Tag: Wildlife Speaker

Alex van den Heever

Tracking Success

• South Africa
• Kruger National Park
• Alex van den Heever has for the last 20 years, with Renias worked together conducting specialised safaris, training animal trackers and presenting their inspirational presentation, The Power of Relationships. Their work has taken them throughout Africa, including Brazil, Peru, North America, UK and Australia. Their journey together has taken them from tracking leopards at Londolozi to following grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park and presenting internationally. Alex and Renias have been the subjects of several TV news documentaries, most notably, CNN International and now available through Speakers Inc These two men have broken through the barriers of their backgrounds and formed a bond which has changed both their lives forever. This is a relationship which is seen by many as a model in a democratic South Africa. Made possible by the Rupert Family Foundations, Alex and Renias’ are founder members of the Tracker Academy. Presentation Details Presentation highlights: four true stories Renias saves Alex from Leopard attack Alex visits Renias’s village, Dixie Renias travels to England – his first trip from the bush The poacher You will gain the following from the presentation: <ul> <li>How to build trust in difficult circumstances</li> <li>How to create an environment conducive to mutual understanding</li> <li>How to get to know your colleague from another culture</li> <li>How strong culture creates big benefits</li> <li>How to leverage the power of language</li> <li>How to realise the power of diversity in the workplace</li> </ul> Alex spent his formative years growing up on a cattle farm in the Western Cape, South Africa. After completing his studies in Marketing and Business Management, he joined the world-renowned Londolozi game reserve in 1995, as a game ranger. At Londolozi, Alex van den Heever worked as the environmental manager, presented for the marketing team and conducted specialised safaris. Alex’s greatest fascination is traditional skills of animal tracking. He has dedicated much of his life to learning the ancient skill, eventually qualifying as one of a handful of tracker assessors in 2004 – the youngest ever to achieve this feat. During the last decade, Alex’s commitment to tracking has afforded him the opportunity to track jaguars in the Amazon jungle, bears in California, grizzlies and wolves in Montana and the famous black-mane lions of the Kalahari. All of these adventures are experienced with his long-time friend and mentor, Renias Mhlongo. Alex van den Heever is the founder of Nhlayisa Power Supply, a company which develops fortified foods for rural markets and bulk feeding. His dream to establish a tracking school started when he was paired with Renias Mhlongo as his tracker at Londolozi. In 2010, Alex van den Heever with encouragement and support of Mrs Gaynor Rupert founded the Tracker Academy – the first school of its kind in Africa. Tracker Academy stands as a training division of SA College for Tourism which operates under the auspices of the Peace Parks Foundation. In addition to his conservation work, Alex has worked as a facilitator for Vulindlela Transformational Services conducting diversity training. Here he led courses aimed at facilitating a better understanding between black and white people working in corporate South Africa. <strong>Relationships & Team Work in the Workplace</strong> With humour, sensitivity and humility, Alex and Renias demolish the walls that isolate each one of us. They tell their story of a path to profound mutual understanding. Their story is a tale of contrasts: white and black; man, and boy; apartheid and unity; third world and first world. Alex uses the real-life story of his life as a game ranger at Londolozi Private Game Reserve and his relationship with tracker Renias Mhlongo to convey transformational wisdom and insights. Alex van den Heever will demonstrate how to break down cultural barriers utterly in the work place and foster generosity of spirit among people. It is not a methodology they offer but rather an ability to inspire the audience and open their minds to their potential as individuals and as a team.