Build a business that’ll change the world.

Where all stakeholders win, from employees, suppliers and shareholders to civil society.

In driving new and sustainable opportunities through our values of passion, service and integrity, we aim to build a group which will last for a century and longer, promoting development locally and internationally and influencing present and future generations of leaders.

Harvesting hope, feeding dreams: Purpose-driven investing.

Priority is given to investments where we can play an active role in driving value.

Our services surpass those of a private equity partner. We bring skills, experience and solid commercial networks to the fore, enabling our investments to thrive, rather than merely survive. We believe in partnerships and prefer to co-invest. All partnerships are structured to create win-win situations for all stakeholders. We actively manage assets under our portfolio. This gives us the edge in developing highly competitive agri-businesses.

Pillar Heads

Jaco van der Westhuizen is the Managing Director of the Pretoria branch of the Grainvest Group. He started his career in the agricultural sector in 2003 at the RussellStone Group as an Agricultural Trader and has since grown to become the trading manager over our entire agricultural supply chain. Jaco is a specialist in the grain and oilseed trading environment, and agricultural value chain integration.

De Villiers is the Managing Director of Grainvest Physicals, the grain trading division of RussellStone Group. He holds a BCom Economics (Hons) degree with a background in BCom Money and Banking. He has been with RussellStone since 2003 where he started as an Agricultural Trader. De Villiers specialises in trading and the management of the grain groups divisions and he is an expert Agricultural trader.

Pillar Head

I am the MD of Russellstone Treasury and have been part of the Group since 2009, leading a team of dynamic professionals in the financial services market.
The team specializes in Foreign exchange dealings, Risk Management, Money Market and Finance. I believe that we must give our clients solutions to have a right to exist in this market.
A Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) focused on Economics from the University of Pretoria gave me the steppingstone to start thinking out of the box and start applying my mind towards driving solutions.
I am passionate about family and a sports fanatic. I love a good challenge, be it mountain biking, trail running, or multiple disciplined sports.

Pillar Head

My RussellStone Foods journey started in 2014 as a perishable commodity trader. Since 2017 Rica Meats and the food value chains became my focus as part of the RussellStone Foods pillar. I am supported by a highly skilled, specialised and entrepreneurial team who strives to deliver ever-increasing value through every division of the protein and health value chains. I have a passion for business in Africa and the upliftment effect thereof, the opportunities in this market excite me and it is a personal and pillar goal to provide value-for-money, sustainable, and healthy food solutions to more of the market.
On a personal level I am a husband, father and when time allows a passionate weekend warrior riding off road motorcycles.

Pillar Head

My extensive experience in the development world leads to a people-driven approach in community participation projects. My expertise and mission lies in organising these processes and finding appropriate solutions, as the innovation leader of the HolmStone group within the Energy Pillar of the RussellStone Group. My specific focus lies with multi-stakeholder relationships, technical integrity and design, as well as spearheading known and now newly tractional needs for heterogeneity within the industrial energy needs, including heterogeneity in ecological resilience, and multi-success of stakeholders.

Pillar Heads

Russell du Preez is the founder and Chief Investment Officer of the RussellStone Group. He holds a BCom Economics (Hons) (University of Pretoria) and recently earned his master’s degree from University of Pretoria in Agricultural Economics. The active role he has played in the agricultural sector over the past 30 years has allowed him to build up a rich network of people and businesses, as well as invaluable experience within the industry. The industries in which he specialises include grain and oilseed trading, imports/exports and fund management. He is a well-rounded entrepreneur with a passion for promoting the fundamental importance of title in an economy.

De Villiers is the Managing Director of Grainvest Physicals, the grain trading division of RussellStone Group. He holds a BCom Economics (Hons) degree with a background in BCom Money and Banking. He has been with RussellStone since 2003 where he started as an Agricultural Trader. De Villiers specialises in trading and the management of the grain groups divisions and he is an expert Agricultural trader.

Be sure to never lose - either win or learn. Every situation has the potential to teach.

The beauty of the ‘and’, and the tyranny of the ‘or’ – sometimes pursuing both options is better than only following one.

To help future leaders not make the same mistakes with financial implications.

Partnerships can be a sinking ship, and many people avoid partnerships because they got hurt. But can’t see the benefit that partnership can unlock value and success.

Try to avoid legal action at all costs.

Openness – do not have fixed ideas before you start. Except for the moral code that developed over thousands of years, i.e: Christianity

Embrace investors – they might be a pain in the short term but a blessing in the long term. Make sure the investor has more capital than you. Through running farms – we’ve learnt the lessons of the impact of inflation differentials and how it can benefit you in the investment environment i.e: Cow prices were R60 in 1968, and in 2022 for the same type of cow it’s R18 000 per cow.

Running factories – gave us insight into how to run people and motivate them in a continuous manner.

Where there’s smoke, there is fire – Don’t accept excuses for bad behaviour, concentrate on the locus of control and avoid people with too many external loci of control.  Usually, the common denominator in external excuses is the person responsible for the excuses.

Don’t ignore the smoke – get out sooner than later. Get out of bad relationships and investments.

“Napoleon wants a lucky general” – An Employer doesn’t want someone who blames their own misfortune on others.

Don’t make excuses.

Integration of industries gives you a natural edge.

There are no superhumans – we are all human after all.

Emotions of people should be used for the timing of transactions.

When a situation becomes repetitive - we accept it as irrefutable knowledge.

Inflation is an inevitable part of our existence, and nobody understands it, for there is no single definition for it. The tendency for issuing entities to over-issue currency has been evident throughout history, leading to the devaluation of currencies. The tendency of devaluing currency has been evident throughout history – leading to inflation.

The cost of risk, as represented by interest rates, tends to increase as the level of risk increases.

With a growing global population, the trend is unlikely to slow down in the next decade or two. But the age distribution might have a huge impact. Also where the population growth will be, will impact the economic growth. We know that Africa will be the youngest will be the youngest population in the world, in the next 20 years.

We know that governments will always try to increase tax rates. Governments have a history of implementing tax policies that benefit themselves rather than the general population.

People tend to have short-term memories of events.

Trust is capital. People’s emotions often play a role in their decision-making, and having trust in a business or individual can be equivalent to having capital.

 The principle of “treat others as you would like to be treated” is considered a successful strategy in business.

Time is a valuable commodity that can never be recovered once lost.

Human nature – people are obsessed with themselves and therefore we live in a self-centered society.

It’s important to understand the distinction between profit and profitability, recognizing that short-term gains may not always lead to long-term success.

It’s a reality that we all have a limited lifespan, and our actions should reflect a sense of urgency to make the most of the time we have.