The University community welcomes Dr Joe Molete's appointment as Welkom Campus Principal, who will join CUT on 1 June 2024. His appointment marks a significant strategic step in the expansion plan for the Welkom Campus. His leadership is expected to bring a renewed sense of direction and purpose, fostering a dynamic and thriving academic environment.

Dr Molete, our new Welkom Campus Principal, brings with him a wealth of experience. With over fifteen years in the research and technology commercialisation environment, a decade in the academic sector, and many years at the executive level, his track record speaks for itself. He has held esteemed positions such as Executive Director at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research/ CSIR Biosciences, Chief Executive Officer at BioPAD, and Portfolio Manager at Cape Biotech Trust (CBT).

He has also served in senior academic capacities in the sector. Notably, he was the Executive Director of the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) Science and Technology Park, as well as Campus Director of Midlands Campuses, Durban University of Technology (DUT).

His qualifications include a B.Sc. Life Sciences and B.Sc. (Honours) in Biochemistry from the University of the Witwatersrand. He also has an M.S. in Biology from Howard University, Washington D.C., USA, and a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Penn State University, University Park, PA, USA. Dr Molete has also obtained a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Cape Town and an Advanced Management Programme (AMP) from Harvard Business School, Boston, USA. 

Furthermore, Dr Molete is a sought-after motivational speaker, executive coach, and workshop facilitator. He previously founded the Dr Joe High-Performance Academy in order to share his wealth of knowledge with leaders and entrepreneurs.