Leon van Niekerk is an automation expert and currently occupies the position of Head of the TCoE at Pick n Pay. Here he is responsible for most testing-related activities, including the Automation Team. Under his leadership, the team has recently ventured into robotic process automation.

Even though he did not attend an University after high school, Leon has always been an inquisitive, technically-minded individual. It is exactly these qualities that laid the foundation for his experience in Software Testing within the IT Industry over the last 25 years. His testing career also spans over different sectors. He started his test career at Telkom as a Test Analyst, where after he moved to Standard Bank as a Test Manager. In later years he worked as a Test Consultant in South Africa, Kazakhstan and Australia and is back in South Africa, Cape Town as from 2016.

When Leon is not at work, he enjoys cooking and spending time with his wife, two daughters and the family pets. At home he is the self-proclaimed darts king and braai-master.