Today, the Minister of Science and Technology Naledi Pandor announced the board members of the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) which will be set up to help stimulate technological innovation to improve economic growth in the country.
Approved by Cabinet in April 2009, the 10-member board brings a wealth of experience to their role in accomplishing the TIAs mandate.
The board is chaired by Dr Mamphele Ramphele, the former vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town and former MD of the World Bank.
Ms Cheryl Carolus is the chairperson of Peotona while Dr Steven Cornelius is the Executive Member of the South African Veterinary Council.
Prof Susan Harrison is the current Chair of the Board of the Cape Biotechnology Trust; Mr Ilan Lax is an expert in the legal and justice system while Dr Nhlanhla Msomi is President of the South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Dr Patrick Ngwenya is director of CKS investments Unisys Africa and former chairperson of the Nuclear Energy Corporation.
Mr Ross Norton is chairperson of SA Bioproducts while Mr Craig Venter is CEO at Altech.
Ms Helen Brow is the Senior Project Manager at the Manufacturing Engineering and Related Sector Education Training Authority (MERSETA) and sits on the board of the Tshumisano Trust.
TIA was established in terms of the TIA Act of 2008 which forms part of the Department of Science and Technology's 10-year Innovation Plan to promote innovation through funding, support and commercialisation.
The ultimate goal of the agency is to use South Africa’s science and technology base to develop new industries, create sustainable jobs, and help diversify the economy away from commodity exports towards knowledge-based industries equipped to address modern global challenges.
To meet its mandate, the agency will provide and mobilise financial and non-financial support across broad technology areas in various sectors of the economy through:
· appropriately structured financial and non-financial interventions for the commercialisation of Research and Development (R&D) results
· the development and maintenance of advanced human capacity for innovation as opposed to just R&D human capital
· building a culture of innovation in the South African economy and
· leveraging local and international partnerships in order to facilitate in-bound technology transfer, build local technological competencies, and encourage foreign direct investment for the commercialisation of technologies in South Africa.
BRIEF PROFILES OF THE TIA BOARD MEMBERS
|
Name |
Dr. M Ramphele (Chairperson of the Board) |
|
Position/Affiliation |
Chair of Circle Capital, former Vice Chancellor of UCT, MD of the World Bank and co-chair of the Global Commission on International Migration |
|
Qualifications |
Ph.D. in social anthropology, BCom degree in Administration, Diplomas in Tropical Health & Hygiene and Public Health |
|
Field of Expertise |
Physician and anthropologist. |
|
Name |
Ms Cheryl Carolus |
|
Position/ Affiliation |
Executive Chairperson: Peotona. |
|
Qualifications |
BA Law, B. Ed. |
|
Field of Expertise |
Legal, Tourism, Business, Biodiversity |
|
Board Memberships & Committees |
Member of Investec Ltd and Investec plc, Board member Mercedes Benz SA, International Marketing Council, PG Group, Gold Fields Limited, International Crisis Group, World Wildlife Fund and The Constitution Hill Trust. |
|
Name |
Mr Gordon Venter |
|
Position/ Affiliation |
Chief Executive Officer: Altech. |
|
Qualifications |
BCom, BA (UCLA), MBA, MSc (USC). |
|
Field of Expertise |
Strategy. Transformation and Restructuring. |
|
Board Memberships & Committees |
Member of Altron Executive Committee, Patron of the Altech Academy, Honorary member of the Altron Young President’s Club. |
|
Name |
Dr Patrick Ngwenya |
|
Position/Affiliation |
Executive Director: Tsiya Group (Pty) Ltd |
|
Qualifications |
MBA (Wits), PhD Chemistry (Wits) |
|
Field of Expertise |
Academic scientific research and lecturing at institutions of higher learning. |
|
Board Memberships & Committees |
Former Chairman of the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa |
|
Name |
Ms Helen Brown |
|
Position/Affiliation |
Senior Project Manager: MERSETA (Manufacturing Engineering & Related Sector Education Training Authority). |
|
Qualifications |
BA Social Sciences, RAU |
|
Field of Expertise |
Human capital development in the engineering and manufacturing sector, including learning programme management, international skills transfer, technical courseware development, engineering centres of training excellence development and accelerated learning solutions. |
|
Board Memberships & Committees |
Board Member, Tshumisano Trust. |
|
Name |
Mr Ilan Lax |
|
Position/ Affiliation |
Attorney at Ilan Lax Attorneys. |
|
Qualifications |
B Proc, currently completing- LL.M (Environmental law). |
|
Field of Expertise |
Legal and Justice System |
|
Board Memberships & Committees |
Chairperson of Federation of SA Flyfishers, Wilderness Action Group, Rainman Landcare Foundation, Ukulungisa Project Preparation Fund; Dep.-Chair KZN Town Planning Appeals Board, Assoc for Rural Advancement; Treasurer of NADEL, Project Preparation Trust KZN; |
|
Name |
Dr. Nhlanhla Msomi |
|
Position/Affiliation |
Executive Chairman: CityWorks (Pty) Ltd. |
|
Qualifications |
PhD, BSc (Hons), Executive Development (Wits) |
|
Field of Expertise |
Biotechnology, Finance and Investments, Corporate Governance. |
|
Board Memberships & Committees |
Ex-Member of the National Advisory Council on Innovation, President: South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chairperson: Executive Committee of the United World College Trust (South Africa), Board of Governors Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Non-Executive Director: Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal |
|
Name |
CG (Craig) Venter |
|
Qualifications |
BA (Econ) (UCLA); BA (Psychology) (UCLA); MBA (USC); MSc (Mgmt Science)(USC) |
|
Titles |
|
|
Experience |
|
|
Name |
Prof. Susan Harrison |
|
Position/Affiliation |
Sue Harrison holds the NRF-DST SARChI Research Chair in Bioprocess Engineering at UCT where she is a professor of chemical engineering. Previously she was Head of Dept of Chemical Engineering at UCT. She is currently Chair of the Board of the Cape Biotechnology Trust |
|
Qualifications |
Sue Harrison holds a BSc in Chemistry and Microbiology, with Honours in Microbiology from UCT and a PhD carried out in the Chemical Engineering discipline at Cambridge University, UK. |
|
Field of Expertise |
Sue is a researcher in the field of bioprocess engineering, spanning applications as diverse as metal extraction from minerals ores, bioenergy from algae and production of final chemicals. Her research experience is in both academic and industrial contexts, research management in the academic environment and commercialization of research |
|
Board Memberships & Committees |
Cape Biotech Trust, |
|
Name |
Mr. Ross Norton |
|
Position/Affiliation |
Co finder and Chairman SA Bioproducts. |
|
Qualifications |
BSc (Chem. Eng), PMD. |
|
Field of Expertise |
Technology development and commercialisation. |
|
Board Memberships & Committees |
SA Bioproducts MD & Chairman, Chairman Ufion Pty Ltd, Chairman Lifelab. |
Issued by: Ministry of Science and Technology
1 June 2009
