Board of Directors
In accordance with the Articles of Association as revised on 24 th March 2009 the Board's objective is to provide responsible leadership to WESSA with due regard for staff, members, volunteers and other stakeholders. WESSA has a portfolio driven board with the current structure consisting of four executive directors and nine non-executive directors. Non-executive Board members volunteer their services to WESSA and are not remunerated for the valuable contribution they make to WESSA's corporate governance and strategic direction. The Board meets three times per year. An annual assessment of the performance of the directors is carried out annually as part of WESSA's commitment to excellence in all we do.
Non-Executive Directors
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Dr Richard Lewis ( B.A.,LL.B,MBA.D.Juris) Richard is the CEO of Richard Lewis, Smith & Associates. He is primarily a strategist but also specialises in leadership development, human resources and corporate governance. He is a non-executive Director of JSE Altx listed BSI Steel; sits on the Executive Committees of IFTA (artisan training academy); the Kagiso Trust; chairs the EXCO of a property-holdings JSE listed company, and of a major award-winning communications and brand initiation company. He consults, inter alia, to Kagiso Tiso Holdings and Silver Unicorn Trading, and is the strategic advisor to a JSE listed construction company. |
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Ms Dianne Perrett Dianne is the GM at Honeydew Dairies and has been the Director of Laja Marketing as well as publishing a book on marketing. She has consulted on marketing in South Africa , Australia , the UK , Holland , Kenya and Zambia . Dianne has chaired the Institute of Marketing Management (KZN Inland region) and served on the board of St Johns DSG. |
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Prof Michael Kidd (B. Com., LLB, LLM (Env. Law), PhD) Michael is the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law at UKZN. He has a strong interest in environmental law and sustainable development. Michael has published five books and numerous academic articles in addition to being the editor of the South African Journal of Environmental Law and Policy. Michael has been the Chair of the Environmental Law association and is a member of the Governing Board of the IUCN Academy of Environmental Law. |
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Mr James Pinnell (B.Com., B. Acc. Sc. Hons. , C.A. (SA)) James works through his own consulting company, Kirkwood Consulting having previously been CEO of BSi (SA) Pty Ltd and was until recently a key partner in SpanAfrica Steel Structures (Pty) Ltd. He consults and mentors in the field of finance, business development and change management. James is also a Trustee of Grace College. |
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Ms Suzanne Erasmus (B.Sc. Hons, STD) Suzanne is the Education Officer (Principal Museum Natural Scientist) at the McGregor Museum in Kimberley . Suzanne has been a WESSA member since 1976 and has served on the WESSA Northern Cape committee for more than 20 years. She has been regional Chairperson since July 1999. Suzanne also serves on other local committees related to environmental conservation and education, including the Flamingo Environmental Trust, Keep Kimberley Clean Committee, Mokala National Park Forum and the local Environmental Education Forum. |
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Dr Eureta Rosenberg (B. Med. Sc., B. Med. Sc Hons., M. Med. Sc., B.A. Hons., M. Ed., Ph.D (Environmental Education) Eureta is an environmental education and research consultant and is currently the strategic advisor to the Biodiversity Sector Human Capital Development Programme. She has a strong academic background having been an associate professor and the Murray and Roberts Chair of Environmental Education at Rhodes University . Eureta has served as the President of the Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa and undertaken numerous research and consulting positions within the human capacity development sector in South Africa and beyond. |
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Mr Pieter Burger (B. Proc.) Pieter is a patent and trade mark attorney who has his own practice. He has a professional interest in intellectual property, brand development and management and supports WESSA's Marketing Advisory Panel. He also an interest in environmental law and is actively involved in the environment and outdoor pursuits. Pieter is the Chairman of the KZN Region of WESSA as well as the Chairman of FreeMe KZN Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. |
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Mr Michael Fischer (B.Com., Post Grad Dip Acc. , C.A. ( S.A. )) Mike is currently engaged by a listed construction company to develop a turnaround strategy this includes his appointment as the COO of the group and the MD of the Gauteng operations of the company. He is a Chartered Accountant who brings a proactive solutions orientation to business related challenges. Mike recently returned from a 3 year assignment as the MD of a manufacturing operation in Kenya . |
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Prof Christo Fabricius (M.Sc., Ph.D.) Christo is Principal of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University's George campus at Saasveld. He has a strong interest in community-based natural resource management and system resilience. Christo has edited or co-edited five books and has published numerous academic articles and research reports. In addition to serving as the Head of Department for the Department of Environmental Science at Rhodes University Christo was a lead author of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) and has undertaken numerous consultancies and research initiatives in this sector. He is a Board member of the Resilience Alliance, member of the World Commission on Protected Areas and IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management, and serves on the editorial boards of Ecology and Society, and Koedoe, a Journal of African Protected Areas. |
Executive Directors
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Ms Mumsie Gumede (B.Sc., M.Ed.) Mumsie has worked in the private sector, public service and non-government organisations. |
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Mr Mike Ward (B.A., M. Sc. (Environmental Science)) Mike has worked for WESSA for more than 15 years as an education officer, Senior Education Officer ( Umgeni V alley ) and manager of the SADC Regional Environmental Education Programme. He worked for an international consulting company in Sweden for a year and has developed and implemented a number of international training programmes on Education for Sustainable Development. |
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Mr Garth Barnes (Grad. Dip. (Marketing Management), B.A. (Environmental Management)) Garth has worked in both the private and non-government sectors. He has worked as the Conservation Manager in the Northern Areas region of WESSA for the past 4 years and has participated in both local and international training programmes focussing on water issues. Garth has brought his substantial marketing experience to WESSA and is a member of the Marketing Advisory Panel. He was the Chairman of the Gauteng Wetland Forum for 3 years and currently chairs the Hennops River Forum. |
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Dr Jim Taylor (BA, HDE, MSc, PhD (Environmental Education)) Jim has worked for WESSA for more than 20 years in the broad field of environmental education, social change processes and monitoring and evaluation. He has been directly involved in the establishment of a number of national and international initiatives including EcoSchools in South Africa and the SADC Regional Environmental Education Programme. Jim is a founder member and past president of the Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa (EEASA). He is also the recipient of a Human Rights award. |
Co-Opted Members of the Board
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Mr Malcolm Powell (B.Sc., H.D.E., B.Ed., Advanced Dip Business Management) Malcolm, a teacher and administrator by training, has worked for WESSA since 1983 - first as Director of Environmental Education, and since 1994 as Chief Executive Officer. He took early “retirement” in 2006 when he handed over the reins of CEO to Mumsie. However, WESSA has kept him involved in a number of different spheres since then. Malcolm is a member of the Executive Board of the international Foundation of Environmental Education and the Chair of the international jury for Blue Flag. |
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Mr Andy Gubb (B.Sc., B.Sc. Hon., M.Sc.) Andy has worked in both the Government and Non-government sectors and has held senior positions within WESSA for 20 years. As WESSA's Senior National Conservationist Andy has contributed to the shaping and monitoring of national policy and legislation. He has been instrumental in establishing a number of conservation forums and successfully challenged unsustainable development initiatives particularly in the Western and Northern Cape . Andy is currently contracted through WESSA to support the Centre for Environmental Rights. |