Prof Bonang Francis Mohale was appointed as Chancellor of the University of the Free State on 4 June 2020.
He is Professor of Practice in the Johannesburg Business School (JBS) College of Business and Economics, and Chairman of the Bidvest Group Limited. He is a highly respected South African businessman, known as much for his patriotism as for his active role in advancing the country’s interests. He is author of the best-selling book, Lift as You Rise, launched in November 2018. It is a compilation of some of his spoken and written words in which Prof Mohale reveals the issues he is passionate about – among them, leadership, transformation, people development, constructive collaboration, and integrity.
Prof Mohale was the Chief Executive Officer of Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) until June 2019 – a forum which brings together the leadership of South Africa’s most successful and influential big business and multinational investors to exchange ideas, facilitate effective dialogue with government and other stakeholders, and advocate for pro-business, economically sustainable policies and programmes. Prior to joining BLSA, he ended a distinguished term as Vice-President of Upstream and Chairman of Shell South Africa (Pty) Limited at the end of June 2017.
Prof Mohale, who originally studied to be a medical doctor, has had a distinguished career at the helm and in leadership roles of several major South African and multinational companies, including Otis Elevators, South African Airways, Sanlam Limited, and Drake & Scull Integrated Facilities Management. He currently serves on the boards of Swiss Re Africa Limited, Rand Merchant Bank Limited (RMB), and SBV.
He has an impressive track record of building successful companies, delivering results, and making significant advances in transformation in the companies he has been privileged to lead. Prof Mohale has been a vocal, courageous, and active proponent of transformation since the 1980s, and has played a leadership role in the Black Management Forum (BMF) for more than 33 years, where he was the president.