Our Team

As the CEO of Fortis Group for over two decades, Deon Coetzee has played a pivotal role in driving the organization’s diverse range of initiatives. From spearheading anti-poaching operations in Africa to providing military and police training, Deon has consistently led his teams with unwavering determination and a passion for making a difference.

Since 1996, Deon has been an active participant in the fight against crime in South Africa, gaining extensive knowledge of criminal behavior, patterns, and their detrimental effects on society. Throughout his tenure at Fortis, he has introduced innovative community safety concepts and strategies, working in conjunction with the South African Police Services and security companies to lead rural safety operations.

Deon’s expertise extends to the development of task-specific training courses for civilians, security officials, and police members, training large groups of individuals to become more effective in their roles. As a seasoned strategist, Deon possesses a unique ability to identify and analyze potential risks and develop effective strategies to mitigate them, ensuring the best possible outcomes.

Leo Prinsloo is an esteemed member of the Fortis executive team since 2018, where he plays an instrumental role in both the company’s training and risk consulting divisions.

Leo’s exceptional career spans 17 years in the South African Police Service, with 12 of those years dedicated to the elite SAPS Special Task Force unit. During his service, Leo demonstrated his versatility as both an accomplished operator and an operational marksman, with his expertise in the latter earning him widespread recognition.

In the latter part of his career, Leo leveraged his extensive experience to train snipers and operational members, demonstrating his exceptional leadership skills. He was responsible for the deployment of sniper teams for significant events and summits, including visits by notable heads of state such as President George W. Bush, former President Clinton, and the inauguration ceremony of South African President Mbeki.

Leo’s exceptional tactical planning and deployment skills have been showcased on multiple occasions. He was responsible for deploying Special Task Force and SANDF snipers at the XII Non-Aligned Movement Summit of Heads of States of Government (NAM) and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM). Leo’s achievements reflect his unwavering commitment to excellence and his ability to lead and inspire teams to achieve their full potential.

Simon Rea’s passion for self-defence, health, and wellness began in the mid-1980s while managing gyms in South Africa and working with Springbok track and field athletes to enhance explosive strength and mindset training.

Over the past three decades, Simon has maintained his physical and mental fitness through his dedication to training and teaching self-defence across various disciplines. He holds black belts in three different martial arts and advanced certification in humane pressure point tactics for law enforcement. Simon’s journey in self-defence started in South Africa, where he trained members of the South African Police Force in unarmed and weapons tactics. In 2007, Simon served as the Head of the Modern Martial Arts Alliance for Australasia.

In addition to his expertise in personal protection, Simon is a qualified behavioural profiler, NLP practitioner, hypnotherapist, and performance coach. He is also trained in reading and interpreting body language and other non-verbal communication, having studied under former FBI agent Joe Navarro and continuing his behavioural studies with former military chief Chase Hughes. Simon brings unique expertise in analysing human behaviour, particularly in understanding the predatory mindset and identifying predatory behaviour before it manifests.

Having lived in Australia for the past 20 years, Simon has applied his extensive knowledge and skills to running, managing, and owning several businesses. These include a nutritional sports supplement company, a full-time martial arts and fitness center, and a weight management and performance coaching company. Simon’s diverse background and professional achievements make him a valuable asset to any team, especially in fields related to personal protection and behavioural analysis.