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After 20 years of dedicated leadership from Thomas Holtz, Multotec announces the appointment of Johan Robbertse as its new Group Chief Executive Officer, during a formal handover at Electra Mining Africa 2026, marking the beginning of a new chapter for one of South Africa’s leading mineral processing equipment manufacturers.
Robbertse succeeds Thomas Holtz, who has led the business for the past 20 years and will remain Chairperson of the Multotec Board, ensuring continuity as the company builds on more than five decades of innovation, global growth and customer partnership.
The leadership transition follows two decades of sustained international growth that transformed Multotec from a predominantly South African manufacturer into a globally integrated business serving customers in more than 70 countries.
Under Robbertse’s leadership, the company will build on this foundation while continuing its customer-focused strategy, global collaboration and product innovation.
Holtz joined the company in 1996 as a Project Manager before progressing through a series of leadership roles across the business.
In 2008, he succeeded his late father and Multotec co-founder, Ernst Joachim (EJ) Holtz, as Group CEO, becoming only the second CEO in the company’s 53-year history.
During his tenure, Holtz led Multotec through a period of significant transformation, guided by a vision to build a globally competitive manufacturing business from Africa, powered by African talent. At a time when deindustrialisation was reshaping domestic manufacturing and the South African mining market remained largely static, he remained steadfast in his belief that sustainable growth could be achieved through international expansion while continuing to invest in local manufacturing capability.
Under his leadership, Multotec achieved a cumulative annual growth rate of nine percent growing from a business that exported approximately 15 percent of its production to one that now exports around 60 percent of its equipment to more than 100 countries worldwide. Supported by manufacturing operations across Africa, South America, Asia and North America, alongside sister companies in Europe and Australia, Multotec evolved into a globally integrated business while retaining its South African roots. This foundation positions the company for its next phase of growth under Robbertse’s leadership.
