Q&A with speakers

Dr. Frank Magama is a seasoned tobacco scientist with 18 years of

experience at the Tobacco Research Board. Before this appointment, he

was the Head of the Plant Breeding Division, chiefly responsible for the

development and commercialization of elite tobacco cultivars for

Zimbabwe, the SADC region and beyond. He also provided consultancy and

advisory services to tobacco-producing countries and companies.

Dr. Magama graduated from the University of Zimbabwe with a BSc (Hons)

in Agriculture (Crop Science), an MSc in Plant Sciences and

Biotechnology from the University of Leeds (England), and a PhD in Plant

Molecular Genetics from the University of Dundee (Scotland). He also

holds business qualifications; an MBA from NUST (Zim), an Executive

Diploma in Business Leadership from the Zimbabwe Institute of Management

and a Certificate of Competency in Project Management from the Project

Management Institute of Zimbabwe. He is the current President of the

Zimbabwe Plant Breeders Association.

Kondwani is a seasoned Impact-Driven Agfinance, Food & Agriculture Professional with extensive expertise in agriculture value chain finance. With a background spanning roles as an Agri banker, agronomist, and business development specialist, his passion for Agri-finance, rural development, and financial inclusion shines through. Recognized for consistently exceeding expectations, he has been honored with multiple awards for his commitment to excellence and quality. Kondwani commenced his career with Japan Tobacco International (JTI), then transitioned to First Capital Bank Plc where he established and spearheaded the bank’s Agriculture lending and management portfolios. Later, he briefly served at NBS bank Plc before joining Hail & Cotton (Malawi) Limited as Head of Agronomy.

Kondwani is a certified Agriculture Finance expert, accredited by the Frankfurt School of Business and Management. He is a Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst, certified by the Corporate Finance Institute. Holding a Bachelor of Science degree in General Agriculture and a Diploma in Food, Nutrition, and Livelihood Security from Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Malawi.

It has always been my dream to run a family business. However not coming from a business family I had to start my own. The people working in Cavendish Lloyd are like family to me and some of them actually are! As in any family there are arguments sometimes but overall there is a sense of belonging.

However the essential ingredient of both family and business alike is trust. Not any contract stipulating every possible aspect of a transaction can override the fact that all business revolves around trust. In order to gain and maintain that trust with our customers we work as a team sharing the same values.

From being traditional tobacco traders we moved successfully into other segments of the industry; we are innovative in our cigarette marketing and we offer anything you see in a box of cigarettes. Our in house team has a full understanding and control of the whole supply chain and is based in various locations around the globe. Please check our website for a location near you. We welcome you to our world, welcome to Cavendish Lloyd!

Ralf Kohlhardt, a trained mechanical engineer, has had a dynamic career in the mechanical engineering industry since July 1991. He began as a global customer service engineer at Hauni Maschinenbau AG, progressing to Head of the Cigarette Manufacturing Machines Mechanics Group in 1999. After leading Technical Customer Service and Training at Topack Verpackungstechnik GmbH (2003-2004), he returned to Hauni Group. From 2004 to 2007, he managed Technical Customer Service at Hauni Primary GmbH and expanded his role in 2008, also overseeing customer training and service sales. In 2021, he was promoted to Head of Technical Sales Primary at Hauni Maschinenbau GmbH, today known as Körber Technologies.

Raised in the Valtiberina Valley, a renowned Italian cultivation area of premium tobacco, Rodolfo merges his family ties to the tobacco industry with a fervent dedication to sustainability to unlock the hidden value beyond any tobacco product.

Drawing upon over 50 years of expertise inherited from Salvarat srl SB, his family's company, Rodolfo pioneers bespoke and innovative pest management strategies that enhance quality, mitigate tobacco-losses and champion sustainability practices.

With a hands-on approach, Rodolfo collaborates directly with tobacco industry stakeholders throughout Europe, and advises leading players worldwide. A regular participant at international conferences, he also shared insights on sustainabile pest management approaches as a speaker at events WT Europe Sofia 2021 in Bulgaria and WT East Dubai 2022.