Ismail Simjee

Ismail Simjee, chief executive officer of Tropic Plastic & Packaging, has helped transform a family owned enterprise into South Africa’s largest flexible packaging manufacturer. Under his leadership, the Durban-based business has evolved into a technologically advanced operation serving leading local and international brands while expanding its footprint across Africa.

For Ismail, success has been about creating an organisation built on innovation, operational excellence and, above all, people. “Tropic Plastic and Packaging is the largest flexible packaging company in South Africa,” he explains. “We manufacture FMCG products, bread bags, poultry bags, collation shrink and printed shrink.

Our business
model is that we want to be in your trolley.” That philosophy has driven the company’s evolution over the past decade. “What we’ve adapted to over the last eight to ten years is being that one-stop packaging
shop for the majority of the blue chips nationally and internationally. We’ve grown our footprint into Africa,
diversified our basket quite significantly and set up an extremely efficient executive team.”

TRANSFORMING A BUSINESS
Born and raised in Durban, Ismail’s roots in KwaZulu Natal have shaped both his personal and professional
journey. After attending Westville Boys’ High School, where he represented KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa
at youth level in football, he completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
He joined the family business more than 14 years ago. “My first job was here where I sit today,” he says. “I started off in finance and I took a liking to technology, operations and business development. I love meeting new people.”

That exposure provided him with an understanding of every aspect of the organisation before he became managing director in 2018 and later chief executive officer. One of his proudest achievements has been steering the company from a family business into one of the largest South African packaging businesses and driving the majority acquisition with Nedbank Private Equity and the Mine Workers Investment company.

The partnership has unlocked significant opportunities for growth. “It really makes the world your oyster. It’s allowed us to look at further capital investment and we’re now looking at acquiring other businesses. We don’t just want one Tropic Plastic and Packaging. It’s going to allow us the opportunity to create a group, something special, and be part of something bigger.”

Ismail is quick to acknowledge that such growth would not have been possible without the support of the founding family. “One of the critical success factors was the buy-in from the family up front. They bought into the vision of the business and allowed me to be responsible for the decision making. They invested significantly in both the people and the operation.”

PEOPLE AND RESILIENCE
Although Tropic Plastic & Packaging has invested in technology, automation and artificial intelligence,
Ismail firmly believes that people remain the company’s greatest competitive advantage. “We employ over 700 staff and I say it over again, our greatest asset is our staff.”

The company’s exceptionally low staff turnover reflects the culture he has worked hard to build. “We’ve got over 100 staff with more than ten years’ service and over 50 staff with more than 20 years’ experience. That tells you the culture is a place where people want to work.”

As CEO, his approach to leadership has always been understanding that each individual is unique. “The
approach I need to take with each person needs to be different. Communication is essential and recognition is important when people are doing things the right way.”

His own leadership philosophy has been shaped by resilience and an unwavering work ethic. “The best
advice I’ve ever received is every setback is preparing you for a greater comeback.” He also challenges the popular notion that success comes simply from working smarter. “Many people use the term ‘work smart, not hard’. But every entrepreneur, to get where they are, has those 15- to 20-hour days. You can’t achieve it without hard work.”

Much of that work ethic was instilled by his father-in law and the company’s founder. “He really did instil
my work ethic at a very young age. It influenced my thinking and helped me overcome all the challenges
that I’ve faced.”

Those challenges have included navigating the Covid-19 pandemic, global supply chain disruptions and geopolitical instability. Rather than viewing them as setbacks, Ismail has consistently looked for opportunities to adapt. “When the beverage sector shut down during Covid, we diversified into the
hygiene sector. Toilet paper and nappies were flying off shelves. It was something we didn’t produce
before, but it allowed us to pivot and today we’re one of the leaders in that hygiene sector.”

CREATING A LEGACY
Ismail remains optimistic about the future of KwaZulu Natal and South African manufacturing. However, he
believes, “Businesses need to couple technology and AI without compromising the people who work for us.
Our people are our greatest asset, and South African people are very resilient.”

That balance between innovation and humanity defines Ismail’s leadership style. While responsible for driving, business development and operational excellence, he remains grounded by the importance of family and personal relationships. He says, “People don’t put enough importance on having a stable home and a safe place to go back to. I think that’s one of the major reasons I’ve been so successful as a businessman and entrepreneur.”

Recognition has followed, including being named Minara Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year and the 2025 KZN Top Business Manufacturing Business of the Year Award. Yet these accolades are secondary to the legacy he hopes to leave behind. “What keeps me motivated is trying to be part of a bigger picture. I want to build a legacy.

I want to build something that I’m remembered for many years after I’m gone.” Ultimately, the principle that guides every decision is remarkably simple. “The motto I live by is reputation is your greatest asset. everyone leaves the world at some point, but all you leave behind is your reputation and what people think of you.”