Kobus Vermeulen new direct sales executive for process automation.

Schneider Electric, an energy management and automation company, has appointed Kobus Vermeulen as its new direct sales executive for process automation.

Vermeulen's predecessor, Hennie Colyn, has joined Schneider Electric's Mining, Minerals, and Metals division team.

According to the company, he brings more than two decades of experience in Distributed Control Systems (DCS) and instrumentation to his new position.

Vermeulen will oversee Schneider Electric's process automation business in the SADC region, which includes South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique.

His new responsibilities include strengthening 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 it deserves," he says.

He adds: "Working closely with Foxboro clientele in Southern Africa and beyond prepared me for the role I now find myself in.”

Vermeulen observes that the sector has changed significantly over the years, notably with the confluence of Operational Technology and Information Technology, which has brought new concerns such as cybersecurity to the forefront of the DCS field.