Academic, public speaker, column writer and current Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) deputy vice-chancellor Professor Piet Naudé has been appointed University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) director, the school announced on Tuesday.

Stellenbosch University (SU) rector and vice-chancellor Professor Russel Botman said that this appointment was the beginning of an “exciting phase” at one of the flagship departments of SU’s Economic and Management Sciences faculty.

“As an ex-director of NMMU Business School, Naudé brings a wealth of leadership skills in entrepreneurship, business management, ethics and governance at a time when business schools worldwide are seriously taking stock of their role and contribution in the aftermath of the global economic meltdown,” Botman noted.

“As a university, we will gain a formidable scholar and an experienced academic leader, and USB will gain a director with the vision and experience to lead it through the exciting transition that business schools are currently making here and internationally. I look forward to the constructive collaboration with the corporate and social sectors that I believe Naudé will build at USB in support of the university’s vision of excellent scholarship in the service of our society and continent,” SU Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences dean Professor Stan du Plessis commented.

Naudé said he was “excited and honoured” at the opportunity to lead the USB, emphasising that he was fully supportive of the current vision of SU and the USB in particular.

He said he was keen to expand the footprint of the business school in Africa, capitalise on the virtual learning opportunities that were opening up and enhance USB’s social engagement projects, such as the Small Business Academy.

“I am convinced that a mixture of blended and virtual learning will change the nature of universities and business schools as we know it. Technology has its limits but also the potential to give USB a global edge as the number one business school at the gateway to the rest of Africa.

“USB needs to create the right synergies between intellectual credibility, social transformation, innovative curricula, financial sustainability and a good mix of ‘glocalisation’ between South Africa and the rest of the global communities,” Naudé said.

He stated that the concentrated interaction with key stakeholders would be of paramount importance as a first priority in the new position, followed by open institutional dialogue to chart the way forward, building on the significant achievements and stature of the USB. 

Naudé had been involved with the former University of Port Elizabeth and NMMU since 1992, and was a member of numerous academic societies.

He has also published more than 100 articles in academic journals and has presented at almost 150 national and international conferences and academic occasions on topics related to public ethics and forms of social justice, and has received various awards nationally and internationally.