Our Directors

Rowan Crowie

Executive Chairman

Rowan serves as the Executive Chairman of Tractionel. Since Tractionel became a part of Enza Construction’s family of companies, following their partnership, Enza has acted as the parent company of Tractionel. Rowan founded Enza Construction in 2003 with his brother Clinton Crowie. Rowan has successfully managed a number of property development and project management companies under the Crowie Holdings banner. He has a B.SC in Construction Management as well as 28 years of hands – on experience in the construction industry. Rowan is a firm believer in developing and growing empowered teams and he leads Crowie Holdings with entrepreneurial ingenuity. Rowan sits on the boards of Crowie Holdings, and the School of Construction Economics and Management Industry Advisory Board with the University of Witwatersrand.

Neresh Pather

Chief Executive Officer

Neresh is the Chief Executive Officer of Tractionel Holdings, having joined the business as the Executive Chairman. Before this, Neresh was the Director of Infrastructure at Enza Construction our parent company. Neresh served as the Chief Operations Officer of MPAMOT before taking on the role of Partner, Head of Africa for HKA Global in the latter part of 2021. He was previously Director and Country Manager of Mott MacDonald in Africa. Neresh has a B.SC in Engineering (Civil) from the University of KZN and an MSc in Engineering (Transport). Neresh also served as the President of the Consulting Engineers of South Africa (CESA) from 2017-2019.

Diaan Viljoen

Chief Operating Officer

Diaan has been part of the Tractionel family for over 16 years. His journey with us began with his role as a Project Manager when Tractionel diversified into the conventional energy space. Diaan later became the Divisional Head of the Power Solutions Division, as the energy division grew within the company. He then took on the role of – Director Project Execution, where he managed both the Railway and Power Divisions. His exemplary performance and commitment were further recognised when he was nominated as an Executive Director to serve on the Tractionel Board of Directors. Diaan has been our Chief Operating Officer for over a year, and his contributions in this role have been invaluable. His expertise and experience have significantly shaped our operations and driven us forward to new frontiers in the energy sector. He holds a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering (HC) and is a proud member of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).

Linus Kunene

Executive Director

Linus Kunene is a highly experienced Electrical Engineer (registered with ECSA and SAIEE) with over 20 years in the field. He began his career with Transnet as an Electrical Engineering Technician in 2003. In 2008, he joined R&H Rail as an Electrical Engineering Technician and Project Manager. Advancing his expertise, Linus completed Project Management studies at Stellenbosch University in 2009 and further completed his Business Management course at UNISA in 2016. His career progressed with roles at Veolia Water Technologies as an EC&I Engineer from 2014 to 2016, and in 2016 he joined Tractionel as a Project Manager, where he was later appointed as an Executive Director for Business Development and Proposals Engineering. Linus’s leadership led Tractionel to significant growth post-COVID-19. He obtained an MBA from MANCOSA in 2021. He recently completed a Business Development course from the University of Cape Town and another course in Contract Negotiations from MIT Sloan Executive Management School. His blend of experience and academic achievement continues to drive success at Tractionel.

Ali Naidu

Non-Executive Director

Ali serves as the Divisional Director: Special Projects at Enza Construction, bringing 35 years of industry experience to the role. He has held several key leadership positions, including CEO of PD Naidoo & Associates and head of the Africa Division at Mott MacDonald Africa.  In 2010, Ali served as President of the South African Instution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) and has been a board member for various organizations, including the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB).  He holds a BSc in Civil Engineering and a Postgraduate Diploma.