the move into the Team Leader position in 2009, moving onto the Supervisor position the next year. In the 2011/12 financial year he made his most recent advancement into the Regional Manager Gauteng where he is proving his value to the Stowe Team. With such good insight into the industry, we know he will continue to be a force to be reckoned with, and a powerful management tool within Stowe.

Qualification: Paul has more than 15 years IT experience
Business Experience: After starting his career as an IT technician/ sales, Paul moved quickly into a position as Technical Sales Manager in 1997, which he continued in until 2005. Following this he moved into business for himself where he served as a Technology Consultant for various projects until 2012, when he was appointed as Regional Manager for Stowe. His studies include a Business Development Programme from the University of KZN as well as a careers worth of training and development courses. Paul has always known that his interest and passion lay within the IT sector, and he will be pushing the KZN office to develop and grow with him, adjusting and improving the service levels Stowe provides in the KZN region.

Qualification: National Diploma – Engineering Electrical and Post Graduate Diploma in
Project Management.
Business Experience: Morné has been involved in the IT industry for more than 18 years. Morné has extensive experience in hardware and software support. Morné always strives to deliver service excellence of the highest quality. In 2010 Morné joined Stowe Holdings and represented the George branch as Senior Engineer. In 2013 Morné moved into the role as Regional Manager Eastern Cape and manages the PE, George, East London and Umtata area.

Qualification: Trevor has more than 32 years IT experience
Business Experience: After starting his career as an ICL mainframe operator, he become involved in programming Cobol, Fortran, C Plus and other fourth generation programming. Joined Grinaker Data systems as a Communication technician on X25 for 3 years and moved on to Punchline as the Technical Manager in 1990, which he continued in until 1992. He then moved onto Asab Data as senior support technician supporting various clientele on Novell and Unix. In 1997, he was moved to the network division within a new partnered Q fleet and got his first taste of the fuel industry by installing the first 18 automated sites for Engen. Moved on to Branch software a year later until 2005 in which time Efuel was presented and installed on 28 Engen sites and taken care off. Joined AFS in 2006 as technical manager overseeing E-Fuel installations on most of the Government vehicles,private haulage companies and also tank gauging at some of the major mines in Namibia. In July 2011 he then joined Stowe as a senior system engineer and was appointed as Regional Manager from October 2011. With this vast background in IT and the fuel industry he can ensure a superb customer service and support to both Engen and Puma. Trevor is now responsible for managing Operational elements of the Namibia business.

Qualification: Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Business Management
Business Experience: Candice has been working in the Accounts Department at Stowe for the past 5 years, working her way up the ranks from Accounts Assistant in January 2007 to Assistant Accountant in November 2009 to Finance Manager in June 2011.
Department Function: • General administration and accounting functions • Generating of purchase orders and invoices • Supplier payments • Debtors collection • Credit card and petty cash reconciliation • Full bookkeeping function • Cash flow management • Budget forecasts and allocations • Monthly Management Accounts • Annual Audit resulting in Audited Financial Statements

Qualification: Anthony began his career at Stowe in 2005, developing his responsibilities under the Financial Director. His responsibilities now include HSSE training and managing the facilities.
Department Function: • Manage the Assets of the Company. • Manage the Companies HSSE. • Management of the company Maintenance and Renovations. • Manage staff. • Getting quotes & Price comparisons for various asset purchases. • Generating IR and place various purchases with suppliers/contractors. • Management of stationery. • Compile Monthly expense reports. • Managing preparations for various meetings/training. • Manage staff welfare. • Managing various suppliers & contractors. • Management the hygiene of the company. • Manage security of the company. • Managing various collections/deliveries.

Qualification: International Diploma: Purchasing and Supply Management (Distinction*)
Business Experience: Based in Cape Town her initial Buyers’ position grew into the role of Purchasing & Supply Chain Manager which I’ve fulfilled for 12 years before entering the Fuel Sector in 2009. Focusing on a constant decrease in the overall TCO for products supplied to our diverse range of Clients. Since moving into the Fuel Industry in 2009 her focus moved from a purchasing and supply chain role, to that of Asset Management in IT Hardware and Onsite components. She now manages accounts such as Engen SA, Engen Namibia, Sasol Retalix, Puma Energy Botswana & Namibia.
Department Function: • Procurement Management & Reporting on Assets procured for and of behalf of Oil Corporates • Engen S.A & Namibia • BP S.A • Sasol Oil & Gas • PUMA Energy Botswana & Namibia • Supplier/ Vendor Management (National & OffShore Supplier Base) • Procurement Staff Management (National & African Staff Compliment)

Qualification: Tarryn has been with Stowe for 7 years, adding to her previous admin experience.
Business Experience: Tarryn’s core strength has always been administration coupled with customer service. Starting from the ground up within the financial sector, she has earned experience within the call centre environment, both in direct customer interaction and managing the call centre and team. This core strength allowed her to move up into a Branch Administration position for the Western Cape. Her career at Stowe started in October 2005 within the Engineering Admin Department. By December 2006 was requested to move over to the Sales Department as a Senior Sales Administrator. Soon after she was promoted to Sales Admin Manager and in June 2008 there was a title alignment to Sales Manager. She now holds the position of Business Admin Manager, but above all her heart remains focused on getting the best deal for the client, and making the solution work.

Qualification: Wilna has been involved in Engineering and Projects for more than three years.
Business Experience: Wilna began working at Stowe in July 2009,within the Engineering Admin department with her main responsibilities consisted of doing Client Adhocs orders and then later on additional clients as Stowe obtained new contracts. She was given the opportunity to move over to the Projects Department in September 2010 as a Project Co-ordinator. Key responsibilities were to liaise with the different role players in the various Oil companies, regarding the implementation of Various Projects. She was then promoted to the position of Project Manager in May 2011. The highlight of her career so far at Stowe, was to be part of the Sasol Retalix Roll-out which was completed in June 2011.

Qualification: Frans has more than 20 years of creating opportunities within South Africa and Africa as a whole together with N Dip Land Surveying.
Business ExperienceAfter completing his studies in 1984 in Land Surveying at the faculty of Civil Engineering in Cape Town, Frans immediately commenced his own business and launched various innovative patents and trademarks into the international arena. Launching numerous ventures, traveling and concluding business in Hong Kong, China and the UK, Frans also expanded his entrepreneurial spirit into the African regions.

While deploying IT solutions during the early 90’s to the Petroleum Retail industry, Frans evolved mobile commerce into the African countries, such as DRC Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Nigeria and Mozambique. Teaming together with international partners, Frans served as director on numerous companies while consulting and deploying various Mobile payment, transfer and banking solutions into Africa during early 2000-2008. During this period, Frans worked closely with MNO’s (Mobile Network Operators), Banks and Financial institutions as well as Government organisations into numerous countries in deploying Mobile Payment Gateways. Frans is also the owner of various 3rd party applications, patents and trademarks as value add to mobile and other payment methods and was instrumental in alternative solutions such as EVD’s (Electronic Voucher Distribution), Swipe and Smart Card applications, Bill Payment, Fuel & Fleet applications as well as real time mobile payment applications. While traveling and launching a world first in GSM POS Card terminal solutions for the mobile payment platforms into Dubai and the UAE, Zambia and DRC Congo, Frans also exported his solutions to Pakistan and Kuwait.

Frans re-joined the Stowe group in January 2009, contributing his experiences towards the Petroleum Retail industry with an emphasis to expand the company footprint towards the lucrative and rejuvenated African regions.

Qualification: Bachelor of Commerce Degree: Management – UNISA Post Graduate Diploma: Enterprise Management – UCT
Business Experience: Keelan started working for Stowe Holdings at the beginning of 2010 as part of the companies inaugural management training plan. Keelan held positions with the SCC & Sales departments as part of the orientation process before moving into the commercial team proper. Keelan then moved into the Service Delivery Department and has fulfilled the role of Key Account Manager for the past 1,5 years looking after the BP & Puma Energy accounts.

Qualification: Bachelor of Science Degree (Property Studies) – University of Cape Town as well as a number of certificate courses.
Business Experience:: Damion started at Stowe Holdings at the beginning of 2010 as part of Stowe’s inaugural management training plan and held positions within the then Engineering Admin Department and Stowe Call Centre where he learnt the ins and outs of Stowe business. Since June 2010, Damion has been a Key Account Manager and works within the Service Delivery Department as part of Stowe’s Commercial team. Damion acts as the interface between the Client and Stowe Business team, maintaining the full relationship of Stowe’s Key Clients and ensuring the longevity of the Stowe customer base.

Qualification: Christo has achieved a Diploma in Business Information Technology, as well as completing several management accredited courses.
Business Experience:: In 2008 Christo started working as a technical resource at Itron, where he moved quickly through the ranks and became Supervisor of the Technical Service Desk in 2009. In a career move he joined Stowe in April 2009 and took up the position as Service Desk Supervisor. Gaining experience within the Fuel Industry, he started managing a team consisting of 8 members which grew within 3 years to a total of 19 team members. His recent promotion to Service Desk Manager is recognition of his hard work and dedication to the Stowe Team and our customers.
Department Function: Stowe Service Desk currently supports more than 11 corporate clients including many of the key Fuel retailers in South Africa and Southern Africa. The service desks consist of 4 teams aligned with a product such as Retalix, NetPOS, PEC and Winbranch.
The department’s functions are:
1. Accurately logging all support incidents
2. Resolving all incidents with in the required SLA time.
3. Accurate record keeping in our support logging system ( HEAT )
The Stowe service desk receive on average 6525 incoming phone calls per month and make on average a total of 17400 outgoing phone calls per month. The overall average of support calls handled by the Service Desk per month is 3000.

Qualification: Certified as an HDI Helpdesk Analyst, Aneesa has completed a number of management and Data Bureau accredited courses. She is a HEAT specialist.
Business Experience: With more than 10 years professional involvement in varied IT disciplines as well as a detailed understanding of the complete ITIL best practice framework, Aneesa joined Stowe as the initial Data Analyst for the company. With 10yrs experience in HEAT development, administration and customization, the implementation of HEAT became her first successful project and initiation into Stowe. She has developed from an Analyst to Supervisor and then Manager of the Stowe Data Bureau. The department has grown into a department of 2 technicians and 3 analysts. She is a dynamic hands on leader and is recognised as an expert in her field.
Department Function:Monitoring and management of transaction-data movement from sites to other Service Providers and/or Stowe’s information-hosting system Datawise. Management of site-connectivity. Monitoring and management of price-book data from head-office systems to sites. Call-analysis and validation with customer call centre.

Qualification: Certificates in IT Service Management (ISEB – 2006) and Project Management (CPUT – 2004). Also attained various specialist Fuel Management System accreditations.
Business Experience:Prior to joining Stowe in April 2009, he was involved in service support in respect of the retail fuel, convenience and commercial site management systems across the automated BPSA footprint in Western /Eastern Cape regions. In 2007 he was appointed to lead the hardware refresh and standardisation project for the BP Retail networks in Namibia and Botswana. Over the past 3 years he has managed the Field Services teams and Stowe contractors in his capacity as Engineering Supervisor RSA Coastal & Africa.
His industry experience and understanding of company practices will prove invaluable in his recent appointment within the R&D team.