Shirley will be sharing insights into strategy, culture and leadership, and will support shared value strategy.
Highly experienced human resources professional and former professor Dr Shirley Zinn has been appointed as the independent chairperson of the board of directors of the V&A Waterfront.
“I am truly honoured and excited to be joining the board of the V&A Waterfront as the chairperson. I look forward to working with the board in progressing the strategic direction of the V&A Waterfront,” she said.
David Green, CEO of V&A Waterfront, added, “We are delighted to welcome Dr Zinn to the V&A Waterfront. She brings with her vast experience at a board level and we look forward to gaining from her insights into our business strategy, culture and leadership as we make progress in implementing a shared value strategy that supports innovation and job creation within our ecosystem.”
The mixed-used real estate is jointly owned by the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), which is represented by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), and Growthpoint Properties. Shirley will chair the board, which comprises Norbert Sasse (Growthpoint), Francois Marais (Growthpoint), Thulisa Mpuntshe (PIC) Amogelang Mocumi (PIC), Estienne de Klerk (Growthpoint) and Dr Renosi Mokate (GEPF).
During her career, Shirley has held human resources director positions at Reckitt Benckiser, SARS, Nedbank, Standard Bank and Woolworths. She has her own business, Shirley Zinn Consulting, and was an extraordinary professor of human resources management at University of Pretoria and recently completed her contract as an adjunct professor at University of Cape Town.
She has also served in prior board roles at DHL: Global Forwarding SA, Starfish Greathearts Foundation, Sygnia Asset Management, Institute of Bankers, Shoprite Holdings, the Board of Cricket South Africa and on the Council of the University of Cape Town.
She is currently a director on a number of boards, including Sanlam, MTN-SA, Afrocentric, AdvTech and Spur.
Shirley holds two master’s degrees, one from the University of the Western Cape, and one from Harvard, and a doctorate from Harvard. She is author of the book, Swimming Upstream, an autobiography focusing on her personal and professional journey.
