Directors

Independent Directors

Mr Douw van der Walt

Chairperson, FPD Group & Health Science Academy

B.Com, CAIB (SA), MBL, AEP (UNISA), TGM (INSEAD), PGCHE (Pret)

Year Joined: 2002
Age: 55 - 65

Douw Gerbrand van der Walt stands out as a formidable leader in business and education, whose illustrious career encompasses significant contributions to banking, finance, management development, and higher education. As the current Chairman of the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) Group of Companies and the Health Science Academy (Pty) Ltd, Douw applies his extensive experience and strategic acumen to steer these organizations towards fulfilling their mission of enhancing human capital in South Africa and internationally.
With a career that extends over two decades in various non-executive directorial roles, Douw has honed a deep understanding of corporate governance, strategic oversight, and financial stewardship across diverse sectors. His journey in the financial sector began in the trenches of retail banking, eventually ascending to prominent executive positions in Corporate and Investment Banking. During this time, he played a pivotal role in spearheading innovative financial strategies, enhancing operational efficiencies, and promoting sustainable growth practices within major banking institutions, both locally and internationally.
Transitioning from finance to academia marked a pivotal turn in Douw’s career, reflecting his passion for knowledge and mentorship. As an academic, he has imparted his vast knowledge of banking and finance through lectures and management programs aimed at university students, nurturing a new generation of professionals equipped to face the dynamic challenges of the financial industry.
Douw’s commitment to excellence and professional development is also evident in his consultancy roles, where his expert advice is frequently sought after by various industries. His strategic foresight, coupled with a profound grasp of market dynamics and corporate governance, makes him an invaluable asset to organizations aiming to navigate the complexities of today's economic environment.
As the chairperson of FPD and its subsidiary Health Science Academy, Douw continues to champion the advancement of professional development, research and system strengthening. His leadership is characterized by a commitment to excellence, mentorship, and the enhancement of capacities that drive significant growth across various professional fields. Under his guidance, both institutions strive to set benchmarks in educational standards and professional growth, empowering a broad spectrum of professionals to achieve their potential and contribute meaningfully to their industries and communities.

Mrs Ida Asia

B.Cur (Hons), MA (Nursing),
MBL

Year Joined: 2005
Age: 55 - 65

Ms Ida Asia is the Managing Director of Jhpiego South Africa and serves on the FPD board of directors. Previously Ms Asia worked in the Save the Children UK, Pretoria, South Africa as a Health Advisor for 2 years. As a Managing Director Jhpiego South Africa, Ms Ida Asia provides overall strategic direction, managerial guidance and oversight, cultivates strategic relationships and works very closely with the Ministry of Health and Social Development, partners and other stakeholders. She is responsible for coordinating activity programming, action plan formulation and presentation of Jhpiego South Africa’s financial oversight and business development activities. Ms Asia has more than 21 years of dynamic leadership experience in the health field in South Africa. She has cultivated an intimate knowledge of the South African health system through her work as a Clinical trainer, and in Human Resources and Technical Management capacities. She has contributed to health systems strategies and held senior management positions focusing on health systems development within a number of national and international organisations.

Directors Representing Shareholders

Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa

MBCHB (UKZN), Dip Occhealth, (UKZN), Certified Chair Certificate at Directors Association

Year Joined: 2022
Age: 35 - 45

Chairman of the South African Medical Association (SAMA), general medical practitioner and occupational health practitioner in private practice.

Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa is a General Practitioner and he has been practicing at a private practice in Durban for more than 10 years. He obtained his Medical degree (MBChB) and a Diploma in Occupational Health from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

He is currently studying towards a Masters of Science in Diabetes at Warwick University, Ireland. Dr Mzukwa is a Medical Ethics Committee (MEC) member, a Socio-Medical Affairs (SMAC) member and a Review Committee Member of the World Medical Association (WMA). He has also served in the WMA council.

Dr Mohammed Abbas

MBChB (UCT), FCFP (SA), Dip Palliative Medicine (UCT) C.I.M.E. (A.B.I.M.E.)

Year Joined: 2011
Age: 55 - 65

Dr Mohammed Abbas is a Director at FPD and owns a private practice opened in 1992 to date. His professional career kicked off in 1989 where he worked as an Intern at Groote Schuur Hospital. He then worked as a SHO at Somerset Hospital for 6 months before going to Red Cross Children’s Hospital. In 1991, Dr Mohammed was working as a SHO at Groote Schuur Hospital prior to opening his own practice. Dr Mohammed received his MBChB and MCFP (SA) at University of Cape Town. Dr Mohammed has been a member of professional medical associations; he was the Treasurer of the SAMA Cape Town for 4 years prior to being the Secretary of the DAFA. He was then afforded the opportunity to be the Treasurer of DAFA. Amongst other memberships he held, He was also a board member and a Chairman of Finance committee at SAMA for 3 years.

Executive Directors

Dr Gustaaf Wolvaardt

Managing Director

MBChB (Pret), M.Med (Int) (Pret), FCP (SA), AMP (MBS) PGCHE (Pret)

Year Joined: 2000
Age: 55 - 65

Dr Gustaaf Wolvaardt is an internal medicine specialist with additional qualifications in management and education and renowned global public health expert. He served as the 1st South African Health Attache, based in Geneva, tasked with normalizing South Africa’s relationship in the post-apartheid era. In this position he initiated several public health programmes in South Africa including oral rehydration, Hepatitis B vaccination, the National Cancer registry and the Tuberculosis DOTS programme. He also drafted the resolution whereby the World Health Organization (WHO) declared violence a leading worldwide public health problem in 1996 through resolution WHA49.25. He was also intimately involved in establishing UNAIDS and was the elected Interim Chairperson of the 3rd session of the Programme Co-ordination Board of UNAIDS in 1996.
He is the Founder and Managing Director of the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD), a role he has held since its inception in 1997. Under his leadership, FPD has spearheaded numerous large-scale projects funded by USAID and CDC, focusing on critical health issues such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, gender-based violence, mental health and system strengthening in education and health sectors. FPDs HIV/AIDS programme supported the initiation of over 1,1 million people on live saving AIDS treatment and conducted over 12 million HIV tests.
A pivotal figure in the professionalization of health management and leadership, especially in Africa, Dr Wolvaardt through FPDs Business School launched one of the continent’s largest health leadership development initiatives. His programs have successfully trained over 6,000 health managers from 13 countries, enhancing the capacity of senior health leaders including offering prestigious programmes in collaboration with Yale School of Public Health and Alliance Manchester Business School. Currently he is leading a global initiative to increase access to high quality affordable transformational leadership development through asynchronous online education. FPD is also a leader in professional development and has more than 600 000 alumni across 110 countries.
Dr Wolvaardt is deeply committed to the advancement of civil society organizations both in Africa and globally. He is a founding member of several key organizations, including the International Society for Violence and Injury Prevention, AIDS Accountability International, the South African Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse, the South African Institute of Health Care Managers, and the World Medical Association (African Region). He has significantly contributed to the growth of the International AIDS Society by developing their Conference Department and supporting the establishment of the Association for Social Sciences and Humanities in AIDS.
Dr Wolvaardt is frequently invited to discuss topics such as fundraising, sustainability of membership organizations, health systems strengthening, health professions education, and the use of technology in system enhancement at national and international conferences. He has served on numerous national and international advisory boards, including the South African National Commission of the Lancet Global Health Commission on High Quality Health Systems in the SDG Era, and the Academy of Sciences of South Africa's study panel on health workforce education. His extensive governance experience includes serving on 9 Boards of Directors.

Dr Gloria Maimela

Deputy CEO

MBBCH (Wits); MBA (GIBS)

Year Joined: 2024
Age: 45 - 55

Dr Gloria Maimela is a Medical Doctor with vast experience in HIV treatment and prevention programming and recently climate change and health. She holds a Bachelor of Nursing degree, a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, a Diploma in HIV Management and a master’s in business administration (MBA). Dr Maimela is currently a member of the Dira Sengwe Board. She hosted the 10th SAAIDS virtual conference in 2020 and was also nominated to chair the 11th SAAIDS conference in 2023. Dr Maimela is also a member of the Africa Telehealth Collaboration steering committee that seeks to address barriers to the expansion of telehealth in South Africa and the rest of the African region.