Rhodes 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 announces 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards recipients
Date Released: Tue, 9 September 2025 08:24 +0200Rhodes 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sizwe Mabizela, announced the 2025 recipients of the coveted Distinguished Alumni Award at the Annual General Meeting of Convocation on Saturday, 06 September 2025. These individuals have significantly contributed to their respective fields and upheld the university’s academic excellence and leadership legacy.
Prof Mabizela says the recipients of these awards have all demonstrated leadership by contributing immensely to their professional fields, the 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 and their communities. He thanked them for upholding the valid values of a Rhodes 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 graduate and for flying the 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 flag with pride, honour and distinction.
The recipients of the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards are:
Professor Michael Davies-Coleman
Professor Michael Davies-Coleman is a distinguished South African academic and an Emeritus Professor of Organic Chemistry at Rhodes 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网. He is also an Extraordinary Professor and former Dean of Natural Sciences at the 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 of the Western Cape (UWC). His research is focused on the biodiscovery of natural products, particularly from marine organisms in Southern African oceans, with the goal of identifying new pharmaceuticals with anti-cancer and anti-bacterial properties. A recipient of both the Rhodes 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 Vice-Chancellor's Distinguished Research Award and the Teaching Award, he has published over 100 research articles and has supervised over 25 postgraduate students. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa and the South African Institute of Chemistry.
Mr John Andrew Donald
A renowned figure in South African sports administration, John Donald is a prominent alumnus of Rhodes 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网, where he successfully advocated for sports funding initiatives. He later served as the Director of Sport and Recreation at the 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 of Cape Town (UCT), where he managed new facilities. Donald was a key leader in post-apartheid sports unification, chairing the Tertiary Sports Conference Commission (TSCC), which laid the groundwork for the South African Student Sports Union (SASSU). Concurrently, he was the founding president of the Western Province Hockey Union (WPHU), where he courageously implemented a quota system to transform the sport. For his contributions, he was honoured as a "Sporting Legend" and received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Professor Steve Olivier
Professor Steve Olivier is a prominent leader in higher education and the current Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Robert Gordon 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 (RGU) in Aberdeen, Scotland. A Rhodes 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 alumnus, he began his career at institutions including Rhodes 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 and the 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 of Cape Town. He then held senior positions at several UK universities, including Abertay 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 and the 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 of the West of Scotland, before taking on his role at RGU in 2020.
A passionate advocate for the "curiosity imperative," Professor Olivier believes that a university's main purpose is to foster a spirit of inquiry in its students. He remains an active researcher with publications in applied ethics, particularly in the philosophy of sport and adventure activities. He also serves on various national educational bodies.
Mr Billy Eric Tom
Billy Eric Tom is a leading figure in the South African automotive industry, currently serving as the President and CEO of Isuzu Motors South Africa. Born in the Eastern Cape, he has an extensive and diverse background that includes over two decades of experience in the automotive, banking, and fast-moving consumer goods sectors.
Before his appointment at Isuzu in 2020, he held key leadership roles at companies such as General Motors and Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa. Mr. Tom holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Rhodes 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 and a Master of Business Leadership from UNISA. He is also the current President of the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (naamsa).
Rhodes 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 congratulates its latest Distinguished Alumni awardees and thanks them for flying the Rhodes 欧洲杯足球网_外围买球app推荐-投注|官网 flag high.
Source:The Division of Communication and Advancement