Meet Our Team
Our young, vibrant management team subscribes to an innovative, modern corporate culture. This encourages entrepreneurial thinking, allows for flexibility, and facilitates prompt, efficient customer service. In dealing with our customers, the focus is on partnerships – we thus go out of our way to offer excellent value and sustain a high degree of consistency.
Executive Chairman/Owner
Gerhard van der Wath
The Man Behind the Brand – Executive Chairman/Owner
Gerhard comes from a humble background and he studied hard to become qualified as a lawyer. A client then offered him a partnership in a winery which he accepted and after just a few years he bought his partner’s shares, taking the winery in a new direction. Overhex Wines International (OWI) was born, and twelve years later has become one of the largest wine exporters in South Africa.
A true survivor and entrepreneur at heart Gerhard has dedicated himself to bringing the best quality wine to the right markets. And as he rightly says, “Wine is all about fun, and we indeed have fun by doing the little things a little differently”.
Managing Director
Gert van Wyk
The Grapes Guy – Managing Director
Gert is a key member of the Overhex management team and joined the company in 2013, armed with a National Agricultural Diploma and extensive experience as an agricultural economist. Among his main responsibilities at Overhex is the sourcing of quality grapes and quality wines from primary producers across the Cape Winelands. For this purpose, he has built lasting relationships with selected grape growers as well as the cellar managers and winemakers of some of South Africa’s top cellars and estates, ensuring consistent quality and economic viability for our bulk wine clients.
Financial Director
Stephan van As
The Numbers Wizard – Financial Director
Stephan has been with the Overhex Group for more than 12 years already and worked his way through the ranks from Assistant Accountant to Account at Overhex Private Cellar, and then to Financial Manager and finally Financial Director of Overhex Wines International. Originally from Worcester, Stephan qualified with a BCompt from Unisa in 2000 where after he articled at BGR Jacobs & Partners Auditors before joining Overhex.
Sales and Marketing Director
Chantelle Potgieter
The World Traveller – Sales and Marketing Director
Chantelle has been quite a traveller from an early age, living in various parts of the Western Cape and Gauteng before settling in Worcester. Her career started in the financial sector and prior to joining Overhex she was a Management Accountant at Woolworths for four years. Her first wine industry role was at Deetlefs Wine Estate where she started as an accountant and over 10 years filled many positions before her final position as international sales manager. Chantelle joined the Overhex group in 2013 as International Sales Manager for packaged products and is currently the Sales Director managing all bulk and packaged sales.
Sales Director Africa, Canada & North America
Lisa Jarvis
Sales Director Africa, Canada & North America
Having developed a love for all things relating to food from a young age, Lisa’s career path began in the catering sector. As the proprietor of her own restaurant she was able to combine her love for food and wine into a successful career. Lisa has garnered extensive experience in the South African wine industry. After starting as a sales representative she worked in various management roles within wine distribution companies servicing the local market. She joined the Overhex team in November 2018 as a sales strategist focusing on the local market and has quickly taken on the responsibility of developing the USA, Canadian and UK markets for us.
Operational Director
Jaco van der Merwe
The Planner – Operational Director
Having completed a B.Com Accounting Hons at the University of Pretoria, Jaco embarked on his career as a financial accountant. After completing his audit articles at Arthur Andersen, Jaco was appointed Manager of the Strategic Division where he gained vast experience in process re-engineering, cost of quality, activity based costing and benchmarking.
Jaco got involved in the wine industry in 1996 and his focus areas have been secondary production, managing supply chain, quality systems and corporate social programmes. He played a major role in the establishment of the Winds of Change BEE initiative and also the Fairhills Fairtrade project. He was a founding member of WIETA and served as Chairperson of the Board for several years. Jaco joined Overhex in 2017 and he’s already made a significant contribution to the success of our company and that of our clients.
Head Winemaker
Ben Snyman
The Charmer – Head Winemaker
Ben graduated with a degree in viticulture and oenology in 2009 at the University of Stellenbosch. During his time in Stellenbosch he completed harvests at Vrede en Lust, Boschendal and a range of other prestigious estates. After his studies Ben travelled internationally and completed a harvest in Sonoma Valley, California before being appointed winemaker at Overhex Private Cellar in 2010. In 2016, he was promoted to head winemaker of Overhex Wines International and is now the winemaker behind our expansive portfolio.
Winemaker
Willie Malan
The Wine Guy – Winemaker & Cellar Master
Willie has been with Overhex since 2002 when he joined the company as a cellar assistant. Willie has worked his way through the ranks and now heads up the day-to-day operation of the cellar as Cellar Master. Before joining Overhex, he completed his agricultural studies at Elsenburg College in 1999 and worked as a harvest intern at several cellars in South Africa (Montagu and Franschhoek) and abroad (Pomerol, France). Winemaking has always been in his blood as Willie was born and raised in Montagu where his father taught him the art of winemaking from a young age as he was also a winemaker for 35 years.
Financial Manager
Hanlie Botha
The Number Cruncher – Financial Manager
Born and raised in Reivilo in the Northern Cape, Hanlie’s journey to Overhex came via Bloemfontein where she studied a Bachelors of Commerce degree majoring in Accounting. After studying she worked for Clover in Bethlehem, Heilbron, Roodepoort and Bellville where after she resigned to start a family. Hanlie joined Overhex in 2008 as a production accountant on a temporary basis and worked her way up from financial accountant to her current position as Financial Manager of the Overhex group.
Sales Manager Africa
Saskia Lesch
Sales Manager – Africa