Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner 26 August 2017 www.ufs.ac.za Inspiring excellence. Transforming lives. Inspireer uitnemendheid. Verander lewens. PG Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Recipient 2 The Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year is the highest honour VIAN CHINNER accorded to an alumnus in recognition of the recipient’s distinguished achievements. This award celebrates an excellent alumnus who serves to inspire fellow alumni, current students and the community at large. Young Alumnus of the Year Recipient 3 This award acknowledges the achievements of alumni who have graduated LEAH MOLATSELI within the past decade and have contributed immensely to their fields. Cum Laude Award Recipients 4-6 This award is bestowed upon an alumnus to recognise excellence in any DAVID ABBEY field, whether vocational or voluntary. JOHAN EKSTEEN ZOLA VALASHIYA Executive Management Award Recipient 7 This service award is presented to an individual who has delivered SARINA CRONJÉ exceptional service to the University of the Free State. Dr Khotso Mokhele UFS Chancellor Kovsie Ambassador Award 8-9 The Kovsie Ambassador Award is bestowed upon an individual whose CRYSTAL-DONNA achievements have brought distinction to him/her, benefited his/her community and brought credit to the University of the Free State. ROBERTS FRANCO SMITH 2 Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Young Alumnus of the Year 3 VIAN CHINNER LEAH MOLATSELI Described by Gene Anderson, CEO of home-printed business cards he Having launched South Africa’s first her company was selected as one of of Advanced Online Technology and made the necessary contacts on his legal e-commerce website with in- South Africa’s Top 10 tech start-up The Billionaire Foundation ambas- first trip to the US, and from there stant legal document download ca- companies for Seedstars. She was sador, as one of the “most brilliant” on, he continued attending confer- pability, Leah Molatseli is the perfect also nominated as one of 50 inspir- people she had ever worked with, ences and events when the oppor- example of what happens when in- ing women in technology in South Vian Chinner epitomises ambition. tunity arrived. novation meets passion Africa. He started his career as a comput- At present Chinner is at the helm of The attorney-turned-businesswom- With an interest in youth and wom- er scientist when he applied math- Xineoh, a performance marketing an began her legal journey in private en development Molatseli sits on ematical modelling to commodity company he founded in 2014. The practice in 2012 at the age of 24 the boards of Entrepreneurs Net- trading while he was working at a company, based in Bloemfontein, where she quickly worked her way working South Africa, an organi- boutique trading firm in 2004. The and with offices in Cape Town, Or- up the ranks to become an associ- sation for South African entrepre- following year he founded a trad- egon and Vancouver, specialises in ate. After completing the Entrepre- neurs, and Phenomenal Women, a ing company where he developed applying mathematical modelling neurship Development Programme non-profit organisation with a focus proprietary trading algorithms that and machine learning to optimise offered by the University of the Free on empowering women in business consistently outperformed com- conversion in industries including State and with the MTN Foundation, through training, networking and modities funds in the US and Europe. real estate, mortgage banking and workshops. Chief Executive Officer: the entrepreneur bug bit and Leno- Founder and e-commerce in which Xineoh has Xineoh After analysing various global mar- ma Legal was born. Since Lenoma This driven mother of three is a Managing Director: generated more than $30 million in kets and their respective opportu- Legal’s launch in 2016, Molatseli former president of the Free State Lenoma Legal nities, Chinner determined that a revenue for its clients. has been listed in the Top 5 of the and Northern Cape branch of the business in online marketing could 2016 QuickBooks and Saturday Sun South African Society of Labour QUALIFICATIONS Chinner’s innovation and drive saw open doors to multiple industry sec- Xineo reach $1million in revenue Mompreneur Competition landing Law and lends her writing skills to BCom Financial Management QUALIFICATIONS tors and so in 2011 his first online during its first year, a figure which her a feature in Entrepreneur mag- publications including SME Toolkit, (UFS) 2010 LLB marketing company was launched. doubled in its second year of op- azine which boasts a South African SA Labour Guide, Farmers Week- (UFS) 2010 Two years later he started Ylopo eration. Today Stanford Universi- readership of more than 200 000. ly, News24 Voices and She Leads Inc, a venture backed by Move Inc, a ty, Harvard University and a Fellow She also participated in the Bloem- Africa, while serving as the chapter top-three real estate portal in the US at Intel Corporation are among the fontein leg of the Engen Pitch and lead for The Hook Up Dinner Bloem- and focused on applying marketing investors in Chinner’s vision. This Polish business pitching competition fontein, a monthly networking automation and machine learning to vision secured him $2 million of in which she was placed third and community for entrepreneurs. enhance the rental and real estate funding from US and Canadian in- search experience. vestors in 2017 which will be used In 2012 Chinner embarked on a to grow Video Llama, a one-stop self-funded trip to San Franciso personal shopping assistant for where he attended his first mar- video streaming; which will initially keting conference. With just a set be rolled out in the US market. 4 Cum Laude Cum Laude 5 DAVID ABBEY JOHAN EKSTEEN David Abbey is widely respected Passionate about education and At just 11 years old Johan Eksteen market on the African continent. for his integrity, sound business early childhood development had ambitions of being a stud breed- Agricon also exports to Germany, acumen and commercial savvy. Abbey is involved in mentoring young er. Six cows and one bull later, Johan Sweden, Australia and Asia. Johan A recipient of numerous accolades professionals and ran the Banking was the youngest stud farmer to be has successfully tapped into new and honours, David has attracted and Capital Markets Financial In- registered in the South African Stud markets by adapting equipment to offers from local and international struments Programme, where he Book – a business he grew sub- pelletise a range of products includ- blue-chip companies because of his guest lectured on investment bank- stantially before selling in order to ing tobacco dust, vermin compost, high intellectual and execution ca- ing, financial instruments, indus- cover his tuition fees. Today, Johan rooibos tea and organic fertilisers. pability. try and technical developments at Eksteen is the founder of Agricon, University of the Free State, Rhodes The MBA graduate received the UFS While employed at Pricewa- a Bloemfontein-based company University, Nelson Mandela Metro- Business School’s Entrepreneurship terhouseCoopers, David Abbey that designs and manufactures cost politan University and the University Award in 2013. This was followed achieved the highest ratings at the effective, innovative and eco- of Cape Town. by his first prize win of the ILO Free PwC Advisory and Banking Practices friendly pellets for the agricultural State Enterprise Job Creation Chal- serving as Vice-Chairperson of the Abbey is a Chartered Accountant, and industrial industries. lenge as well as an Entrepreneur of PwC Investment Banking special- who qualified concurrently as a After having established Agricon in the Year Award in the small busi- ist group before being headhunted Certified Information Systems Audi- 1993 with his brother, André, Ek- ness category of the Sanlam and Acquisition and Leveraged by Rand Merchant Bank. There he tor (a global qualification recognised Owner: Finance Deal Maker: helped establish the Finance Target as the highest qualification for infor- steen would in 2006 become the Business Partners’ Annual Entre- Agricon Pelleting Rand Merchant Bank Operating Model and after just seven mation technology and information sole owner and grow the business preneurship competition in 2014. months became the youngest strat- systems professionals). He joined into a global specialisation. His In 2016, Eksteen walked away as strong business acumen has led to Entrepreneur of the Year in the same egist and executive assistant to the the Association of Black Account- QUALIFICATIONS Agricon developing its largest export competitions. QUALIFICATIONS Chief Financial Officer receiving the ants in Southern Africa’s education MBA BCom Hons Accounting coveted Rand Merchant Bank Special committee in 2009 and is a member (UFS) 2005 (UFS) 2008 Service Distinction Award in 2015. of the Johannesburg branch board Furthermore, Abbey was selected as of the organisation as well as chair MSc Sustainable Agriculture BCom Accounting one of 30 out of 40 000 employees of the database and communica- (UFS) 1998 (RU) 2007 to take part in FirstRand’s Executive tions committee. He is the public Leadership programme in which he relations officer of an online motor- not only graduated with top honours ing publication, DriveRSA and is also but was recognised as most likely to a motoring journalist become CEO of the FirstRand Group to which the Rand Merchant Bank belongs. 6 Cum Laude Executive Management Award 7 ZOLA VALASHIYA SARINA CRONJÉ Zola Valashiya is a legal mind, an Valashiya co-found Debate Afrika, Before there was Zola Budd there country and road-running athletes. avid writer, a human rights advo- a voluntary association utilising de- was Sarina Cronjé, a woman who She is also the driving force behind cate and pioneer in debating excel- bate as a tool for both critical think- today is regarded as a legend in the Kovsie long distance champion lence.