Prof. Alex Antonites

Prof Alex Antonites is currently the Head of the Department of Business Management at the University of Pretoria, as well as adjunct faculty on the Gordon Institute of Business Sciences (Gibs). Alex established the UP Business Incubator that is currently churning a number of new innovative start-up spinoffs as well as heading the Mamelodi Business Clinic (an informal sector business incubator). He strives to implement the principles of the Entrepreneurial University by leading the Entrepreneurship section of UP’s Work readiness and Entrepreneurship (WrEn). This program to date supported 5200 potential student entrepreneurs with The Entrepreneurs’ Organization’s Global Student Entrepreneur Awards winner after the first year of implementation. He also steered the South African SMME Support Portal that offers specialised support to entrepreneurs during the COVID pandemic. He is also directly involved in the world of entrepreneurship with an extreme passion to facilitate the entrepreneurial process on a scientific and applied basis. Alex won an international award with his CIO model (Entrepreneurial Creativity, Innovation and Opportunity finding). Several papers were presented and published within the context of entrepreneurship.

Prof Antonites published extensively in both international and local scientific journals and presented more than 30 papers at academic and related conferences. His research lens embraces entrepreneurial creativity and innovation and recently contributing to the Entrepreneurial University body of knowledge. He also contributed to more than ten textbooks used across Southern Africa. Alex was furthermore involved in an array of technical reports based on contract research and consultation for both private and public sectors. He is also Chief editor of the Southern African Journal for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management (SAJESBM).

His current involvement (both on shareholding and non-executive director level) covers an array of industries. His core field of specialization is entrepreneurial creativity and innovation and led many organizations to the next level of performance, in both public and private sector environments. He is currently a non-executive director of the ZZ2 Group and TuksNovation and a member of the University of Pretoria’s Council. Prof Antonites is currently also involved, on an institutional level, in several committees and teams to enhance the entrepreneurial university strategy (including TuksNovation; Future Africa Strategic Group; Steering Committee of the Centre for Entrepreneurship; National SMME Support Portal; UNDP – UP Technical team, Entrepreneurship).