Young Tuks alumnus receives prestigious award in Spain

Erwil received the award “for his outstanding achievement in driving the Early Talent programme, both internally and externally in South Africa”. As part of the award, he will be travelling to Dublin, California during February 2014 for the inauguration of a SAP Academy and also to act as mentor and inspirational peer to the SAP Academy Account executives. He will also be visiting the SAP Palo Alto offices near San Francisco and engage in other activities during his time in the USA.

After graduating in 2008, Erwil joined SAP in 2009 and completed the Deloitte Graduate Academy Programme in 2010. He is currently Business Operations Principal for SAP Southern Africa. Other awards that he has received since joining SAP include the SAP Peak Performer Award in 2010; selection as part of the SAP Top Talent Program in 2011; and the Winner’s Circle award in 2013, which includes a trip to Hawaii at the end of February 2014 in recognition of his contribution to the company.

The CEO of SAP, who employs more than 65 000 persons worldwide, sees early talent as the key to SAP’s success in the future. “Major trends that are occurring in the workplace are centred round this new generation”, says Mr McDermott. “In the next ten years, Millennials will determine whether businesses win or lose the game.” SAP’s commitment to people development was reinforced with their recognition as Africa’s best place to work during 2013 by the internationally accredited Top Employers Institute.

Erwil’s elder brothers are also alumni of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at Tuks. Johan, who until recently was a Chartered Accountant with the Royal Bank of Canada in the Cayman Islands, graduated with a BComHons (Accounting Sciences) in 2002 and Eric, who is with the American chemical company DuPont, received his MCom in Marketing Management in 2013.

According to their father, a staff member in the Department of Business Management in the Faculty, Prof Ernie Heath, all three his sons truly enjoyed and appreciated the opportunities provided during their educational journey at Tuks and have the highest regard for their lecturers, who walked the extra mile and in some instances have become their mentors.