Former Statistician General, Dr Pali Lehohla, joins 22 on Sloane as a Research Resident Advisor from the 1st of March 2018. Dr Lehohla was at the helm of Statistics South Africa for almost seventeen years. At 22 on Sloane, his role will include, but not limited to:
- Train, guide and mentor the team of researchers working with startups at Sloane
- Co-author an annual research on the state of entrepreneurship in Africa with the team at Sloane
- Support the research team at Sloane in their work with various private and public sector on the African continent
- Host Masterclass sessions with the startup residents once a month looking at data and trends in their various sectors
- Speaking from his office at 22 on Sloane, Dr Lehohla expressed his excitement in coming into the campus.
“I am very thrilled to be here. I am not a business man but I think I can help business people with information that will help them thrive. The vibrancy and energy in this environment is addictive and I look forward to engaging young people in this space and adding as much value as I can”
Jonathan Ortmans, president of GEN, said, “Dr. Pali Lehohla not only possesses a great deal of knowledge of the underlying factors challenging the growth of new businesses, but it was clear to me the first time we met that he has an extraordinary, almost magical talent for communicating it in a way relevant to those looking to start and scale. Engaging him as a mentor to startups while contributing to research being conducted by our team at 22 on Sloane is further proof that Kizito Okechukwu, co-chair of GEN Africa, is already making tremendous strides in supporting the spread of entrepreneurship throughout the continent.”
Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu, described the appointment of Dr Pali Lehohla as good news for all entrepreneurs in South Africa and the entire continent. “I am confident that entrepreneurs will benefit enormously from his sharp intellect and extraordinary ability to utilise data as a tool of planning and decision-making. We are confident that effective use of information and research will ultimately contribute to the growth, sustainability and success of emerging enterprises”, said Minister Zulu.
