Reuel J. Khoza - Profile
Distinguished thought leader, businessman, President of the Institute of Directors in South Africa (IoDSA), Africanist, public speaker and change agent at the forefront of transformation in the South African political economy, Dr Reuel Khoza has been hailed as a role model in respect of the duties and responsibilities that a citizen can and should take on in the public and national interest. Dr Khoza has more than 45 years of executive management experience.
Reuel is currently Chairman of Discovery Bank and Discovery Bank Holdings, Dzana Investments, Hlayisani Capital, and serves on the Board of Jubilee Metals Group plc, where he also chairs the Remuneration Committee. He has previously chaired Assupol Insurance Group, the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), Eskom Holdings, Nedbank Group, Globeleq, and GlaxoSmithKline South Africa, and has served as a director of JSE Limited, IBM South Africa, Liberty Life Group, Standard Bank Group, Nampak Limited, and Old Mutual plc. He was instrumental in the formulation of the King Codes on Corporate Governance in King II, King III, and King IV, serving as Mervyn King’s deputy in the last two instances.
His qualifications include a BA Hons in Psychology (the University of Limpopo, previously University of the North), an MA in Marketing (University of Lancaster, UK), an EngD in Business Leadership (Warwick University, UK), an LLD honoris causa (Rhodes University), a D Econ honoris causa (University of Free State), LLD Honoris Causa University of Warwick United Kingdom and he is a Chartered Director (CD SA). He is Emeritus Professor Extraordinaire at the University of Stellenbosch Business School, Visiting Professor at Rhodes Business School, the University of Free State Business School and Wits Business School. He is Chancellor of the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
In 2001 Reuel Khoza was honoured with The Leadership in Practice Award by UNISA School of Business Leadership; and The Thought Leadership Award by Black Management Forum in 1996. Dr Khoza was inducted into the Thinkers 50 Hall of Fame in 2021. In June 2022 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the All Africa Business Leader Awards (AABLA) in tandem with CNBC Africa. In August 2022 Dr Khoza was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Black Agencies Network Association (BANA). In April 2024 Dr Khoza received the Chancellors Medal from the University of Pretoria for his outstanding achievements and contributions to the business and academia fields and his authorship as a businessman and leader. He received the Sunday Times Lifetime Achievement Award in November 2024.
He is the author of several influential works, including NAFCOC Milestones: A History of Black Organised Commerce and Industry; African Humanism (Ubuntu), Let Africa Lead, Attuned Leadership, The Power of Governance (with Mohamed Adam), The African in My Dream, Ubuntu Botho, Essential Reflections (with Prof. Muxe Nkondo, Foreword by President Thabo Mbeki), The South African Handbook of Agency, Freedom and Justice, and The Spirit of Leadership.
Khoza also farms, packs and exports avocados and macadamia nuts, and writes lyrics and produces choral / classical music as a labour of love. After publishing Attuned Leadership in 2011, he dedicated more time to music, coordinating and producing dozens of compositions by his late cousin, Shalati Joseph Khosa.
Dr Khoza has lately become something of a patriarch in his family, a position he says comes with huge positives – relatives that you cherish and who cherish you. He takes kinship seriously, aiming for kinship steeped in generosity. Outside of business and academia, Reuel has an abiding interest in people and is fluent in several languages. His family trust venture in farming has been rated one of the top exporters of avocados from South Africa to Europe.