The South African Business School Association (SABSA) has appointed Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) Dean, Professor Nicola Kleyn as its new President.

SABSA represents South African business schools that offer locally and internationally accredited MBA programmes. The organisation provides support by facilitating information, skills and expertise among business schools and assisting in developing the business education sector in line with local and international standards, while promoting excellence in business and management education in Africa. Member schools elect the president.

Professor Kleyn said, 'I look forward to serving SABSA members and the broader community. The organisation has made significant progress in the last few years under the stewardship of recent presidents Professor Owen Skae of Rhodes Business School and Professor Steve Bluen of Wits Business School.'

Kleyn, who was appointed as Dean at GIBS in April 2015, is widely published in a number of academic journals on the topics of business ethics, branding and reputation management. Prior to joining GIBS in 2000, Kleyn headed up the learning and development function at Investec Bank. During the 1990s she also spent time as a lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand's School of Economic and Business Studies. Kleyn holds a BCom (Hons) and an MBA from the University of the Witwatersrand, and a DBA from the University of Pretoria.

The Executive Director of SABSA, Dr Millard Arnold said, 'The aim of SABSA is to support our members in maintaining world-class standards, thereby helping their management students lead world-class businesses and contribute to the country's economy. We get the best people on board to help us accomplish this. I am confident that Nicola will step up to the challenge of the new role and help us deliver on our mandate.'