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Dr Chris Blair, previously CEO for 28 years, is currently Group Director at 21st Century, a leading management consultancy specialising in remuneration, reward, organisation design, change management, talent management, and people analytics. With over 28 years of experience advising more than 1,500 organisations locally and internationally, Chris is recognised as one of South Africa’s foremost experts in executive remuneration and governance.

He holds a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering (University of Witwatersrand), an MBA in Leadership and Sustainability (University of Cumbria), and a PhD in Management and Leadership (University of Lancaster), with a focus on CEO pay and the shift from shareholderism to stakeholderism. Chris is a Chartered HR Practitioner (SABPP), a Master Reward Specialist (SARA), and a Master with the Institute of Directors (IODSA).

His expertise spans executive pay and governance structures, ESG-linked incentives, remuneration strategy, and organisational development. Chris serves on multiple boards in both the Higher Education and Private sectors and is a frequent contributor to industry publications and the media.