Meet the team

Rico Basson
CEO South Africa Wine
Rico is responsible for ensuring that the South African wine industry’s strategic plan is carefully crafted and effectively implemented and that the organisation’s objectives align with the industry’s overall goals. Under his leadership, South Africa Wine plays a vital role in shaping the industry’s future and driving sustainable development and prosperity. Rico guides and leads a dedicated team to achieve organisational goals and works closely with team members to ensure projects progress smoothly, providing direction, support, and motivation. He collaborates with various partners, fostering strong relationships to drive strategic initiatives and partnerships forward.

Christo Conradie
Stakeholder Engagement, Market Access & Policy Manager
Christo is responsible for proactively engaging with stakeholders across all levels of government and organised agricultural businesses to ensure that the interests of our members are heard and understood. He works closely with the respective divisions within South Africa Wine and other relevant bodies such as the Wine Certification Authority (WCA), Food Safety and Quality Assurance (Liquor Products), National Treasury (NT/SARS), Drinks Federation SA (DF-SA), Aware, Transnet, Freight Forwarders, and suppliers along the wine-value chain. We actively consult with and seek input from our members on essential issues to effectively manage business- and reputational risks (i.e. international trade and market access, regulatory activities, illicit trade, excise, and logistics).

Marisah Nieuwoudt
Wine Tourism Manager
Marisah leads tourism research, development, and destination marketing for South Africa’s wine sector, managing the Visit Winelands website, and developing campaigns that drive awareness and conversion. She represents and promotes wine tourism across regions, acting as a central reference point. Her role involves extensive relationship management, collaborating with partners like the SA Wine Routes Forum (SAWRF), Wesgro, the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA), WoSA, South African Tourism, Cape Winelands District Municipality, and Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA).

Wanda Augustyn
Communication & brand manager

Adéle Changuion
Communications Officer
Adéle is instrumental in improving internal communication within South Africa Wine. She manages staff communications, including newsletters, social media, events, staff orientation, and event planning and coordination. Adéle creates corporate collateral for multiple platforms and helps manage the digital presence.

Johannes Richter
Journalist
Johannes writes for WineLand magazine and manages the newsletter, which curates and delivers relevant industry news, insights, and updates to subscribers. Johannes’ compelling storytelling and effective communication contribute significantly to keeping the wine community informed and connected. He also manages the collation of our annual South African Wine Industry Directory (SAWID)

Ingerése Schoeman
Journalist / Online Editor
Ingerése writes for WineLand, and she manages WineLand Media’s digital footprint. As the website manager, she curates content to keep the platform informative and user-friendly. Ingerése also oversees social media, using a variety of platforms to engage with audiences and foster community interaction. Aside from her editorial duties, she showcases her creative side as the studio videographer, capturing visuals that complement and enhance the written narrative.

Doronae De Ridder
Editorial Coordinator
Doronae provides administrative help to the communications team and coordinates the editorial content for the technical articles in WineLand.

Martina Newman
Admin & database coordinator
Martina oversees administrative tasks and data coordination at South Africa Wine and WineLand Media. Her responsibilities include managing the contact database, providing support for company projects and events, and handling administrative tasks and queries associated with the distribution and subscriptions of WineLand magazine.

Talitha Wessels
Advertising Manager
Talitha oversees WineLand Media’s advertising campaigns, ensuring revenue growth and client satisfaction. Her responsibilities include selling advertising space across our print and digital platforms and generating new business through features, collaborations, and sponsorships.