Speakers

Russell Baatjies is the Chief Executive of Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), responsible for driving strategic growth and ensuring the long-term sustainability of Africa’s largest freight railway. He focuses on repositioning TFR to support key sectors and enhance logistics performance.

A seasoned rail executive, Russell has held senior leadership roles across operations, engineering, and network management at Transnet. He has led major initiatives in operational performance, network optimisation, and export capacity expansion, particularly within the Iron Ore and Manganese business.

His experience includes leading the Operations Control Centre, serving as General Manager for Iron Ore and Manganese, and overseeing the Cape Corridor as Managing Executive. He has also played a key role in infrastructure planning, projects, and locomotive maintenance.

Russell holds a National Diploma in Engineering, a BTech in Business Administration, and a BSc (Hons) in Rail Operations Management.