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26 Spring 2022 PEOPLE AND APPOINTMENTS Point of Rental’s growing South African team has been boosted with the appointment of industry experts Nhlanhla Nkomo and Leon Du Plessis as Account Executives. Point of Rental CEO Wayne Harris said the company’s mission was “to empower people worldwide to better their businesses and themselves through rental software”. “I think Nhlanhla and Leon embody that spirit and that their abilities will ensure they’re able to empower African hire and rental companies to achieve - or even exceed - their goals.” Leon joins the team having spent the past four years at Eazi Access, a South African leader in the access rental industry. There, he was a Business Development Manager, helping industrial operations maximise their potential and profitability. Prior to that, he led sales teams across South Africa in other IT software businesses. Nhlanhla has spent the last seven years as the Head of Strategy & Operations at Asyst International, formulating growth strategies and providing business intelligence software solutions throughout sub-Saharan Africa. His career has allowed him to see businesses from the IT, financial management, sales, and planning sides. SOFTWARE FIRM EXPANDS SOUTH AFRICAN OPERATIONS JCB scooped top honours in the final of the 2021 National Apprenticeship Awards. As well as being crowned Macro Employer of the Year, Engineering Apprentice Nihal Dhillon was named Rising Star of the Year. Quality Engineer Gavin Archer was Highly Commended in the Advanced Apprentice of the Year category. Early Career Talent Manager Neil Fowkes collected the Macro Employer of the Year award on behalf of the company at the event in London. He said: “We are very, very proud. It is great recognition for the apprentices and their mentors and coaches, our network of training providers and, also, for the support we receive from the company and our Chairman, Lord Bamford.” The competition, now in its 18th year, has been designed to recognise and reward the achievements of exceptional apprentices, as well as apprenticeship employees and champions. Finalists included Lloyds Banking Group and the Royal Navy. Nihal, 20, is in the third year of a four-year Engineering Degree Apprenticeship at JCB and works at the company’s World HQ at Rocester. He said: “It feels fantastic to have won this award, and to be recognised for all the hard work. I think these awards are really important to showcase the amazing young talent we have in this country across all schemes.” Gavin, 32, passed his Level 3 Engineering Technician Apprenticeship with Distinction earlier this year and is now working as a Quality Engineer at JCB Earthmovers in Cheadle, Staffordshire. He said: “When asked the age-old question ‘where do you see yourself in five years?’ I would never have envisaged myself in this position. However, this goes to show what you can achieve with hard work and determination to get yourself in the best position possible. This truly has been a great way to round off my JCB apprenticeship.” DOUBLE VICTORY AT APPRENTICESHIP AWARDS