The Scholes Forum brings business leaders, policy makers, and distinguished academics to address the Chicago community on topics of current interest. Events are open to the public.
Event Details
Under the leadership of Nelson Mandela and his comrades, South Africa performed the miracle of a bloodless transition from apartheid to democracy. Today, it is a crucible in which the global issues, and South African challenges of inequality, unemployment and poverty—and economic restructuring—are being addressed with both successes and lessons.
The Myron Scholes Global Markets Forum is part of the Initiative on Global Markets (IGM) and is generously sponsored by Myron Scholes.
Registration
Register Online
If you are paying with a credit card, please register online. If you would like to pay with cash or check at the door, please email Jennifer Williams.
Deadline: 5/29/2017
Program
5:30 PM-6:00 PM: Cocktails / Registration
6:00 PM-7:00 PM: Lecture
Speaker Profiles
Pravin Gordhan (Speaker)
South African politician and former South African Finance Minister
Pravin Gordhan is an activist at heart. His involvement in the anti-apartheid struggle goes back to the 1970s and 1980s when he was an organiser in the student movement and a prominent leader in civic structures. After qualifying as a pharmacist in 1974, he worked at the Durban's King Edward VIII hospital till 1981 but was expelled by the hospital due to his involvement in resistance politics. He spent four years underground in the 1980s during which time he became involved in the South African Communist Party and African National Congress.
He played a pivotal role in South Africa's transition as an ANC participant in the multiparty talks at the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) and co-chair of the Transitional Executive Council. He chaired the Constitutional Committee, which had oversight over the implementation of the new Constitution, adopted in 1996. He continued to actively serve as an ANC MP until March 1998 when he joined SARS as Deputy Commissioner. He was appointed as Commissioner in November 1999. It is during the next decade that SARS was built into the reputable revenue service that is recognised world-wide, assisting the South African government to collect the resources it needed for its programmes.
In May 2009, he was appointed the Minister of Finance serving the country with distinction during his tenure. In May 2014, he was appointed the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, however, in December 2015; he was recalled to serve as the Minister of Finance and remained in this post till 30th March 2017. He served as member of the National Executive Committee in the African National Congress from December 2012.
Mr Gordhan is passionate about democracy, racial and gender equality and working to build a prosperous future for all in South Africa.
Questions
Jennifer Williams
773-702-6324