FireCrust Artisan Pizzeria (Pty) Ltd Business Plan › Management Team & Organisation

8.1 Founding Team Biographies

Daniel K. Marais – Chief Executive Officer

Daniel brings 15 years of progressive restaurant management experience to FireCrust, most recently serving as Regional Operations Director for Spur Group’s Western Cape portfolio of 22 outlets. During his tenure at Spur, Daniel delivered a 34% improvement in same-store sales and reduced staff turnover by 40% through the implementation of employee engagement programs. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Business Management from Stellenbosch University and has completed the Executive Development Programme at the UCT Graduate School of Business.

Naledi Mokoena – Chief Operating Officer

Naledi is a hospitality operations specialist with 12 years of experience spanning hotel food and beverage, wine tourism, and restaurant operations. She previously served as Food & Beverage Director at Delaire Graff Estate in Stellenbosch, where she managed a R45 million annual food and beverage operation and led the estate’s restaurant to a Top 10 ranking in the Eat Out Awards. Naledi holds a Diploma in Hospitality Management from the International Hotel School and a postgraduate certificate in Wine Business Management from the Cape Wine Academy.

Victor Adebayo – Chief Financial Officer

Victor is a CFA charterholder with 10 years of corporate finance experience, including six years at PricewaterhouseCoopers where he specialised in hospitality and leisure sector advisory. He has led transaction support engagements valued at over R2 billion, including franchise valuations, restaurant group acquisitions, and private equity exits in the food service sector. Victor holds a Bachelor of Accounting Science from the University of the Witwatersrand and a Master of Finance from the University of Cape Town.

8.2 Governance & Advisory Board

FireCrust will establish an Advisory Board comprising three independent members with specific expertise in food service scaling, franchise development, and consumer brand building. Advisory Board members will receive a modest annual retainer of ZAR 60,000 each and a 0.25% equity option vesting over three years. The Board of Directors will comprise the three founders plus one investor-nominated observer. Board meetings will be held quarterly with monthly management reporting to investors.

8.3 Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP)

The 10% ESOP allocation reflects FireCrust’s commitment to broad-based employee ownership and serves as both a retention tool and an alignment mechanism. Key terms include: four-year vesting schedule with a 12-month cliff, performance-based acceleration triggers tied to store-level EBITDA targets, good/bad leaver provisions with fair market value buyback for good leavers, and eligibility for all permanent staff following completion of probation. This ESOP structure supports B-BBEE compliance objectives and contributes to the Company’s Enterprise Development scorecard.

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