Edith Vries

Edith Vries was appointed as Director General for the Department of Small Business Development of the Republic of South Africa in September 2015. She is a leading executive and international expert on organisational strategy, corporate governance, transformation, change and diversity management, people centred leadership and gender equality. As a highly regarded visionary and inspirational speaker, she balances impassioned and dynamic leadership with a well-articulated and erudite sense of strategy formulation, direction and implementation.

Edith has a proven track record of executive level leadership in the public, corporate and not-for-profit sector coupled with a distinguished academic tenure and accomplished research background as well as being a well-respected political activist. Edith has also represented the South African government at the highest levels both nationally and internationally, having led and presented national policy formulation at key multilateral forums. Edith has over the years successfully developed a deep understanding and intuitive practice of people and group dynamics at both organisational and individual level.

Her employment history includes Director General at the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF); Executive Head of the Independent Development Trust (IDT); Director of Community Development at the Department of Welfare; and Associate Professor at the University of the Western Cape. Edith holds varying degrees and qualifications from varying educational institutions over the world, and is well respected for her contributions within her field of study.