Service delivery tops agenda of new PPECB CEO

Stuart Symington, newly
appointed CEO of South
Africa’s Perishable Products
Export Control Board
(PPECB), is set to take
up his new position on
February 1. Symington
has been tasked with
overhauling the PPECB
and bringing it into line
with customer needs and
demands.
“We need to make some
meaningful changes,”
said Symington, who was
previously CEO of the Fresh
Produce Exporters’ Forum.
“The board has requested
that I look at the business
under a microscope and take
the organisation to a new
level of service delivery,”
he said. “It is important
to understand that the
fresh produce business has
changed worldwide, and that
one must adapt and
stay relevant for the times.
The food industry has
changed, the markets have
changed, standards have
changed, and so it is tough
to expect an agency like the
PPECB to keep up to date,
but one must.”
He said returning to
basics, restoring belief in
the organisation, and taking
it to a new level of service
delivery were high on
the agenda in the coming
months as well as ensuring
the core mandate of the
organisation was in place.
“The PPECB is a very
old organisation with
many good people in the
company trying to make a
difference,” he told FTW.
“But we are all going to
have to get our thinking
caps on and come to terms
with how the markets have
changed and how we, as
an organisation, need to
align ourselves with those
changes.”
According to Symington
2012 holds some major
opportunities for southern
Africa despite the economic
fears in certain parts of the
world. “Naturally, world
economic events are very
concerning at the moment.
But I believe that within
this global scenario there
are opportunities that we
need to capitalise on. It
is certainly not doom and
gloom everywhere for
everyone.”
Symington replaces
Luvuyo Mabombo who left
the PPECB in August last
year.
The industry has
welcomed his appointment
as his vast industry
knowledge is believed to be
just what the PPECB needs
to take it forward, restore
belief in the organisation
and give its members a
competitive advantage.