chneider Electric Appoints Kobus Vermeulen as New Direct Sales Executive for Process Automation

Schneider Electric, a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, is delighted to announce the appointment of Kobus Vermeulen as its new Direct Sales Executive for Process Automation. Vermeulen succeeds Hennie Colyn, who has transitioned to Schneider Electric's Mining, Mineral, and Metals segment team.

With over two decades of experience in Distributed Control Systems (DCS) and instrumentation, Vermeulen brings extensive knowledge and expertise to his new position.

Vermeulen will oversee Schneider Electric's process automation business in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, which includes countries such as South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique.

In his new role, Vermeulen aims to strengthen the Schneider Electric Foxboro brand in the SADC region. "My goal is to solidify Foxboro's value proposition in the marketplace and ensure that our DCS and instrumentation offerings receive the exposure they deserve," he stated.

Vermeulen began his journey into the world of process automation in 2002 when he joined the then sole distributor of Foxboro DCS and Instrumentation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Since then, he has become a key figure in the process automation market, building strong industry relationships.

"Working closely with Foxboro clientele in Southern Africa and beyond has prepared me for my current role. Service delivery and customer satisfaction have always been central to my work, making this transition into my new role a natural progression," he remarked.

Vermeulen has observed significant changes in the industry over the years, particularly the convergence of Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT), which brings new challenges such as cybersecurity to the forefront of the DCS realm.