Full Name: Dr Jonathan Atkinson

Position and Company Name: MD of Solidaridad Southern Africa

Main Activity of the Company: Solidaridad is an international civil society organisation that has partnered with communities to build resilience and drive sustainable change. In Southern Africa, it works with farmers, workers, businesses, and communities in South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia to strengthen livelihoods, support climate resilience, and promote sustainable practices in sectors including agriculture, mining, and textiles

Date and Place of Birth: October 13, 1982, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

Schools and Tertiary Education: Addington and Montclair primary schools, both in Durban; Richmond Combined High School, in Richmond, KwaZulu-Natal; University of KwaZulu-Natal; University of Pretoria; Stellenbosch University

First Job: Forensic audit assistant at KPMG before graduating and environmental-impact assessor at Lokisa Environmental Consulting after graduating

Size of First Pay Packet: R48 000 a year at KPMG and R90 000 a year at Lokisa Environmental Consulting

Career Path to Date: Sustainability adviser at KPMG, GIS and remote-sensing analyst at Sappi Southern Africa, production scientist: soils and spatial modelling at the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, operations director at the University of Cape Town/Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, sustainability lead at the International Soil Reference and Information Centre, GM of the Farm Services Unit and later group head of agronomy at Meridian Commodities, and Africa head of agronomy at Maaden Africa

Value of Assets under Your Control: A portfolio of projects, including those in the pipeline, valued at €5-million

Number of People under Your Leadership: 85 staff in seven countries

Management Style: I’m firm, but fair. My approach is typically strategic, systems oriented, and highly collaborative, with a strong focus on execution and accountability

Personal Best Achievement: My family

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Life: My aunt, a single parent who raised me as an orphan. She instilled in me the importance of education, dedication, and hard work

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Shireen Naidoo, a now retired partner at KPMG who recognised the potential in me while I was filing documents at the firm, and Professor Trevor Hill, who, through his engagement at a University of KwaZulu-Natal open day in 2001, discussing technologies such as GPS, GIS, GNSS, and remote sensing, and their application to environmental challenges, inspired my pursuit of an applied environmental science degree

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Bear Grylls

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Aliko Dangote

Philosophy of Life: We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light

Biggest Ever Opportunity: Representing Maaden at the Annual Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association Forum in Dubai in 2025

Biggest Ever Disappointment: None – every disappointment has created an opportunity to learn, adapt and grow

Hope for the Future: That Solidaridad Southern Africa helps build a more resilient, inclusive and economically empowered agricultural sector across Southern Africa, and that Africa shifts from reacting to global agricultural shocks to shaping its own agricultural destiny through local innovation, stronger regional systems, climate resilience, and sustainable economic growth

Favourite Reading: Any research publication. I am currently reading Wandile Sihlobo’s A Country of Two Agricultures

Favourite TV Programme: The Big Bang Theory, The Terminal List, The Jackal

Favourite Food/Drink: Any decent pasta, toasted sandwich or bagel, a flat white, sparkling water, or a good milkshake

Favourite Music: David Gray, the Foo Fighters, Imagine Dragons

Favourite Sport: Boxing, rugby, soccer and cricket

Hobbies: Travelling with my family, hiking and cycling

Car: A 2026 Ford Everest XLT

Pets: Three dogs, all Yorkshire terriers

Miscellaneous Dislikes: People who avoid eye contact when talking to me

Married: To Kylie Wingrove Atkinson, for 17 years

Children: Lilly Anne, 14; Layah Anne, 11

Clubs: None yet – I’ve only recently relocated back to South Africa from Malawi