MAKING BIG MOVES

FRANCOIS SCHOEMAN IS ZIMBALI ESTATE’S NEW CEO

Francois Schoeman is not your average CEO. As the newly appointed executive leader of Zimbali Estate, he is responsible for making strategic decisions, reporting to the board of directors, and answering to all shareholders, but is also a public face and voice and leader of the ethos, vision and culture of the estate into the future. All this while launching Zimbali Estate’s exciting rebrand to the world.

Yet, Francois isn’t daunted – he’s excited.

“Zimbali Estate is already an internationally recognised, superior brand and an incredible success. I am here to take it to the next level and make what is great even better,” he says. “Zimbali Estate is comparable to other world-class estates in terms of all the key identifiable metrics, and I truly believe that it can be one of the best residential lifestyle estates in the world. We are taking Zimbali Estate’s existing competitive edge and building on it, and reaching out to a wider market looking for everything that our premier estate offers.”

What Zimbali Estate offers is a luxury lifestyle in harmony with nature, which is very unique. There is no other premier residential estate in South Africa and arguably the world like Zimbali Estate, which offers direct access to the beach and ocean, an ancient coastal forest and the top golf course in KwaZulu-Natal. With the incredible skillset, knowledge and experience that Francois brings to his CEO role, including having managed over 70 prime property developments in an eclectic portfolio, there is no doubt he will achieve his aims.

Francois has had many successes in life – including as a golf professional – but considers his family to be one of his greatest accomplishments. He loves being a father to three beautiful, busy children, all under five years of age, but acknowledges that it is his wife, Celeste, who is the rock of the family. “She keeps me grounded and present, and helps me maintain a balance between work and home responsibilities.” This has been especially important with Francois being so busy and doing so much, while also recently attaining his MBA from Cardiff Metropolitan University. He met Celeste when he was studying in Bloemfontein, and she has consistently supported him through various exciting career opportunities, culminating in the move from Pretoria to Ballito in January 2023. “We have relocated a few times to accommodate my work, but our plan is now to settle in Ballito and give our children a more solid foundation.”

When reflecting on what the family most enjoys about Ballito, Francois refers to Zimbali Estate’s diverse amenities for multi-generational families, his daughter’s amazement at thunderstorms over the sea, and the incredible North Coast weather. “Even bad days are good days in Ballito!” he says. Francois and Celeste find it inspiring that so many people lead active lifestyles here and look forward to raising their children in an outdoor landscape, rather than in an urban environment. “We love just being in each other’s company while the kids get to play and be free,” he says.

Zimbali Estate is heading into a really exciting future, with Francois as the new strategically-driven, dynamic and forward-thinking leader at the helm – and so is the Schoeman family, as they move into their new life and become a part of the Ballito community.