Capitec CEO recipient of USB’s Alumnus of the Year award

Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie was named Alumnus of the Year 2019 by the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB).

The award is the highest honour given to alumni of USB on behalf of the Alumni Association and formally recognises alumni who have excelled as responsible leaders in the private or public sector, or in an entrepreneurial venture.

Prof Piet Naudé, USB Director, says: “Gerrie has played a key role in expanding Capitec’s role as a socially conscious financial institution and this resonates well with USB’s vision to create value for a better world. His achievements are testimony of his significant impact on the global business environment.”

Fourie has been with the financial institution since it was established in 2001 and has been in the CEO position for the past six years. Under his leadership Capitec received JSE Top 100 Company Awards in 2018 and 2019 and received a top spot for South Africa’s Best Digital Bank in 2019 in the annual InSites-Consulting report on customer satisfaction with digital banking services in South Africa. He was also named the 2019 Business Leader of the Year by Sunday Times.

Asked about what this award means to him, Fourie says: “Receiving an award from an institution like the USB is a great honour and privilege and always inspires me to pay the gesture forward. No man is an island and an award like this comes with the dedication and support of my wider team who diligently work alongside me to create the Capitec of tomorrow.”

He did his MBA degree at the business school and says, “the MBA helps me to view the business holistically as well as understand the intricacies of the different parts that together make a successful business”.

In an interview with the CEO Magazine last year, he said the following on his leadership style: “Ultimately, to keep people inspired, all you have to do is make sure they understand the reason behind what they’re doing.”

Previous winners of the award include Dr Shaun Vorster, Vice President: Strategy and Business Integration for Programming at Expo 2020 Dubai and Vuyani Jarana, former CEO of South African Airways (SAA).

The award will be presented at a gala event at a later stage.