When Louis du Preez arrived at Stellenbosch University (SU) in 1990, it was his first visit to the town. Fresh from completing his compulsory military service and growing up in Pinetown outside Durban, he stepped into an unfamiliar environment that would soon become central to his life.

“I didn’t even know the residences on campus,” he recalls. “I ended up in Simonsberg by pure accident, it was just a name and a piece of paper given to me.” 

That accident was the start of a lasting relationship. His two brothers later joined him in Simonsberg and Stellenbosch quickly became home for Du Preez, shaping friendships that endure to this day and placing him at the heart of a university navigating the turbulent early years of South Africa’s democracy.

“It was the dawn of the new South Africa,” he says. “I think most people were probably quite unsure how all of this would unfold … but in a typical student fashion, we just got on with it.”

Du Preez would go on to serve as primarius of Simonsberg residence, a member of the Student Representative Council (SRC) and SRC chair in 1994. In that role he sat on Council as an ex officio member, making his recent election a return to familiar ground.

Nominated by the Electoral College of Donors, SU’s donor constituency, Du Preez was unanimously elected to serve a four-year term on Council from 2 April 2026.

Navigating complexity and competing voices

Du Preez’s professional life has been shaped by law, corporate governance and leadership in complex environments. After qualifying as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa, he became a partner at Jan S de Villiers and later served on the national executive committee of Werksmans Attorneys.

In mid-2017, he joined Steinhoff International as General Counsel. Within months, the company’s accounting irregularities were exposed, triggering one of South Africa’s most significant corporate crises. Faced with the choice of stepping away or staying on, he chose to dive into the storm.

He went on to serve as Commercial Director and, from 1 January 2019, International Group CEO, helping to steer the company through a prolonged restructuring process. The business has since been reconstituted as Ibex Holdings, where he continues as Group CEO. The recovery from the initial Steinhoff implosion has been hailed internationally as an example of excellent corporate crisis management.

Looking back, Du Preez describes the ups and downs as both demanding and formative. “It’s been hard to deal with conflict you didn’t create. You would walk into a meeting and people would leave the room. But it’s been a fascinating experience. It’s like doing two MBAs at the same time, but you just don’t have time to study!” 

For du Preez, one of the most valuable lessons from this period is about leadership in contested spaces – an approach he believes will translate to his role on Council. “You’re always going to have many conflicting views and opinions around the table,” he says. “People often feel extremely strongly about their views … You have to try and give everyone the opportunity to speak their mind.”

But he’s quick to add that leadership requires decisiveness. “You can never please everyone,” he stresses. “If you’re part of a leadership body, you must make a call and stick to it. You must be honest, transparent and take people on the journey with you.”

Family ties to SU’s excellence

Even though Du Preez’s career has unfolded in high-pressure environments, his connection to Stellenbosch remains grounded in people and continuity. His wife, Prof Jacqueline Yeats, also a former Matie, is currently an Extraordinary Professor in Mercantile Law at SU. 

The couple has four children: Two of their sons are still studying at SU and the eldest graduated last year. Their daughter, now in Grade 11, is likely to also become a Matie in 2028. With such a full house, Du Preez says sleep has been a luxury. He’s often up before dawn to get some quiet time behind his computer. “In the mornings, Jackie gets coffee in bed before I wake up the rest of the family. We’re quite a close-knit bunch. The kids always have friends over, so it’s very seldom just the six of us at home.”

His sons’ diverse friend groups and positive experiences at SU are clearly a source of joy to Du Preez. “When I speak to my kids, they are very happy at Stellenbosch University. They’ve been fortunate to travel overseas and be part of international exchanges, and they tell all their mates Stellenbosch is one of the best places in the world to study.”

He describes the University as being in a “very fortunate position”, able to attract top students and staff in a competitive higher education environment. “What is the most important asset of any organisation? Its people. And Stellenbosch is in a fantastic position in that excellent people want to go there.”

At the same time, he is clear-eyed about the challenges facing universities, particularly around funding and governance. “The big challenge for universities is funding, and it’s not just a South African issue,” he points out. “These same debates are happening at many universities all over the world.”

For him, the balance between public accountability and private support must be handled with care. Transparency, he argues, is key, even when decisions prove imperfect in hindsight.

Giving back to his alma mater

Du Preez’ decision to accept nomination to Council was guided less by ambition than by a sense of responsibility. “Accepting this position is part of giving back to an institution that’s given me so much,” he says, recalling a conversation with his wife. 

He sees SU’s Council as an oversight body tasked with long-term stewardship. “It’s not the job of Council to run the University, it’s the job of the executives,” he states.

As SU looks ahead to its Vision 2040, Du Preez emphasises the importance of stability alongside change – of balancing competing expectations while maintaining institutional strength. It’s clear he’s excited about contributing creative solutions to tough challenges. “At the end of the day, if everyone at a university agrees with each other, then we all go backwards,” he says with a smile.

More than three decades after first arriving – by accident – at Simonsberg residence, his return to Council reflects not only professional experience, but a longstanding relationship with an institution he cares for deeply.