Steve Biko Foundation chief executive Nkosinathi Biko is to step down as head of the institution named for his father.
Biko, a University of Cape Town graduate, has been at its helm since its establishment in 1998.
Although the move has not been officially communicated, he is expected to hand over the CEO baton later this month to the director of fundraising and international partnerships, Obenewa Amponsah.
Communication officer Thando Sipuye was reluctant to speak about Biko’s departure, saying it was not yet official.
However, he confirmed that the process to replace Biko with Amponsah was “in the pipeline”.
“We are unable to give further details at the moment as this has not been made official by the board. We do not even know how that information made its way to the media as it was still an internal matter which will be officially communicated once the right time comes,” said Sipuye, adding: “As things stand, Nkosinathi Biko is still the CEO and Ms Amponsah is still a director .”
Attempts to reach Biko and Amponsah were unsuccessful.
Amponsah has been with the foundation since January 2007.
According to her profile on Linkedin, she is an international development practitioner with a broad range of experience in civil society organisations, academic institutions, corporate business development and government relations. She has “a particular interest” in African affairs and Pan African initiatives.
In her current job she is tasked with mobilising financial resources for the work of the foundation, developing and managing strategic partnerships in South Africa and the international community, and designing and facilitating grassroots, national and international programmes to advance social and economic development.
“In this role I have undertaken training and capacity building, facilitated public dialogue, managed the production of various publications and contributed to the development of capital projects, most notably a national legacy project as designated by South African cabinet,” she states in her profile.
Amponsah graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations and history from the University of Boston in 2001.
She earned her master’s degree in international relations and affairs from the Witswatersrand University a few years later.
She worked as a senior consultant at GoodWorks International in 2006 and as an administrator at Boston University’s African Presidential Archives and Research Centre between 2002 and 2005.
The foundation’s head offices are in Johannesburg while the multimillion-rand art centre opened by President Jacob Zuma in 2012 is located in Ginsberg outside King William’s Town.
The Steve Biko Foundation is a non-profit development organisation inspired by the legacy of the late anti-apartheid leader. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Biko’s son to hand over CEO baton
Biko, a University of Cape Town graduate, has been at its helm since its establishment in 1998.
Although the move has not been officially communicated, he is expected to hand over the CEO baton later this month to the director of fundraising and international partnerships, Obenewa Amponsah.
Communication officer Thando Sipuye was reluctant to speak about Biko’s departure, saying it was not yet official.
However, he confirmed that the process to replace Biko with Amponsah was “in the pipeline”.
“We are unable to give further details at the moment as this has not been made official by the board. We do not even know how that information made its way to the media as it was still an internal matter which will be officially communicated once the right time comes,” said Sipuye, adding: “As things stand, Nkosinathi Biko is still the CEO and Ms Amponsah is still a director .”
Attempts to reach Biko and Amponsah were unsuccessful.
Amponsah has been with the foundation since January 2007.
According to her profile on Linkedin, she is an international development practitioner with a broad range of experience in civil society organisations, academic institutions, corporate business development and government relations. She has “a particular interest” in African affairs and Pan African initiatives.
In her current job she is tasked with mobilising financial resources for the work of the foundation, developing and managing strategic partnerships in South Africa and the international community, and designing and facilitating grassroots, national and international programmes to advance social and economic development.
“In this role I have undertaken training and capacity building, facilitated public dialogue, managed the production of various publications and contributed to the development of capital projects, most notably a national legacy project as designated by South African cabinet,” she states in her profile.
Amponsah graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations and history from the University of Boston in 2001.
She earned her master’s degree in international relations and affairs from the Witswatersrand University a few years later.
She worked as a senior consultant at GoodWorks International in 2006 and as an administrator at Boston University’s African Presidential Archives and Research Centre between 2002 and 2005.
The foundation’s head offices are in Johannesburg while the multimillion-rand art centre opened by President Jacob Zuma in 2012 is located in Ginsberg outside King William’s Town.
The Steve Biko Foundation is a non-profit development organisation inspired by the legacy of the late anti-apartheid leader. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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