PBS fills its coffers with knowledge
Dr Theuns Eloff, Vice-Chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), will from now on play a leading role in the development of the Potchefstroom Business School (PBS).
Dr Eloff, served among others as CEO of the National Business Initiative, chairperson of Higher Education South Africa and chairperson of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, and currently he is president of the Afrikaanse Handelsinstituut. As rector of the former Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (PU for CHE) he overlooked this university's merger with the University of the North-West to form the NWU.
As extraordinary professor at the PBS, Dr Eloff's comprehensive management knowledge, from a leadership perspective, will be invaluable to students in the MBA and executive learning programmes.
Apart from Dr Eloff, there are several other experts who have joined the PBS team.
Prof Steve Booysen, former CEO of ABSA, has also been appointed as extraordinary professor at the PBS.
Professor Sam Fullerton from Eastern Michigan University (EMU) in the USA has also joined PBS as extraordinary professor. Prof Sam, who serves as chairperson of the Sports Research Institute and also is a marketing professor at EMU, has been an external moderator for the PBS since 2001.
The former chairman of the South African Business Schools Association and world-renowned expert in various fields of economy and business, Prof Eon Smith, will also share his experiences with graduate students as extraordinary professor at the PBS.
Likewise, Prof Gideon Maas from Coventry University in Britain, a leader in the field of small business and family businesses and who served at several institutions, agencies and business journals as chairperson, director and/or editor, will join the team.
The leading techno strategist, Mr Pieter Geldenhuys, a director of the Institute for Technology, Strategy and Innovation, has been appointed as extraordinary senior lecturer. Pieter, who studied Electrical Engineering at the former PU for CHE and completed his MBA in 1996, is held in great respect by academic and media circles for his opinion as futurist.
According to Prof Tommy du Plessis, director of the PBS, there is an increasing need for expertise in the market in terms of strategic, long-term thinking and therefore the PBS decided to increase and strengthen its capacity in this regard.
"With the appointments of extraordinary professors and senior lecturers, the PBS has some of the main experts in their respective specialist fields. The responsibility to make strategic thinking a more integral part of our MBA and executive learning programmes has been boosted by this form of academic knowledge and practical experience," Prof Tommy said.
Dr Theuns Eloff