CSIR Biosciences
Dr Joe Mosala Molete
Dr Joe Mosala Molete joined the CSIR as Executive Director: Biosciences in July 2010. Prior to joining CSIR, he served within the Biotechnology Regional Innovation Centres (BRICS), both at Cape Biotech as Portfolio Manager and more recently as the CEO of BioPAD. Joe spent 11 years in the USA where he worked for the American Red Cross in Maryland, the International Aids Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) in New York and for Baxter Healthcare Corporation in New Jersey. He is passionate about working with scientists to develop and to commercialise scientific innovations. He has completed a B.Sc. (Honours) Biochemistry from the University of the Witwatersrand; a M.Sc. (Biology) from Howard University, Washington DC (USA); and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Microbiology and Molecular Biology from the Pennsylvania State University in USA. He also holds an MBA from the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business; and completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) from Harvard Business School.

CSIR Built Environment
Dr Cornelius Ruiters
Dr Cornelius Ruiters was appointed Executive Director of the CSIR Built Environment unit in December 2011. He holds an MSc in environment ecology and applied statistics from the University of the Western Cape (UWC), and an MEng degree in civil engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand. Ruiters completed his PhD at the UWC in collaboration with San Diego State University in the USA, where he was adjunct professor. He also holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of South Africa, which he received with distinction. Before joining the CSIR as Executive Director, Ruiters was the Deputy Director-General: National Water Resources Infrastructure at the Department of Water Affairs. Other positions he has held include Regional Manager and Water Sector Manager at Stewart Scott International, and Deputy-Director: Environmental Management in the Mpumalanga Provincial Government. He was also the Director: Social and Ecological Services as well as Chief Director: Water Use at the then Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. Ruiters is a member of the International Association of Impact Assessment, the International Water Association and the Water Institute of South Africa.

CSIR Consulting and Analytical Services (CAS)
Gerhard Smith
Prior to his appointment as General Manager: CSIR Consulting and Analytical Services in 2007, Gerhard Smith held the position of CSIR Group Manager: Human Resources and Communication. His 20-year career at the CSIR has included management positions in areas as diverse as HR, business development and technology. He served as acting Director for CSIR Water, Environment and Forestry Technology and CSIR Mining Technology from 2002 to 2004. Smith has a BA in Industrial Psychology and is registered with the South African Board of Personnel Practice. He was the first member of support staff to receive a CSIR Top Achiever Award.

CSIR Defence, Peace, Safety and Security
Andre Nepgen
On joining the CSIR in 1983, Andre Nepgen initially specialised in the design and development of piezoelectric transducer systems. During that time, he obtained his Master's in electronic engineering from the University of Stellenbosch on the subject of sonar array design. In 1987, Nepgen established the sensor systems group at the CSIR, focusing on the development of electro-acoustic and fibre-optic sensors for defence and commercial markets in South Africa and abroad. In 1998, Nepgen became manager of the defence electronics programme, which operated as a defence research institute for the South African Department of Defence in the field of electronics and information systems. In 2001, Nepgen was appointed Executive Director of the CSIR Defencetek Division, the technology partner and advisor to the Department of Defence, providing support to the South African defence and related industries and engaged in specialist international projects and partnerships. CSIR Defencetek became the core of the current CSIR Defence, Peace, Safety and Security Unit, broadening the CSIR's involvement to peace support, state and human security and crime reduction. Nepgen is Executive Director of this CSIR unit.

CSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing
Dr Liesbeth Botha
Dr Liesbeth Botha joined the CSIR on 1 August 2008 as Executive Director: CSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing. She qualified as an electronics engineer in 1983. For her PhD studies at Carnegie Mellon University in the USA, she developed an optical computer utilising holograms and lasers. Liesbeth spent 13 years at the University of Pretoria as a professor in electronics and computer engineering before joining Stellenbosch University (SU) as a professor in electrical and electronic engineering and Manager: Innovation. In 2005, she became the Executive Director: Innovation and Commercialisation. In this role, her responsibilities included innovation on the campus (and especially technological innovation such as the e-Campus initiative), and innovation to the outside world through the commercialisation of intellectual capital of the SU.

She was a Director of Unistel Group Holdings (Pty) Ltd, the holding company for SU's investment in spin-out companies; USB-BO (the SU Business School's company); Venfin, a venture capital company that invests in technology companies; and others.

She is a member of the Council of the University of Pretoria and the Chairperson of the South African Intellectual Property (IP) Fund, which invests in very early stage companies based on South African IP. She also serves on advisory boards of the Meraka Institute, the CHPC (SA's Centre for High Performance Computing), the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and IT of the University of Pretoria and the Carl and Emily Fuchs Institute for Microelectronics.

CSIR Meraka Institute
Laurens Cloete
Laurens Cloete joined the CSIR as a bursar in 1991. As a researcher in the then division for microelectronics and communication technology, he was awarded two patents relating to radio frequency identification (RFID) systems. Cloete moved through the ranks, first as a project manager, and then later he became a programme manager. He was appointed as acting Executive Director of the CSIR Meraka Institute in 2010 and was officially appointed in this position in December 2011. Cloete obtained a Master’s degree in electronic engineering (microelectronics) from the University of Pretoria (UP) in 1993. He serves on a number of boards and advisory structures, including the board of the SoftStartBTI incubator and the UP Department of Computer Science advisory panel. He has been involved in a number of national strategic processes and, in particular, played a significant role in the development of the ICT R&D and Innovation Strategy of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

CSIR Modelling and Digital Science
Dr Motodi Maserumule
Dr Motodi Maserumule was appointed Executive Director of the CSIR Modelling and Digital Science operating unit in 2009, after acting in this capacity since the unit’s inception in April 2008. Maserumule’s area aids the CSIR in extending its capacity to deliver on its mandate by increasing focus on advanced mathematical modelling and simulation, information security, mobile intelligent autonomous systems, as well as artificial and computational intelligence with the sole purpose of improving quality of life. He joined the CSIR in 1999 as a senior researcher in the Defence Aeronautics Programme shortly after obtaining his PhD in mathematics from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York. Maserumule received the RPI’s Joaquim B. Diaz Prize for the most outstanding research in mathematics at PhD level. While working with the flutter research team in the Defence Aeronautics Programme he discovered a closed form solution to a problem that had baffled scientists for over seven decades. This feat earned him the CSIR President’s Award in 2005 and he was appointed head of Aeronautic Systems in CSIR Defence Peace Safety and Security in the same year. Maserumule is an alumnus of the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he completed the Mastering Technology Enterprise programme in 2008.

CSIR Natural Resources and the Environment
Vacant

CSIR’s implementation initiatives
Johan le Roux
As Interim Executive Director for the CSIR’s implementation initiatives, Johan le Roux oversees the operations of the following in collaboration with the respective managers: Strategic Initiatives Implementation Unit; Enterprise Creation for Development; Consulting and Analytical Services; and the Centre for Mining Innovation. He joined the CSIR in 1990 and subsequently held a number of positions, including that of acting Executive Director and Operations Manager for CSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing; project and programme manager for SMME development at the former CSIR Textile Technology, and business development manager at CSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing. . He was the founder and key contributor to the development and establishment of various SME and industry development programmes. He serves on the board of the Automotive Industry Development Centre. He is a former board member of the national Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA); the National Manufacturing Advisory Centre of SA; the Eastern Cape Manufacturing Advisory Centre; Godisa Furniture Incubator and the Community Self Employment Centre (Eastern Cape). He also served as interim director of the National Cleaner Production Centre during its establishment phase. Le Roux holds qualifications in agricultural science, botany and zoology, as well as advanced management and leadership qualifications from local and international institutions. He is the recipient of two CSIR Top Achiever Awards and various unit-level Achiever Awards.