In the market for success

01 September 2009 - 19:39 By Zweli Mokgata
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THE youngest person ever to be appointed chief executive of the world's largest fresh produce market is this year's recipient of the Boss of the Year Award.

Kgosientso Ramokgopa, 33, is the chief executive of the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market (JFPM) and has proven to be the right person for the job by leading the organisation from being a loss-making operation to being a thriving, profitable business.

More importantly, workers are happy and staff turnover has begun to stabilise for the first time in over five years.

Ramokgopa says: "I'm enjoying the work, even though there are challenges and pressures. The position of chief executive and the authority that goes with it means that I have disproportionate influence on people's quality of life.

"I try to ensure that people are continuously trained, equipped with new skills. I encourage people to be free to express themselves."

He joined the market in late 2006 as interim chief executive. The board of directors intended that he resuscitate the ailing company during a six-month stay.

"When I came in, it was a turbulent time for the company - it was financially in the red - there were certain ventures that were affecting the market adversely, relations between the board and management were broken and there was high staff turnover.

"A number of policies were not in place, and the organisation needed to be rejuvenated. There were people who owed us money for as far back as three years. We went on an aggressive debt-collecting drive and fixed up some contract management issues," says Ramokgopa.

According to the World Union of Wholesale Markets, the JFPM is the largest fresh produce market in the world by volumes. Ramokgopa says this is a source of pride, but turnover could still improve.

"We are the biggest by volume, but not necessarily by turnover. That's our goal - to be the best fresh produce market in the world," he says.

The market generates 85percent of its income from trading. The remainder comes from rentals. At the time of Ramokgopa's arrival tenants didn't have proper lease agreements and certain employment contracts were not in place.

The company had to start from scratch, and it was a painful process for Ramokgopa. Certain unprofitable businesses had to be dissolved and about 60 people lost their jobs.

"I said to the team that there were challenges and that we had to take drastic measures. I told them that there might not be a market in two years' time if certain things weren't done.

"It was not done out of greed or arrogance. Now that we are in a stable position, we are identifying new revenue streams and moving into new expansionary projects."

Ramokgopa is by no means an expert in agriculture, but feels his previous experience as an engineer has equipped him with the skills to run a large organisation.

He matriculated in 1991 in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria, where he lived with his parents and seven siblings.

He graduated with a degree in civil engineering. It was not until the third year of the degree that he realised that he didn't enjoy it. But he completed the degree because he didn't want to disappoint his family, and he worked as a transport engineer and served part time as a ward councillor for the city of Tshwane from 2000 to 2005.

During this time he also became the chief executive of the Gauteng Metro Trading Company. He completed a Masters in Public administration and moved to his current position at JFPM.

Sputla, as he is affectionately known, places great emphasis on nurturing people: "The one thing I do better than other people in a similar position is that I give people space to apply themselves.

"I don't follow people around or look over shoulders. Naturally, I request regular feedback, but I also encourage people to generate ideas. I don't know the business as well as some people here who have as much as 20 years' experience, so I value people's input."

The organisation boosted revenue from R2.3-billion in 2007 to R2.8-billion this year.

He says that by 2012, it will be generating R6-billion and will be the best market of its type, complete with state-of-the-art facilities, to ensure freshness of goods.

Ramokgopa, a keen fan of rugby and soccer, is not married and has no children.

The Boss of the Year Award, now in its 19th year, is organised by Dictum Publishers.

The award is based on an assessment by employees of whether their boss is good enough to be entered in the competition. This is not a decision of the board of directors or the shareholders, but of those who daily witness the leadership skills of their boss, says Dictum.

Ornella Trinco, director of the publishing house, said: "Kgosi is of young physical age, but much older in mental and intellectual age. He brings to his position vigour mixed with consideration, excitement mixed with deep knowledge and energy mixed with dedication to inspiring leadership as adeptly as he builds people.

"We salute him and wish him well on his lifelong leadership journey.

"We also salute the other five finalists who show an incredible commitment to the people they lead and to the workplace leadership cause."

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