Crossroads Distribution, one of South Africa’s leading road freight and logistics companies, has appointed Simone Felix as its new Head of Learning and Development.
Based in Cape Town, Felix will be responsible for the management and expansion of Crossroads’ training and development operations, along with the company’s national Training Academy. This includes ensuring compliance with national industry body regulations, generating funding for training initiatives, and creating a sustainable training culture in the business, not just for drivers but for everyone, across all disciplines.
“I’ve always been passionate about training and development as holistic disciplines, linking what we do in the classroom and in the field to career paths, succession planning and personal development, from initial onboarding new staff to exit strategies,” says Felix.
“There’s often a fear in corporate culture that investing in training resources is risky, but I think the alternative is even more so,” she says. “Don’t think about what will happen if you train your staff and they leave, rather imagine what will happen if you don’t train them and they stay.”
Felix joins Crossroads after a successful two-decade career with PEP stores in various training, development and HR roles. Last year she changed her focus from merchandise to fuel retail, working with forecourt attendants and other support staff, which proved a valuable stepping stone into the road freight industry.
“We are delighted to have someone with Simone’s track record, experience and driven personality joining our team,” says Crossroads Distribution CEO Pieter Vermeulen.
“When we first launched our Training Academy last year, we committed to investing in the necessary skills and resources to shape and grow the Academy into one of the leading driver training institutions in the country,” says Vermeulen. “With Simone’s stewardship, we expect that will happen in due course. We’re also looking forward to her personal development and career guidance skills to help nurture our most valuable resource – our people.”
Born and raised in Cape Town, Felix majored in HR and HR development, and holds a Master’s degree in adult education. She’s currently completing postgraduate studies in business administration at the Gordon Institute for Business Studies. Felix is married, loves the outdoors and exploring ‘off the beaten track’, and is mom to a handsome staffie called Duke.
