SPAR Eastern Cape Divisional Managing Director, Siyolo Dick, has been elected president of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber.
Dick pledged to lead the drive to unlock and connect Nelson Mandela Bay’s advantages that position the metro as Africa’s Bay of Opportunity, with potential to be a diverse manufacturing and exports hub for the African continent, according to a recent statement by the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber.
He succeeds civil engineer, Loyiso Dotwana, chair of the NAKO Group, who handed over the reins at a board meeting on June 12. Dotwana, who has served the allowed term as president, moves into the Immediate Past President role to ensure continuity of the chamber’s strategic direction.
Dick (46) said the Business Chamber was a key player in providing the metro’s diverse businesses with “a collective voice at the table”, to influence positive change and promote the best interests of business, as generators of investment and employment.
“It is a privilege to be trusted to lead organised business in a pivotal time of change and challenges, as well as opportunities.
“Nelson Mandela Bay has strong advantages in two ports, a strategic geo-location, and the nodes of intermodal logistics connectivity, albeit in need of improvement. We have a strong base in manufacturing and advanced technology, backed up with a skilled labour pool and capabilities in research and innovation support.
“We are a metro of manageable size and have a fantastic natural environment for tourism and leisure, conservation, and leveraging into a green economy.
“The opportunities and advantages are in front of us, and I am looking forward to playing a role in unleashing the potential of this metro and its people,” he said.
NMB Business Chamber Chief Executive, Denise van Huyssteen, said she looked forward to working with Dick to unlock the potential of the Bay of Opportunity, in order to retain and attract investment and employment.
She paid tribute to Dotwana, who has served on the Board since 2017 and led the organisation on a reinvention path of business activism and a progressive approach to offering solutions, including taking positive action to improve the enabling environment for business.
“Loyiso has focused strongly on ensuring that the chamber is relevant to business in the issues that we pursue, in the results delivered, and in the services that we provide to our members.
“He is an excellent facilitator of collaboration, and a sharp strategist who has been instrumental in the reinvention of the Business Chamber as a relevant and active voice of business. We are fortunate that he will still be contributing his strategic thinking and active involvement to the chamber,” said Van Huyssteen.
Dick was a deputy president of the chamber before his election to the president’s seat.
He chairs the Perseverance Business Association, a chamber-supported initiative that has united businesses in the area to tackle basic service delivery problems hampering business and manufacturing operations. Their successful interventions include protecting the local substation against vandalism and theft, and moving the municipality to address issues such as potholes and non-operating streetlights.
Van Huyssteen said the Perseverance businesses’ collective efforts were a trailblazing initiative leading to other businesses in the metro following suit, and the formation of 11 geographic business clusters to date.
“Siyolo exemplifies the unique commitment of NMB businesses to rolling up their sleeves and offering solutions and resources to make a meaningful difference, rather than the old approach of just complaining from the sidelines.
“I am looking forward to working with him to strengthen the chamber’s membership base and collaborative partnerships, both locally and nationally,” she said.
KwaNobuhle-born-and-raised, Dick holds a BTech in Human Resources and an MBA degree from Nelson Mandela University. His was the youngest-ever appointment to a divisional executive position in SPAR Eastern Cape, and he has led award-winning teams in the company.
He served as SPAR Eastern Cape Divisional Human Resources Executive, Divisional Information Technology Executive, and Divisional Distribution Executive, before being appointed to his current position as Managing Director of SPAR Eastern Cape in 2022.
At its first board meeting following the chamber’s Annual General Meeting on June 6, the board also welcomed newly-elected members, Nomfundo Faltein, Andre Keet, Thuto Maepa, and Siya Mthembu.
Kelvin Naidoo of Auto-X continues as deputy president, and lead for the chamber’s key forward-looking Local Economy Reinvention Think Tank, while BDO Partner, Siya Mthembu, takes over from Gugu Nxiweni of the Improvate Group as treasurer.
