My name is Neill Pleaner, I have spent the last 10 years as an entrepreneur. The prior 20 years were served in a corporate environment at senior board level. After much introspection I have taken the decision to get back into working with a team, and am seeking an opportunity to lead / run an enterprise that is consistent with the Care and Growth criteria. Please find attached a short version of my CV, should you require a more detailed version please contact me at neill@finichicoffee.com

 

Brief CV for Neill Pleaner

 

Neill is a 49 year old South African born male, he has celebrated his 22nd wedding anniversary with Toula on the 06 September, and they live in Beaulieu, Midrand, with their two children, Leah (20) and Sean (19) Neill’s passions are his family, business, horse riding, gym, squash and coffee.

 

Education

Matric was obtained at Highlands North High School, after which Neill joined the South African Air Force, where he studied electronics at the Pretoria Technicon for 3 years, achieving a Technical Diploma. From February to September 1992 he attended a Management Advancement Program at the Witwatersrand Business School, where he was a member of the top syndicate. In January 1994 Neill enrolled at the Henly Business School of London (a distance learning institute), where in 1997 he received a Diploma in Post Graduate Business Studies.

 

Working History

 

March 1999 – Present

Neill Pleaner and Associates was formed, the focus being – (due to Neill’s extensive overseas procurement experience in the USA, UK, Europe and the East and his understanding of retail and branding) the strategic planning and development for retailers and suppliers of General Merchandise, during this period he contracted to CNA for two years as their Marketing and Merchandise director.

 

June 1988 – February 1999

During the first half of 1988 Neill was approached by Wooltru, (who had purchased Makro), he set up a buying division for the group in the Western Cape, which he ran, until his transfer to Head Office in Sunninghill (1990). Here he became the appliance and hi-tech buyer, within 9 months he was promoted to Merchandise Manager and a year later Merchandise Executive. Finally he was made the Merchandise Director of the Massmart Group with direct responsibility for Dion. Neill was responsible for all the procurement, product, price, promotion and gross profit margin for the Group.

Brands he developed for Massmart include Trojan, Matsui, Saisho and Campmaster.

In 1998 Massmart purchased Game Stores and took the decision to move the Mass Discount Head Office to Durban, Neill was offered the position as Merchandise Director of the Group based in Durban – for personal reasons he declined the offer.

 

January 1981 – May 1988

Neill joined Pick’n’Pay Hypermarket Boksburg as a trainee manager, where after his general training he was transferred to Norwood Hypermarket as an Audio Visual Buyer (the youngest person with the least amount service to be appointed to a buying position at the time) he was transferred to various Hypermarkets as a “Trouble Shooter” for the General Merchandise Buying Division and later specialized as a “General Merchandise Store Opening Buyer” where he was responsible for all supplier sourcing, product ranging, rebates, advertising, pricing, the store layout and management there of for the Wonder park and the Ottery Hypermarkets. He was the only Hypermarket buyer to have bought every category of General Merchandise.

In 1986-87 Neill was the Pick’n’Pay Executive of the year Neill Pleaner – Private and Confidential 2

 

January 1978 – December 1980

Instead of wasting two years doing National Service, Neill decided to join the South African Air Force (SAAF) and learn a trade, he was part of the team that designed the “see and seek” missile sights for the Mirage Aircraft. He left the SAAF a qualified electronics technician, with the rank of corporal and no further military commitments.

 

Entrepreneur

April 1998 – Opened Toula’s Bakery Deli & Bistro in Paulshof – Sandton, a new concept in the hospitality industry, this was sold in November 1999.

November 2002 – Purchased, “Garden Café Bryanston” (a badly run down coffee shop), from the liquidator, a further R75 000 was invested in the business and the coffee shop was profitable from its first month. The business was sold in April 2005.

December 2002 – Purchased “The Potting Shed” in Parktown North (another badly run down coffee shop), from the liquidator, a further investment of R165 000 was made, the name was changed to “Garden Café Parktown North” this store was profitable from the second month. The business was sold in March 2004.

February 2007 – Opened Medisalon and Foxtrot Alliance, a non invasive plastic surgery business and importer of allied equipment in Morningside Sandton, this business has now been sold in October 2009.

May 2009 – Finichi Coffee’s born, Neill’s passion for coffee led him to the development of his own brand of coffee, distributed to both the hospitality industry and other business.

Neill has, and continues to invest in property.

 

Social Responsibility

In 1996, Neill and five friends opened Beaulieu Preparatory School, a Section 21 company, where he served as the founding financial governor until December 2004 – the school never went into an overdraft at any time.

In 1998, the same group of friends opened Kyalami Preparatory School also a section 21 company, here Neill served as the founding financial governor until December 2003 – once again the school never went into an overdraft at any time.

In 2001, Beaulieu College was opened, the third section 21 company in the family of schools Neill resigned as the founding financial governor at the end of 2008, the school has been in the black since the opening day.

 

Neill’s Ethos

My first key principle is my family, first my wife and then my children, to whom I have been honored with the task of preparing them for their lives beyond the walls of my home.

The second key principle is my relationship with my God, this manifests itself in the manner in which I treat (love) myself as well as the manner in which I treat (love) my fellow man

The third key principle, is my career, in order to succeed, I must ensure that both, those, which I lead as well as those which I follow must succeed. In this way I will achieve both my career and my wealth objectives.

Fourthly is the legacy I leave behind, this will live on in education.

The common thread that runs through these corner stones of my life is – I can only expect to get out that which I put in.

 

Neill Can be contacted` at +27833055555