Following the departure of Portia Derby five months ago as the chief executive officer of Transnet, minister of public enterprise Pravin Gordhan has appointed Michelle Phillips as the new boss of the entity.
Phillips, who has been acting since Derby left, was appointed alongside new chief financial officer Nosipho Maphumulo.
The minister said the appointments are critical in bringing about stability in the state-owned entity which has been surrounded by challenges and inability to carry its mandate.
Critical appointments in key positions
“These are critical appointments which represent our steadfast commitment as government to equip Transnet with a competent and experienced executive leadership team to drive the strategic interventions that the board has put in place as part of the Transnet recovery plan,” he said.
According to Gordhan, there have been improvements in the performance of ports and rails while Phillips was acting as she leads the entire business operations and the leadership team.
“Phillips is well regarded by the market as a problem solver with good networks. She has a track record of being a team player and collaborator to achieve business objectives,” he said.
The department of public enterprise said Michelle has over 20 years of experience in Transnet in various roles and she knows what it takes to turn the business around.
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Highly accomplished leaders
Phillips held roles such as continuous improvement manager at Transnet National Ports Authority, regional legal and contracts manager at Transnet Port Terminals, and business unit executive at Pier 1 Container Terminal from 2001 to 2010.
Meanwhile, Gordhan said Maphumulo is a highly accomplished business leader, financial steward, operational strategist, change catalyst, and trusted advisor, offering extensive experience and providing sound financial and commercial guidance in complex and demanding environments.
“Transnet plays an important catalytic role in the South African economy. We are confident that these appointments will provide Transnet with the strategic direction and the ability to execute on its ongoing reforms, including the implementation of the provisions of the Freight Logistics Roadmap which envisages the granting of access for private rail operators soon,” Gordhan said.
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