Our immigration team
With years of experience and thousands of happy customers behind them, our immigration team is on hand to make your visa application process as stress-free as possible.
Meet our Immigration team
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Philip GambleFounder and Senior Partner
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Reg BamfordGroup CEO
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John DunnDirector: Citizenship and Immigration
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Mishal PatelDirector: Citizenship and Immigration
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Sam HopwoodDirector: Australia and Oceania Region
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Yolanda MurrayFront Office Manager
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Chelsea HallettImmigration and Nationality Advisor
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Rajeshri SolankiOffice Administrator
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Nicole WilliamsImmigration and Nationality Advisor
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Simone JordaanImmigration and Nationality Advisor
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Meghan McArthurImmigration and Nationality Manager
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Lisa OosthuizenImmigration and Nationality Advisor
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Shelley ChristiansCasework Admin Assistant
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Christine Jansen van VuurenImmigration and Nationality Caseworker
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Chanell AdamsAdmin Assistant
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Kerry MilneAdmin Assistant
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Michael CragoImmigration Caseworker
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Tobias StromImmigration Caseworker
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Kristy De GoedeImmigration and Nationality Advisor
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Nicole LawrenceMigration Administrator
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Jamie-Lee Le RouxMigration Consultant
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Tamara ThomasRegistered Migration Agent
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Tarna ClarksonMigration Consultant
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David PenzhornImmigration consultant and caseworker
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Nicole BevieImmigration Administrator
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Maxine SegersMigration Administrator
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Gabriella EastlandAdmin Assistant
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Carryn PhillpsImmigration and Citizenship Caseworker
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Jason TrudgianImmigration and Nationality Caseworker
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Reece JuliesCasework Admin Assistant
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Saudikah AdamsCitizenship and Immigration Caseworker
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Brittney AfricaCasework Admin Assistant
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Shelley GreyAdmin Assistant
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Frances ButlerImmigration and Nationality Advisor
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Steve PaxtonManaging Director: UK Education Corporate Services
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Philip GambleFounder and Senior Partner
Philip trained with the Home Office within their Citizenship Directorate until 1992. He was the founder partner of Montgomery and Co and later Managing Director of 1st Contact Visas.
He has assisted in developing Government policies with the Points Based System and has instigated changes in Policy towards the descendants of Government employees of former British Territories. Philip is also responsible for immigration training in NHS Hospitals.
He is widely regarded as an authority on British nationality law and the effects of decolonisation within the former British Empire. Philip is registered with the OISC as a level 2 adviser in Immigration.
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Reg BamfordGroup CEO
Having qualified at Deloitte & Touche in Cape Town, Reg moved over to London and spent three years in investment banking in the city.
He founded a small tax consultancy in 1996 and in six years turned this into a company with offices in three countries and over 200 staff.
Reg lives in Putney, with his wife and two young sons. In his spare time, he competes internationally at croquet – he is a seven-time winner of the World Championships.
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John DunnDirector: Citizenship and Immigration
John joined Sable International in 2008 and has managed multiple divisions during his time with the company.
He has over a decade of experience in immigration, citizenship and residency-by-investment. He combines that with a background in sales, marketing and management to ensure that Sable International is the go to for all things relating to citizenship and immigration around the world.
Outside of work, John is dedicated to his young family. He enjoys fitness activities and loves the outdoors.
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Mishal PatelDirector: Citizenship and Immigration
Mishal was born in Mombasa, Kenya and relocated to the UK in 2004 after a successful colonial nationality claim through Philip Gamble & Partners.
Mishal joined Sable International in 2009 and is a registered Level 1 adviser in UK immigration with the OISC. Mishal works closely with Philip Gamble and assists in isolating claims to British nationality for those who have connections to former British Territories, those who are resident in the UK and those adopted by British citizens. Mishal has a special interest in East Africa and the sub-continent. He is fluent English, Kiswahili and Gujarati.
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Sam HopwoodDirector: Australia and Oceania Region
Sam is a registered migration agent and a member of the Migration Institute of Australia.
Sam studied as an undergraduate at the University of Newcastle, NSW and later completed the postgraduate certificate in immigration law at Victorian University. He has worked in the area of Australian immigration law for 14 years and has helped thousands of people relocate to Australia.
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Yolanda MurrayFront Office Manager
With over 30 years’ experience in administration and customer care, Yolanda joined Philip Gamble & Partners in January 2013 as Receptionist and Office Administrator.
She is often the first point of contact for our clients and is known for her professional and friendly manner. In addition to her great work ethic and excellent communication skills, her warm and approachable nature makes her an indispensable member of the team.
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Chelsea HallettImmigration and Nationality Advisor
Chelsea joined Philip Gamble & Partners in 2015 as a Nationality Administrator with a background in administration.
Born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, she has travelled extensively throughout the UK and developed an interest in British Nationality. She is organised, optimistic and dedicated. Using her exceptional customer service and administrative skills, Chelsea ensures that all of our clients have the best possible experience.
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Rajeshri SolankiOffice Administrator
Rajeshri came to the UK from Kenya in 1969 and has worked in administration and customer service roles throughout her career.
After spending four years working for UK Visas and Immigration, she joined Philip Gamble & Partners, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and experience. She uses her customer service and admin skills to support our immigration team.
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Nicole WilliamsImmigration and Nationality Advisor
Nicole joined Sable International as an administrator, bringing with her a strong background in customer relations and various service industries.
Nicole is drawn to people, whether through work or in her spare time, when she plays softball for South Africa. Holding a diploma in project management, Nicole is also in the process of completing her degree in public relations.
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Simone JordaanImmigration and Nationality Advisor
Simone joined us in 2015 as a British Nationality Advisor.
She has a B.Comm in Industrial and Organisational Psychology. Among other things, Simone has worked as an assistant within a psychology practice and as an administrator at a five-star hotel where she had the opportunity to interact with customers from all corners of the globe on a daily basis. Empathetic and professional, Simone is an avid traveller, who has spent a lot of time exploring Europe.
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Meghan McArthurImmigration and Nationality Manager
Meghan started her career with Sable International in 2008, as part of our customer service department.
From there, she also spent time in our UK tax refunds and forex departments, gaining valuable insight into the overall workings of the business. Meghan’s passion for customer service and personal growth eventually led her to our visa department, where she now works as a UK Immigration Caseworker.
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Lisa OosthuizenImmigration and Nationality Advisor
Lisa studied at Stellenbosch University, where she completed a degree in social work.
She is the administrative assistant for our immigration casework team.
When she’s not helping ensure all our clients’ needs are taken care of, she likes to spend time with her friends, family and children. She’s also quite fond of experimental cooking and going on adventures.
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Shelley ChristiansCasework Admin Assistant
Shelley was born and raised in Cape Town. She joined Sable International in 2017 where she started out in the 1st Contact department.
She previously worked in education and has had the opportunity to study Business Management and do a course in Office Administration. Shelley is now studying at a music school and in her spare time attends and performs at gigs. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
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Christine Jansen van VuurenImmigration and Nationality Caseworker
Christine has a Bachelor of Social Science in Organisational Psychology and Industrial Sociology from the University of Cape Town. She has a strong admin and customer service background.
In her role as an Immigration Caseworker, Christine handles the preparation and submission of British passport and entry clearance visa applications. As an ambitious and strong-willed individual, she prides herself on learning new things to develop herself both personally and professionally.
In her spare time, Christine enjoys gaming, reading or watching a new series.
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Chanell AdamsAdmin Assistant
Chanell grew up in the Free State and has been in Cape Town for the past eleven years. She enjoys travelling and has had the opportunity to travel to Iran, Malaysia and Qatar.
Chanell has a National Diploma in Business Management and is in the process of completing her bachelor’s degree in communication science through the University of South Africa.
Outside of work, Chanell enjoys the company of friends and family, a good read and a night out on the town.
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Kerry MilneAdmin Assistant
Kerry was born in Johannesburg and has lived in Cape Town since she was six months old. She studied at the University of Cape Town, majoring in psychology and organisational psychology. She chose to study these subjects because she always wanted to work with people.
Thereafter, she completed her honours in organisational psychology. She has experience in sales and admin but excels at being organised and helping others stay organised.
Kerry joined Sable International as an Admin Assistant on our immigration team.
She enjoys being out and about with friends and family, cooking, baking and reading.
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Michael CragoImmigration Caseworker
Michael joined Sable International in 2017 and took up a position in our Tax Refunds department. A year later he joined the Immigration department in our Cape Town office.
With a passion for UK immigration and citizenship, he registered with the OISC at Level 1 in UK immigration. He now works as an Immigration Caseworker and represents and assists clients with their cases.
He enjoys meeting up with friends and family, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
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Tobias StromImmigration Caseworker
Tobias was born and raised in London to American and German parents. He has a law degree in Criminology from Nottingham Trent University. After working in various roles, he found his passion in immigration and helping families reunite.
He is registered as a Level 1 adviser in UK immigration with the OISC. He joined Sable International as an Immigration Caseworker and assists clients with their visa applications to enter or remain in the UK.
He enjoys competing in sports and visiting his family across the world.
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Kristy De GoedeImmigration and Nationality Advisor
Kristy has been part of the Sable International family for many years. She started off on the tax refunds team and then moved into the immigration department. She has since become an expert in assisting customers with their UK visa applications and extensions.
Dedicated to providing excellent customer service to all clients, she has become particularly good at assessing what a client’s best relocation options are.
Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She also has a keen passion for travel.
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Nicole LawrenceMigration Administrator
Nicole was born and raised in Cape Town and attended Groote Schuur High School in Newlands. She studied at the University of Cape Town, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social development and Sociology as well as an Honours degree in Social Development.
Before she joined Sable International, she was a research intern at the Human Sciences Research Council. She completed training and was tasked with interviewing South African citizens about the impact of Covid-19.
In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family shooting pool, playing dominos and watching soccer.
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Jamie-Lee Le RouxMigration Consultant
After spending a number of years working in various retail, customer service and team leading positions, Jamie decided it was time for a change and applied for an administrative position at Sable International.
Here she discovered a passion for helping individuals and families relocate to Australia and fast became part of the Migration team as a consultant. Jamie works with clients end to end, from the initial consulting stage right up to visa grant.
Outside of work, Jamie spends most of her time with family and close friends.
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Tamara ThomasRegistered Migration Agent
Born in Thailand, Tamara was issued with her first passport as a baby and flew to Australia at eight weeks of age. Her blended, multicultural family were somewhat nomadic, and they travelled extensively throughout Australia – living in a caravan – and also residing in the Philippines for a small period.
Tamara obtained a Graduate Certificate in Australian Migration Law and Practice through the Australian National University in 2008. She has worked within the Australian migration advisory industry since 2006, in a mix of larger corporate and smaller boutique consultancies. She qualified as a Registered Migration Agent in 2009.
She is a Melbourne local and lives in an inner-city location with her 10-year-old cat, Mia. In her free time, she enjoys visiting markets, dining out, seeing art and cultural exhibitions, weekends away and spending time with her partner, friends, and family.
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Tarna ClarksonMigration Consultant
Tarna was born in Cape Town and has travelled the world - from living in America, to snorkelling in Asia and tasting incredible cuisines in the Middle East.
It is while travelling that she discovered she enjoyed interacting with different people and learning about other cultures – ultimately leading her to a career focused on engaging with clients.
Outside of work, Tarna loves to stay active by cycling, running or going to the beach for a surf. She really enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
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David PenzhornImmigration consultant and caseworker
David has been with Sable International since 2010. He works in the Australian office, helping clients determine what visas they qualify for and helping them with their visa submissions.
He is the proud father of two cats, Tilly and Bozo.
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Nicole BevieImmigration Administrator
Born in Cape Town and having split her childhood years between Johannesburg and the Mother City, Nicole has spent several years working in various retail and team-leading positions. She attended Wynberg Girls’ High School and has so far completed three years of her four-year BA Degree in Journalism at the University of Cape Town.
Before joining Sable International as an Immigration Administrator, she was the Team Leader for the Discovery Vaccination Site in Newlands, where she was tasked with assisting South African citizens in receiving the vaccine – a job she feels, along with her previous work experience, has prepared and ignited a passion within her for working with people from all walks of life.
Outside of work, Nicole loves spending most of her time with family and friends. She enjoys reading, going to the beach and trying and tasting delicious food.
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Maxine SegersMigration Administrator
Prior to joining Sable International, Maxine worked in the Commercial West Coast Rock Lobster Industry. She is a team player who loves to go the extra mile. While she enjoys the outdoors and adventure, as a first-time mom, she also enjoys quiet family time and reading a good book.
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Gabriella EastlandAdmin Assistant
Gabriella was born and raised in Cape Town. She attended Wynberg Girls’ Junior and High Schools before studying Beauty Therapy and Somatology. She went on to work as a personal assistant and au pair, and in various retail environments, gaining experience in sales, customer service and admin.
In 2020, she changed career paths and enrolled at Varsity College to study Business Principles and Practices.
She is creative and passionate, but always organised, diligent and determined. She enjoys being outdoors, going for drives, reading a good book, making the most out of life and spending time with family and friends. -
Carryn PhillpsImmigration and Citizenship Caseworker
Carryn was born and raised in Cape Town where she attended Rustenburg Girls’ High and thereafter graduated from Varsity College with a Bachelor of Arts in corporate communication.
After several years working in a client-focused role in the hospitality and event planning industry, she felt it was time for a change. She joined Sable International in 2020, as Client Liaison on our 1st Contact Relocation team, before moving to the Immigration team in 2022.
Carryn enjoys photography, being outdoors with her dog - especially by the ocean where she resides - and spending time with family.
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Jason TrudgianImmigration and Nationality Caseworker
Jason was born and raised in Cape Town. Both of his parents were born in the UK and he has lived and worked in the UK.
He was originally at Sable International between 2008 and 2018 and returned to Sable International in 2022, after spending four years at a local immigration company.
Outside of work he spends time with family and is part of a local soccer team, where he plays in a league during the winter season. -
Reece JuliesCasework Admin Assistant
Reece split her childhood between Cape Town and Johannesburg.
She attended Norman Henshilwood High School. Thereafter, she worked at Superbalist for four years before starting at Sable International.
She is a hard worker who pays attention to detail. Outside of work, she enjoys going to the gym, long drives and outdoor activities, along with being around family and friends.
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Saudikah AdamsCitizenship and Immigration Caseworker
Saudikah studied office management and technology at CPUT. Thereafter, she worked as an immigration consultant at IBN Business and immigration solutions, which dealt with immigration into RSA, for over nine years. She joined Sable International in 2022 as an immigration caseworker
She enjoys walking, hiking, training, baking and spending time with her friends and family.
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Brittney AfricaCasework Admin Assistant
Brittney was born and raised in Cape Town. She studied at the University of the Western Cape. Before joining Sable International she worked at Rheinmetall Denel Munition as a business analyst intern and before that spent four years at Old Mutual as a trainee administrator in the client services department.
At Sable International she provides administrative support to the UK caseworkers.
She is an ambitious, driven, people person who enjoys spending time with family and friends outside of work. She also enjoys watching series and movies as well as exploring the city of Cape Town and its surroundings.
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Shelley GreyAdmin Assistant
Shelley was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, and has lived there all her life.
Before starting at Sable International she worked at Care Agency, which provided caregivers and care services to elderly in need of post-operative care.
In her free time she loves hiking, art and reading. She has a passion for plants and gardening.
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Frances ButlerImmigration and Nationality Advisor
Frances grew up in the UK and moved to Cape Town in 2006. Prior to starting at Sable International, she spent some years working with children in the USA and London and at a US exchange program, helping young women with program and visa applications.
She is a big people person and loves meeting new people. In her free time she enjoys spending time with family, travelling and exploring the local restaurant scene. -
Steve PaxtonManaging Director: UK Education Corporate Services
Steve is the Managing Director of the UK Education Corporate Services division. He is an experienced international investment business owner, UK independent school boarding expert, UK Child/Student sponsor licence specialist, including overseeing many UKVI compliance inspections and has been the Commercial Director of a UK immigration firm.
As a student global mobility specialist, he intends to make Sable International a trusted supplier of advice and support to UK independent schools and their worldwide agents, in the complex sector of Home Office compliance and visa acquisition for UK-bound international students.
Outside of work, Steve loves travelling, spending time with his family and new grandchild, a quadruple World Cup hockey coach and player, and is currently an England hockey masters player.
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