The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Udesh Pillay as its Deputy Chief Executive Officer: Management Support as of 1 February 2013. Dr Pillay was the Executive Director (ED) in the Office of the CEO at the HSRC. “He brings with him experience and knowledge of conducting research and therefore, is well equipped to plan programs to support the work of scientists at the HSRC. “ said Dr Olive Shisana, CEO of the HSRC.
“I am privileged in being appointed to this position. The HSRC is a Science Council of international repute, and a professional association with the organization is an honour,” said Dr Pillay.
Dr Pillay will be heading several professional / corporate support units such as Human Resources and Capacity Enhancement, Legal Services, Information Technology, Facilities, the Staff Cafeteria, and the newly established Research Data Management Centre (RDMC).
Dr Pillay holds a PhD in urban and economic geography from the University of Minnesota, U.S.A., and an MA in urban geography (cum laude) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. His PhD studies in the U.S.A. were conducted through Fulbright and MacArthur Foundation fellowships. Dr. Pillay has previously headed four research programmes during his 10-year tenure at the HSRC.
Dr Pillay has been in executive management for over fifteen years, whilst at the HSRC and other organisations.
Before joining the HSRC in 2002, Dr Pillay was the General Manager of the Delimitation and Planning Directorate of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). And before this he was a Senior Manager at the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE).
Dr Pillay has led and managed a number of support units (HR, Legal, IT, Finance, Procurement) in his previous role as General Manager at the IEC. These were units that were operationalised from scratch as the IEC became a permanent entity in 1998. Dr Pillay also has vast experience in managing service providers, and in ensuring that all compliance and co-operative governance protocols are/have been observed in both his previous and current positions.
He has previously lectured at the Universities of KwaZulu-Natal, Pretoria, Wits, Durban-Westville, Minnesota, Berkeley, Penn State and Wisconsin, and has consulted widely in his area of expertise in both the public and private sector.
Dr Pillay has 5 books to his credit, and a combination of over 150 peer-reviewed journals articles, research reports, monographs and public opinion pieces.
Dr. Shisana said: “Dr Pillay brings to the HSRC in his new capacity a range of leadership, management and entrepreneurial skills, and is committed to the principles of integrity and excellence in a performance-oriented environment, which will benefit the HSRC.”
Issued by: HSRC’s Communication & Stakeholder Relations unit
For more information contact: Mr Julian A Jacobs on 083 326 6821