Chancellor

Prof Wiseman Nkuhlu is Chancellor of the University of Pretoria, Chairman of Rothschild (SA) and a director of companies, and was President of the Geneva based International Organisation of Employers from June 2008 to May 2011.

He served as Economic Advisor of the President of the Republic of South Africa, TM Mbeki, and as Chief Executive of the Secretariat of New Partnership for Africa’s Development NEPAD from October 2000 to July 2005. He played a major role in the elaboration of NEPAD policy framework and in promoting the programme both in Africa and internationally.

From 1989 to 2000, LW Nkuhlu served as a director of a number of major companies, including Standard Bank, South African Breweries, Old Mutual, Tongaat Hulett and BMW. He also played a leading role in development as Chief Executive of the Independent Development Trust for three years and as Chairman of the Development Bank of Southern Africa from 1993 to July 2000. He served as Chairman of MEEG Bank in the Eastern Cape from 1998 to August 2009 and Chairman of Metropolitan Ltd from June 2007 to March 2009.

Current directorships include AngloGold Ashanti Limited and Datatec Limited. He chairs the Audit and Risk Committee of AngloGold Ashanti Limited.  He is also Chariman of Rothschild South Africa.  Rothschild is an international investment company with its head office in London, United Kingdom.

LW Nkuhlu was appointed the first Chairman of the Council on Higher Education. He served in this position for four years, from 1998 to 2002. The Council on Higher Education played a major role in the restructuring of universities and technikons.

From 1976 to 1990, LW Nkuhlu combined his role in the auditing profession with lecturing at the University of Fort Hare initially and later at the University of Transkei. He served as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Transkei from 1987 to 1991.

He was elected President of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and served two terms, from April 1998 to April 2000.

He studied at the Universities of Fort Hare, Cape Town and New York and completed a BCom, CTA and MBA. He served articles with Hoek Wiehahn and Cross and qualified as a Chartered Accountant (CA) in 1976. He became a partner in charge of the Umtata office. Subsequently, Hoek and Wiehahn merged with Price Waterhouse, now PricewaterhouseCoopers. Two years after the merger, he resigned from the partnership to join the Independent Development Trust in 1990.

In promotion of business and management development he served as Economic Advisor to the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry from 1989 to 1993 and as President of the Black Management Forum from 1992 to1995.

In recognition of his contribution to education, business and development, Professor Nkuhlu has received a number of awards, including Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of the Free State, Stellenbosch, Cape Town, Pretoria, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan, Witwatersrand and Fort Hare; and merit awards from the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Association for Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa and the Black Management Forum. He was also awarded the President of Convocation Medal by the University of Cape Town in June 2004. The medal is awarded to graduates of UCT for outstanding community service.

In May 2005, he received the ‘Ordre National de la Légion d’honneur, Republique Française’ for his work in NEPAD.

He was inaugurated as the Chancellor of the University of Pretoria in March 2007.

He received the Grand Counsellor of the Order of the Baobab national award from the President of the Republic of South Africa for his excellent contributions to the African Renaissance through his role in NEPAD in April 2008.

He was appointed President of the International Organisation of Employers in Genéva in May 2008 and served for a period of three years.

Professor Nkuhlu served as a member of the Global Financial Crisis Advisory Panel established jointly by the International Accounting Standards Board and the Financial Accounting Standards Board in January 2009 to advise on the accounting standards setting implications of the Global Financial Crisis.  He currently serves as a member of the Auditor General's Advisory Council and is also a member of the Advisory Council of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA).

Prof Wiseman was born on 5 February 1944 in Cala, Eastern Cape, South Africa. He is married to Nondima (born Mahlulo) and they have four children.