Alumni appointments and honours
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Witsies with Edge
Catch up on latest alumni appointments, special honours and awards. Share your news, submit career milestones with us via alumni@wits.ac.za
Awards and honours
Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim (BSc Hons 1984) was awarded the prestigious Christophe Merieux Prize for work done at Centre for the AIDS Programme Research in South Africa (Caprisa). She was also awarded the 2020 John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award along with Professor Salim Abdool Karim which recognizes outstanding achievements in global health research.
Daniela Lamparelli (BCom 2018, BEconscHons 2019) and Gracious Nyoni (BSc 2018, BEconscHons 2019) were selected to represent Wits and South Africa at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. The pair of Witsies was nominated by the Academy of Science of South Africa to attend the meeting in economic sciences in Germany. They will be among 373 young scientists selected from 60 countries.
Aaron Mthimunye (BCom 1995) was announced as Accounting Professional of the Year at the 2020 Professional Services Awards.
Nozizwe Ncayiyana (LLB 2011), Pro Bono Coordinator at commercial law firm ENSafrica, has been crowned the Young Law Professional of the Year for 2019/2020 by the South African Professional Services Awards.
John Truter (BSc Eng 1975, MSc 1989), COO of WSP, was conferred a Lifetime Achievement Award for “serving his profession faithfully for many years” at the 2020 South African Professional Services Awards.
Dr Jina Swartz (MBBCh 1991, MMed 1999) Therapeutic Area Head Neuroscience and Executive Medical Director, Merck, Sharpe and Dohme Limited was recently elected as a Fellow to the prestigious Academy of Medical Sciences.
Primrose Marote (BSc 2018, BSc Hons 2019) and Wits student Raesetje Bonjo Sefala were nominated among 15 Top Young Geeks by Geekulcha.
Siphosethu Plata (BSc URP 2008) was announced as Construction Young Professional of Year at the 2020 South African Professional Services Awards.
Appointments
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi (MSc 1994, PhD 1998) was elected as 15th Vice-Chancellor of the University. Prof Vilakazi’s current role is Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for research and postgraduate studies at Wits.
COMMERCE, LAW AND MANAGEMENT
Transnet appointed Nonkululeko Dlamini (BCom 1996) group CFO, with effect from 1 July 2020.
Refiloe Mmamodiane Nkadimeng, (BCom 2002, PDip Com 2003) CFO of African Rainbow Capital, was announced as non-executive director of Alexander Forbes. She is profiled in this article.
Fulvio Tonelli (BCom Hons 1984) announced as non-independent non-executive director of the Absa Group Board from July 2020.
Delekazi Makoaba (BCom 2004) has been appointed as FNB Lesotho chief executive officer.
Warren Mande (BCom 1991, LLB 2001) is the new MD of Altron Arrow.
JSE-listed Huge Group has appointed Stephen Morony (MBA 2011) as commercial director of subsidiary Huge Telecom.
Juliana Ouma Rabaji-Rasethaba (LLB 1987, HDipCoLaw 1996) appointed as one of two deputy national director of public prosecutions: Asset Forfeiture Unit from 1 June.
Talitha Mashamba (LLB 2014) has been chosen as Wits University ambassador for new organisation helping researchers access funding Africademics.
Michael Sachs, adjunct professor in Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, is among the 10 people appointed to the Presidential State-owned Enterprises Council.
ENGINEERING AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Andrew Graetz (BSc Eng 1979) has been elected to board of directors of IMC International Mining Corp in Vancouver, Canada.
BP South Africa announced Taelo Mojapelo, a lecturer from the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering, as the company’s new CEO.
Londolani Rampfumedzi (BSc Eng 2002, GDE 2007) has been appointed as Exxaro Belfast mine’s new business manager.
MEDICINE
Professor Shabir Madhi (MBBCh 1990, MMed 1999, PhD 2004) has been appointed the dean of the Health Sciences faculty from January 2021.
SCIENCE
Professor Andrew Forbes, Distinguished Professor in the School of Physics at the University, has been appointed as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Optics at the UK Institute of Physics.