The Innovation Hub (TIH) has appointed Bangani Jeffrey Mpangalasane as its new CEO, effective 2 April.
TIH is a subsidiary of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency and an agency of Gauteng Department of Economic Development – entities strategically tasked with driving technology innovation in the Gauteng Province.
According to a statement, Mpangalasane replaces former CEO, advocate Pieter Holl who left the organisation in September 2021 to assume the role of deputy director-general at the Gauteng Department of Economic Development.
After Holl’s departure Nothile Mpisi stepped in as interim CEO, followed by Thibi Matshele who has been the interim CEO .
Before joining The Innovation Hub, Mpangalasane was the COO of Pikitup, a waste management company of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality.
He was responsible for overseeing and optimising operations of the company, driving operational efficiency and ensuring regulatory compliance.
TIH board chairperson, Thembisa Fakude, says: “We are confident that Mr Mpangalasane is the right candidate to lead the organisation into the future, further cementing The Innovation Hub as a Science and Technology Park in Africa and a leader in technology innovation. We wish him all the best in his new role.”
Fakude says Mpangalasane became CEO after a rigorous selection process. “He is well-qualified and suited to lead The Innovation Hub, and with him at the helm, we as the board expect to see the organisation taken to another level, increasing innovation capabilities, internal and external stakeholders being prioritised for collaboration and innovation uptake.”
Mpangalasane’s professional experience spans over fifteen years across state-owned enterprises, private, and public sectors.
He previously worked for Telkom, Tech Mahindra, Novartis SA, Fiat Chrysler Automobile, the National Department of Military Veterans, the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications, the Small Enterprise Development Agency, and the Department of Justice.
Over the years, he has been exposed to global and local entrepreneurial innovation in Germany, India, the USA, and China.
He has an MBA from North-West University, where his dissertation focused on innovation and governance. He is currently a PhD candidate at the same institution.
Fakude expressed gratitude to Matshele, for a job well done: “Since last July, Mothibedi has wonderfully steered the ship. On behalf of the board of directors, I thank him for his visionary leadership.”
TIH says its mission is to promote the economic development and competitiveness of Gauteng Province through innovation.
The hub offers a number of incubation programmes in the bioeconomy (agro processing and pharmaceutical), smart industries (ICT and advanced manufacturing) and green economy (water purification, waste management and renewable energy).
It also operates a range of enterprise development, skills development and innovation enabling programmes both in the science park and throughout the Gauteng region.
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