Consulting engineering firm Ninham Shand last week announced the appointment of Nolulamo Nobambiswano (Lulu) Gwagwa as a nonexecutive director of the board.
Gwagwa impressive academic and management background reflects her intense interest in development issues and public sector transformation, the company said in a statement.
"I believe very strongly that, as professionals in South Africa today, we have opportunities that others in most parts of the globe would kill for. We have an opportunity to make a difference," she Gwagwa stated.
She has a Masters degree in town and pegional planning, from Natal University, an MSc in social policy and planning in developing countries, from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a PhD from University College, in London.
As a lecturer at the Planning School, at Natal University, she taught, among other subjects, development theory and practice and she has been involved in academic and policy research into various aspects of development.
In 1995, Gwagwa was appointed as a deputy director-general in the national Department of Public Works, to establish the National Public Works Programme.
Among her responsibilities was the transformation of the construction industry and the emerging contractor programme, both new programmes of the democratic government.
She has recently completed a five-year contract as the CEO of the Independent Development Trust (IDT), where she was tasked with transforming the IDT from a grant-making programme to an implementation-management agency.
Gwagwa serves on the boards of the Airports Company of South Africa, FirstRand, the South African Post Office, the Mineworkers Investment Company, and the Human Sciences Research Council. She has also served on a number of government commissions, including the Ministerial Committee on Local Government Transformation.
"We are delighted to welcome Lulu as a nonexecutive director on our board.
Ninham Shand will benefit greatly from her broad policy experience, enthusiasm and insight," said MD Arnie Mohr.