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Guardian Angel Wildlife and Marine Trust
AMBASSADORS AND EXPERT ADVISORY PANEL
Ambassador Douglas H. M. Gibson
IN MEMORY OF A GREAT MAN
Douglas Gibson was a South African attorney, politician and diplomat.
With deepest respect and sincerity, we share the heart-wrenching news of the passing of one of our most cherished friends and a highly esteemed Guardian Angel Wildlife and Marine Trust advisor. May his gentle soul find peace in the everlasting embrace of angels. He was genuinely an angel among us during his time on earth. His legacy of integrity and kindness will forever be remembered.
With immense respect and love for this remarkable individual.
He began his political ascent in 1970 when he was elected as a member of the Transvaal Provincial Council, where he served for 16 years, 9 of which as leader of the Opposition. He also served as a municipal councillor for 5 years. Gibson became a member of Parliament in 1991 and was elected to South Africa's first democratically elected parliament in 1994. He was the chief whip of his party from 1994 and, from 1997 until 2007, he was the Opposition Chief Whip.
During his period in Parliament, he served as the Opposition spokesperson on a variety of portfolios, including Finance, Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Defence, among others. In 2007, he was appointed by President Mbeki as an ambassador, the first opposition MP so appointed since 1994. He served as South Africa's Ambassador to Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia from January 2008 to February 2012. He was also the Permanent Observer at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. In February 2012, his term as ambassador ended and he returned to South Africa where he chaired the board of a major utility company.
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Richard Zhang Xin
Council Member of Shanghai University Alumni Association
Studying for a Master’s Degree at China Europe International Business School ( CEIBS)
Richard Zhang Xin is a visionary leader with extensive experience in the fields of logistics, technology, and conservation.
As the CEO of Shanghai Zhifu Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd., Richard has been instrumental in driving the strategic direction of the company, which specializes in China-Africa online trade logistics. His leadership focuses on identifying growth opportunities, developing long-term plans, and fostering strong relationships with stakeholders, ensuring the company’s mission and vision align with its overarching goals.
In addition to his role at Shanghai Zhifu, Richard is also the CEO of Shanghai Aihuike Information Technology Co., Ltd., where he oversees the development of Intelligent Customer Service Solutions powered by advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
Richard’s portfolio of leadership extends to his role in controlling BUFFALO International Logistics, a leading China-Africa online retail channel service provider founded in 2017. Under his guidance, BUFFALO has established a reputation for delivering high-efficiency, high-quality service experiences in cross-border logistics and distribution between China and Africa.
Beyond his business acumen, Richard Zhang Xin is deeply committed to wildlife and environmental conservation. Together with his close associate, Col (Hon) Raymond Kramer, the Founder of the Guardian Angel Wildlife and Marine Trust, Richard has dedicated himself to supporting the Trust’s mission. He plays a crucial role in raising international awareness of the urgent need for preventative and reconstructive measures to protect the biodiversity and natural habitats of Southern Africa, which are facing severe threats of irreparable damage.
As an advisor on the Advisory Panel of the Guardian Angel Wildlife and Marine Trust, Richard brings a unique blend of strategic insight, technological expertise, and a deep passion for conservation, making him an invaluable asset to the Trust's ongoing efforts to safeguard the environment for future generations.
Dr. Mark Bussin
HEAD OF REMUNERATION
Global Remuneration Professional and Certified Compensation Professional | Ph.D. in Commerce (UJ) Prof. Mark Bussin is Chairperson of 21st Century,
A specialist Remuneration, Organisation Development Change consultancy, with national and international capabilities. Prof. Bussin is also a Consultant, Author, Commissioner, Non-Executive Director and Pilot. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors and a Master HR Practitioner. He has written 15 texts covering leadership, strategy, human resources and on many aspects of reward and compensation. He lectures globally and speaks four languages.
Dr Thabang Teffo
Dr Teffo’s appointment reflects GAWMT’s commitment to forward-thinking strategies that integrate rewilding, sustainability, and responsible utilisation as tools to drive long-term impact. His expertise strengthens the Trust’s mission to develop models where conservation is not only about protecting wildlife, but also about improving lives, creating jobs, and ensuring that communities and ecosystems thrive together in harmony.
At just 30 years of age, Dr Teffo represents a new generation of African conservation professionals — bridging science, policy, and community action. His inclusion in the GAWMT Advisory Panel demonstrates the Trust’s proactive approach to shaping the future of conservation through collaboration, education, and sustainable use.
Dr Thabang Teffo is an emerging transformative and thought leader in Africa’s Wildlife Economy — a national priority initiative that seeks to transform conservation into an inclusive driver of economic growth, community empowerment, and sustainable development. A qualified wildlife biologist with a PhD in Wildlife Management and Conservation from the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, he is currently a Nature-Based Economy and Community-Led Conservation Lead at the Southern African Wildlife College - A SADC centre of excellence in capacity building on applied wildlife conservation and management.
He has played a pivotal role in advancing conservation partnerships through his work with the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) and the foundational experiences gained during his volunteer work with the Endangered Wildlife Trust, where he focused on responsible utilisation, biodiversity and conservation.
Mr Mashudu Ramano
Mr Mashudu Ramano studied Sustainability at Cambridge University and Schumacher College. He also studied Leading Economic Growth at Harvard University. He holds an MSc in Sustainability and Responsibility from Ashridge Business School (UK).
Ramano is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of the biomimicry-inspired Mitochondria Energy Company. He is an entrepreneur, an aspirant futurist and an advocate, agent and promoter of sustainability. Mashudu Ramano is an entrepreneur who considers himself as being ‘in transition’ towards a sustainable and regenerative future.m
Mashudu has extensive experience as a director of both listed and unlisted companies in South Africa, including sitting on the boards of African Harvest Trade & Investment, the Limpopo Platinum Trust of South Africa, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) and the Domba Trust. He is a former non-executive director of Transnet, Johnnic Industrial Holdings, Coronation Holdings and Delta Electrical Industries. Currently, he serves on the boards of Chevron South Africa, Avon and Dedisa Peaking Power Companies.
Mashudu’s vision is to co-inspire, co-facilitate and co-create the emergence and universal acceptance of the ethics and the paradigm of Sustainability. Over the past several years, Mashudu’s focus has been on “becoming a sustainable and symbiotic self in his personal life and in his societal practice.”
A valued friend of the GAWM Trust’s Founder, Raymond Kramer, Mashudu is well placed to act in an advisory capacity for the GAWM Trust’s push for sustainability practices in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr Ross Harvey
Director of Research and Programs at Good Governance Africa | Ph.D. in Economics (UCT)
Dr Ross Harvey heads up a team of renowned qualitative and quantitative researchers who analyse and collate evidence to inform policy makers and private sector players on good governance across African countries, with a special interest in broad-based development. Dr Harvey has published multiple articles on wildlife conservation and extractive industry governance.
Good Governance Africa (GGA) is a research and advocacy NPO whose vision it is to improve citizens’ lives through improved governance across African countries. GGA is the pre-eminent partner for advancing good governance through the key principles of democracy, accountability and transparency - and respecting human, civil and property rights.
Having Dr Harvey on the Board of Trustees will ensure that the GAWM Trust will duly follow the process of measuring how we conduct our public affairs and manage our Human Resources. He will guarantee the realization of human rights with due regard for the rule of law.
Naomi Haupt
Master’s degree in Anthropology (cum laude), with a keen specialisation in Environmental Anthropology.
Naomi has collaborated on internationally funded projects, including those by USAID, WWF/Khetha International, the South African Wildlife College (SAWC), the International Ranger Federation (IRF), the Universal Ranger Support Alliance
(URSA), and the African Biodiversity Collaborative Group (ABCG). Her contributions extend to significant research reports, such as the WWF Frontline Report on Ranger Working Conditions; Working Towards Gender Equality in the Ranger Workforce: Challenges & Opportunities; and The Militarisation of Conservation in Africa. Naomi also drafted international guidelines for Equity, Equality and Rights in the Ranger Workforce for the International Ranger Federation. Her authored reports and proposals advocate for ranger well-being at both local and international levels, emphasizing equity, equality and rights within the ranger workforce.
Naomi's involvement in the Braveheart Ranger Leadership Development Programme and her contributions to the Southern African Wildlife College curriculum development underscores her commitment to capacity building and developing the field ranger corps. She has created training modules in environmental management for academia, delivering online workshops to audiences in Africa, Europe, South America, the USA and Australia. Additionally, she serves as an external curriculum and material development expert, overseeing the Protected Area Integrity Unit's Park
Ranger replacement qualification project. She also contributes to think tank workshops presented by Good Governance Africa and the Attorney General Alliance Africa on countering wildlife crime, focusing on the environmental and social
challenges faced by the ranger corps. With over three decades of fieldwork and research experience, Naomi excels in navigating complex social dynamics and generating actionable insights.
Mr Tsepe E. Motumi
Master’s Degree in Public & Development Management (Wits) | Advanced Diploma in Project Management (UP) Certificate in Senior International Defense Resource Management from Naval Post Graduate School (NPS) Monterey, California | Senior Research Fellow at King’s College, London.
Mr Tsepe Motumi held the position of Founding Director General (DG) of the Department of Military Veterans, a position he relinquished upon the end of his term and on the assumption of his duties in the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans.
With his sound academic grounding in Political Science; Sociology, Social Anthropology and various areas of Management, compounded by his concern for and involvement with, military veterans, Tsepe has been hand-picked to advise the GAWM Trust on our envisaged undertaking to utilize the skills and knowledge of military veterans.
Ashwell Glasson
Registrar of, and Advisor to, the Southern African Wildlife College in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. MA (International Relations) and a PhD candidate (Military Science) at the University of Stellenbosch.
His research focuses on the insurgency-terror-biodiversity nexus, violent non-state actors and the building effective countering wildlife crime strategies. Ashwell leads various programmes in Park Ranger, Wildlife Law Enforcement and
Biodiversity Conservation training and capacity-building. He has approximately 27 years of diverse conservation experience, including training, facilitation, student management and qualification and programme support. He has led Field Ranger, Guide, Tracker and Instructional training for the bulk of his career.
He has trained and supported students and specialists from across the SADC region, including Malawi, the DRC, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, India and more. His training approach includes paramilitary, law enforcement and inclusivity training and facilitation methods. He is an active member of the South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) Rhino anti-poaching committee that helps guide responses to the Illegal Trade in Wildlife across a range of species and ecosystems. Ashwell has been a past executive committee board member of the Botanical Society of South African, the Animal Demography Unit and the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa. His expertise is directed at building capacity across the conservation, biodiversity and law enforcement landscape. He has conducted research for the Institute of Security Studies (ISS), Enhancing Africa’s Response to Transnational Organised Crime (ENACT) and Good Governance Africa (GGA) on a variety of topics, including the Militarisation of Conservation in Africa and the use of Technology to Counter Wildlife Crime. From a research and policy advice perspective, he focuses on the nexus of insurgency, wildlife crime and conservation.
In his personal capacity, he is passionate about birdwatching and maintains his bushcraft skills by guiding groups of students, lecturers and citizens across the Kruger National Park region.
Charles van Niekerk
Mr van Niekerk is a Senior Intelligence Specialist, focusing his extensive international experience and expertise on the disruption of serious transnational organised crime syndicates and illegal wildlife trafficking enterprises. He facilitates and applies structured intelligence analyses for effective decision-making and the application of precision countermeasures to combat the illicit economy.
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He has facilitated capacity building and training in Africa and South-East Asia. He adds value through verifying investigative and criminal prosecution and giving strategic and policy support. He has participated in bringing various criminal kingpins to book, ensuring that effective sentences are handed down to criminals trafficking in wildlife and other contraband.
Professional Support Staff
Desirée Firer
MA in English (Wits), PhD Candidate, Licentiate Diploma in Speech and Drama (Trinity College, London) Sports Management Diploma (London School of Business)
Desirée is the Assistant Editor and Chief Proofreader of a unique South African Sports and Lifestyle Magazine. She has exceptional competency in the English language with a comprehensive understanding of the various language registers and syntax required in written, spoken, corporate, business, marketing and academic research documents. She will be monitoring, editing and upgrading much of the copy generated by the GAWM Trust.
Derek Fingleson
GAWM Trust - Financial Control and Business Intelligence CA(SA)
With over four decades of dynamic experience across various business sectors, Derek's passion for technology and system controls is evident in his detail-oriented analysis and adaptable, motivated work ethic.
His advanced data analysis skills and proficiency with AI-powered tools ensure that he and his team remain at the forefront of innovation.
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Derek is adept at analyzing complex business situations and leveraging data-driven insights to make strategic decisions, ultimately improving ROI and driving success for our Trust.
Mandy Dale Smerkovitz
Head of Education Department, Guardian Angel Wildlife and Marine Trust
BA (Education) UNISA Higher Diploma in Education and Remedial Therapy:
Junior, Senior Primary and Secondary School / High School. ( JCE, UNISA and TEFL)
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Mandy Smerkovitz brings 30 years of teaching experience to her role as Head of Education at GAWMT. In her position, she makes decisions that focus on benefiting youth through educational initiatives. Mandy’s programs educate children about maintaining a clean environment, including rivers and seas.
She actively involves children in programs that teach them about our planet, ecosystems, wildlife, marine life, conservation efforts, and sustainable practices such as planting vegetation and vegetables. Mandy’s teachings inspire young minds to care more deeply about the environment and encourage them to become responsible stewards of the Earth.
Her goal is to nurture future leaders who will work towards making our world a better and healthier place. We believe that empowering children today is essential for creating a sustainable future for everyone.