Eskom advertises for CEO — here are the skills and qualifications it wants

3 years ago 1

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Eskom has published an external ad for its Group Chief Executive (CEO) position.

The top role at the utility is set to become vacant in two months after current CEO André de Ruyter’s last day in office on 31 March 2023.

The ad explained the CEO’s key responsibilities would include creating a high-performing organisation with a culture that maintains the highest ethical and governance standards.

The minimum qualification required to apply for the position is a postgraduate degree in engineering, business administration, or economics.

“An undergraduate degree, with an MBA or other relevant postgraduate degree, will be an advantage,” Eskom said.

Alternatively, the utility will consider suitable qualifications at NQF level 8 with 480 credits.

With regards to experience, Eskom is looking for someone with at least 15 to 20 years as a senior manager at the executive committee level, ideally within emerging markets.

The person must also have strong commercial acumen with a successful track record in managing the strategic turnaround of a commercial entity operating within a complex environment with over 20,000 employees and an annual turnover above R50 billion.

Other relevant necessary experience includes:

A solid track record in mitigating systemic risks and pro-actively managing crises
A solid understanding of global trends within the energy sector and their applicability to local market conditions
A demonstrable and sustainable track record of turning around commercially and operationally challenged organisations
Possess extensive experience in raising capital (funding) and managing large capital projects
Experience in managing a dynamic and robust stakeholder environment
Experience in the energy and industrial sectors would be advantageous
A solid track record of working in a complex environment, leading business turnaround, ideally within emerging markets

The ad also lists personal characteristics that will count in the applicant’s favour.

These include being disciplined, goal-oriented, an intellectually curious critical thinker, and someone with unquestionable personal integrity.

De Ruyter announced his resignation as CEO of the power utility in December 2022, explaining that the position had become “untenable”.

“I’m obviously disappointed that I could not achieve all of the objectives that I had set myself.”

At the time, Eskom said that a comprehensive executive search would be conducted to find a suitably qualified candidate.

De Ruyter’s decision came shortly after energy minister Gwede Mantashe accused Eskom’s executive of actively agitating for the overthrow of the state — which would be treason.

Public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan defended De Ruyter, stating that it was unjustifiable to blame him for being unable to resolve the load-shedding crisis on his own.

De Ruyter’s tenure at the utility saw South Africa endure its three worst years of load-shedding.

De Ruyter and his management team have blamed Eskom’s ever-worsening power station performance on years of neglected maintenance during the period of state capture.

He has also been met with strong resistance from certain elements within the utility’s ranks over his attempts to clamp down on corruption and employee-driven sabotage of power-generating infrastructure.

Despite these challenges and severe public outcry, De Ruyter persisted in the role for three years, making him one of the longest-standing CEOs of Eskom since load-shedding started.

The only other CEO that remained in the role for longer was Brian Dames, who served as head of the utility from 2010 to 2013.

Venture capitalist and former FNB CEO Michael Jordaan recently said that he believed a person would have to be “crazy” to take up the job as Eskom CEO.

Jordaan said the only way someone could be successful in the role is if they could choose their best team and enjoy the support of their shareholders, the most obvious being the government.