Dr de la Rey was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Council on Higher Education (CHE) from 1 May 2008 and before that served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Psychology at the University of Cape Town for a term of six years. She also served as the Executive Director: Research Promotion on secondment to the National Research Foundation (NRF) from 2000 to 2002.

Dr de la Rey has an outstanding record of scholarly achievement and leadership in the tertiary education environment. Thanks to the senior management positions she has held at the University of Cape Town, the NRF and the CHE, she has excellent in-depth knowledge and a strategic understanding of the higher education environment, including the challenges facing universities and the operational environment within which universities function.

Her peers recognize Dr de la Rey as a professional, hard working person of integrity who builds sound human relations.

In her declaration of intent, Dr de la Rey states that “there is a sound base from which an exciting future can be built to realise a vision to be South Africa’s leading academic institution renowned for the quality of its teaching and student life, outstanding research, diversity, innovation and public engagement.”

Futhi Mtoba (Mrs)
Chairperson of Council