University of Pretoria (UP) Vice-Chancellor Professor Cheryl de la Rey was named the winner in the education category of the Businesswoman of the Year Awards for 2017 by the Businesswomen's Association of South Africa at a ceremony in Sandton last week.

'I am humbled and honoured to receive this award from the Businesswomen's Association of South Africa. I have worked to develop women's leadership potential throughout my career and to show that leadership does not have to be masculine in order to be effective. This award is a significant vote of confidence,' said Prof De la Rey.

Prof De la Rey was appointed Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UP in 2009. Since then, she has worked to advance transformation and maintain UP's status as a leading research and teaching university in South Africa. UP has a majority black student body and 57% of staff members are female, as well as a majority of postgraduate students.

She is the chairperson of the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI), vice-chairperson of the Talloires Network, an association of institutions committed to strengthening the civic roles and social responsibilities of higher education, and the African co-chairperson of the Australia-Africa Universities Network. In addition, she serves on a number of national and international boards and committees.

She is a registered psychologist and has published books and journal articles in this discipline. She is a fellow of the Psychological Association of South Africa, as well as the Royal Society of South Africa and the Academy of Science of South Africa.

Prior to her appointment at UP, Prof De la Rey was the CEO of the Council on Higher Education, deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Cape Town, and executive director at the National Research Foundation.