Connecting Africa's Agricultural Future with the Leaders Who Will Shape It
Founder-led executive search for Forestry, Food, and Agriculture across the continent
Why Thryve Exists
I built Thryve because African agriculture needs executive search partners who truly understand the land, the people, and the complexity of leadership decisions.
I grew up on a farm outside Somerset East in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, where agriculture was a part of our everyday life. I experienced droughts, rising costs, shifting markets, and the resilience of communities that refused to give up. Later, I managed our family farm and learned firsthand the realities of operating in Africa: the complexity, the risk, and the importance of having the right people in the right roles.
That experience, combined with years of leading executive searches across 12 African countries at global firms, showed me a gap in the market. Too many recruiters operate from boardrooms, sending generic emails and disappearing after the fee clears. They’ve never walked a client’s farm, never understood feed conversion ratios or the community’s challenges.
At Thryve, we believe that by bringing together the right leaders, we can help build Africa’s agricultural future and help the continent truly thrive.
At Thryve, we believe that by bringing together the right leaders, we can help build Africa’s agricultural future and help the continent truly thrive.
What Sets Us Apart
We Speak Agriculture
From feed conversion ratios to community land negotiations, we understand the technical and cultural challenges of African agriculture because we’ve lived them.
Relationship-First
We prioritise building in-person relationships when feasible. Our preference is always to meet face-to-face because we believe that the best way to build long-term trust is through in-person conversations.
Strategic Advisor
We will push back on your brief, expand your search beyond industry “blinkers,” and identify transferable skills from adjacent sectors to help find you the best talent available.
Retained searches
Thryve offers a one-year free replacement guarantee for retained searches– four times longer than the industry standard.
Contingent searches
Thryve offers a six-month free replacement guarantee for contingent searches – still twice the industry standard.
Leave Every Place Better Than We Found It
At Thryve, we believe business success and community impact go hand in hand.
For every retained recruitment assignment, we will dedicate 10% of our fee to a local community project in the region where we’re recruiting. This commitment is rooted in the Christian faith and the belief that wherever we work, that place should be stronger because we were there.
The 10% Commitment
For retained searches, 10% of the gross fee funds a project chosen collaboratively with the client in their region
R25,000 for Education
For contingent searches, donations support a school fund, where R25,000 puts a child through a full year of quality education
Aim to donate R1 million+
Our vision is by Year 5, we will aim to have donated R1 million+ and established a recruitment training programme to create economic opportunities for young people who can’t afford university.
Where We Focus
Senior leadership placement across the whole agricultural value chain.
The sectors that we operate in include, but are not limited to:
Forestry
- Commercial forestry & plantation management
- Timber, pulp & paper production
- Wood processing & biomaterials
- Forestry equipment & machinery
- Carbon & climate services
Agriculture
- Crop production (row crops, horticulture, viticulture)
- Livestock & poultry production
- Animal feed & nutrition businesses
- Agronomy & farm management
- Inputs & services (seed, fertiliser, chemicals, equipment)
Food
- Food processing & manufacturing
- Packaging & cold chain logistics
- Supply chain & distribution
- Retail & consumer goods
Who we place
- C-suite executives (CEO, COO, CFO, Chief Agriculture Officer)
- Senior industry specialists (General Managers, Operations Directors, Agronomists)
- Mid-to-senior leadership roles with significant technical or operational expertise (we don't do volume recruitment)
How we work
- Retained search
Upfront engagement, deep briefing, one-year guarantee, 10% community donation
- Contingent search
Pay-on-placement, six-month guarantee, school fund donation
Throughout Africa – from Ghana to Uganda to South Africa. We operate across East, Central, West, and Southern Africa, with experience recruiting in 12 different countries.
Marc was totally invested in the project—deeply understanding our business and objectives—and provided a phenomenal set of candidates for a role with extremely rare competencies.
Stella Molenaar, Group Head of Human Resources at New Forests
Marc proactively identified me as a strong fit for the Managing Director role at Voermol Feeds, demonstrating deep industry knowledge and a clear understanding of leadership in a highly specialised field.
Pieter Visagie, MD of Voermol
Start The Conversation
Tell us about your leadership needs, and we’ll explore how Thryve can support your growth.