Business Leadership Team

John Cowley - Chief Executive - Black Swan Group Holdings

John Cowley is the Founder Member and Chief Executive of Black Swan Group.  After completing his Business Commerce Degree at the University of Johannesburg, John started his Career in 1992, as the Business Development Executive for various Large Corporate High Tech Firms. During 2008, John founded Black Swan Group, that included a Biomass Carbon- and Logistics-Business.  During 2013, John started Black Swan Energy and Dexaflo, in partnership with his new associate, Johan Pieters, an MBA Engineer, with more than 30 Years of Relevant Biomass, Carbon and Gasification Experience. After extensive investment and R&D, these businesses now own their own Proprietary  Intellectual Property and Technologies, During 2016, John added on, a Carbon Activation Technology produced in South Africa, with an existing and operating plant in Kwazulu Natal. He developed this business as a joint stakeholder, and incorporated the Technology into the design and planning of a new €50 Million Euro Activated Carbon Plant, planned to be nelwy constructed in Southern Africa. All of the Black Swan technologies are deployed in specific strategic projects, to produce Green Energy and High Quality Activated Carbons, that produce solid, sustainable long-term yields for it's  Investors. These Companies are individually owned and funded. Black Swan is the lead Project Developer that develops such projects to full commercial sustainability.

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Johan Pieters - Managing Director - DexaFlo and Bio Carbon Technologies

Johan has the delegated operational responsibility for the detailed technical and operational aspects of the gasification and biochar businesses, which are individually owned and separately funded. He has more than 30 years of relevant Engineering experience in research and development and Engineering Implementation within the Altech Group and other Carbon Related Businesses. Johan has more than 12 years’ experience in all aspects of biomass carbonization and the manufacturing and application of activated carbon, wood pyrolysis, and associated carbon processes. He owned and operated several Carbon Production, Wood Charcoal, and Briquette Manufacturing operations across South Africa and developed a serial process carbonizing retort system for the continuous pyrolysis of wood at a high yield. Johan is a co-shareholder in the specific business entities that are specific to the Gasification and Biochar Technologies.

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Ben Pieters - Finance & Risk and Legal Compliance - Norasec Agro Industries

Ben is contracted to assist with the financial management and  Legal Risk and Compliance for the specific Tech Companies, which is individually owned and funded.  He is a well experienced and practicing enterprise risk and compliance management practitioner and management consultant. Ben is an experienced advisor to large and medium-sized corporates and parastatals on corporate governance, board composition, and legal compliance, King III guidance as well as participating as a team member on the independent assessment of integrated annual reports. Ben is an expert in the fields of operational risk analysis and was responsible for numerous Large Technology and related project implementations.  Ben has extensive experience as a senior consultant at Coopers & Lybrand Audit Firm in South Africa, specializing in development finance.

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Christine Cowley - Head: Business Administration - Black Swan Group Holdings

Christine is the foundation of all Processes and Administration in Black Swan Group. Through her unparalleled dedication and perfectionism, she provides and maintains the backbone systems that Organize Black Swan into the true High Tech Performance Organization, that it has become today. As a Company that recognize all contributors for their efforts, Christine is a benchmark of our Performance and an absolute example of Hard Work and Dedication. From humble beginnings, Christine has become a leading world class Business Administrator and has played a major role in the organized success of the Black Swan Group.

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