Post-production facilities The Refinery Johannesburg and V-Lab (Video Lab) Johannesburg are being amalgamated into a single business under the leadership of newly appointed Group MD, Tumaini Leshoai.
Approximately 35 staffers will be retrenched by the end of January. For the time being the new entity will continue to be called The Refinery. V-Lab’s Blairgowrie office will remain open until it completes existing key projects. As from 1 February, The Refinery’s operational hub will be in Bryanston.
Says Leshoai: “We are consolidating staff, equipment and expertise to become more streamlined and focused in being effective, productive and profitable. And of course we will continue to give great service to our clients.”
Leshoai’s new management team consists of Charl van der Merwe, (Commercial Director), Tracey Williams (Director of Post-production) and Gerhard Roets (Head of Operations). Van der Merwe will ensure that the Group’s commercial, financial and operational objectives are in line with shareholders’ vision and strategy. Williams will head up all creative: from mentoring and developing talent, to creating deliverables of world-class standards, to new creative processes to develop the best workflows for clients. Roets will head up all technical requirements, facility management, delivery and systems, making sure they are effective and efficient.
MFP Holdings acquired the Refinery Group in 2007. (See in-depth interview with Tumaini Leshoai in February issue of Screen Africa.)
