Johann du Toit

Kevin O’Neill

Johann du Toit is Group CEO of the Simera Group, CEO of Simera Sense, and a director of Simera Trace. He has more than twenty years’ experience as mechanical engineering, and more specifically, structural design, analysis and testing exposure to diverse industries. Being a never-ending optimizer, he loves to plan, execute and adapt projects and processes to match the ever-changing dynamics of real-world engineering and business environments. One of his greatest work achievements was the realization that by aptly managing, guiding and empowering a great team, the outcome would be far more than your own limited contribution could have been. At the core, what he loves and enjoys the most, is to share his passion with colleagues, clients, fellow engineers and students with the hope that they too can experience the great pleasures of pursuing a career they truly enjoy.

Kevin O’Neill is considered the Father of RFID in South Africa.  While leading the RFID Institute over a period of thirty years, he has developed solutions for every conceivable industry that could benefit from RIFD.  He worked with leading brands such as TOYOTA, KWV, DUNLOP, Anglo American, TYRE Corporation, Harmony, EXXARO, LONMIN, ASSMANG and Woolworths to develop platform solutions for these industries.    His insight of the mining industry led to the development of the MINEX platform to handle RFID applications from sample drilling holes to final delivery of ore.  Feasibility studies done on ore grade control and process optimization using RFID, resulted in billions of potential savings or additional revenues.  The highlight has been the development of the SimTracer, an RFID tracer that can withstand ore blasts, and creates a digital trail for the ore throughout the mining process.  This has the potential to revolutionize the mining industry and set a new standard for ore grade control and plant optimization.  His father to four daughters and grandfather to five grandchildren – and counting.