Jeandre Gouws: It’s all about the people

Körber site: Cape Town, South Africa

I started my journey at Körber in 2017, in sales.
In 2022, I stepped into the Managing Director role here in Cape Town, South Africa.

Before I joined Körber, I worked with many company cultures.
British. American. Middle Eastern.

And now German.

People often assume a German company must be rigid or distant.

But once you truly get to know it, you realise:

You’re just dealing with people.

Different languages.
Different accents.

Same values.
Same mindset.

Across countries.
Across cultures.
Across time zones.

You might forget someone's name.

But you remember the person.

So for me, it's always about the people.
My colleagues.
Partners.
Suppliers.
And customers.

Because yes, we have outstanding equipment.
Probably the best technology in our industry.

But equipment is equipment.

People buy from people.

That’s what I’ve learned over the years.

Especially here in Africa, business doesn’t begin with numbers.
It begins with conversation:

Where are you from?
How is your family?
Who are you?

Trust isn't built through presentations.
It’s built with customers, partners and suppliers through presence, time and honesty.

In the end, my conclusion is simple.

Technology matters.
Processes matter.

But what truly makes the difference –
is always the people.