The New South Institute (NSI) is proud to announce the formation of its new board, a group of eminent scholars and practitioners who will bring their diverse expertise and experiences to help improve governance and decision-making within the NSI. This development underscores the NSI’s dedication to fostering an environment where knowledge production and policy analysis can thrive, all with a focus on the global south.

The board will provide the NSI with valuable insights and guidance, drawing from their technical expertise and personal experiences to help us improve our governance practices and enable our executive board to make better decisions.

The distinguished members of the NSI Board are:

Adebayo Olukoshi: With over 35 years of experience in international relations, governance, and human rights, Olukoshi has held key positions within intergovernmental institutions and academia. He has served as the Director for Africa and West Asia at International IDEA, and has held leadership roles in the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) and the African Governance Institute (AGI).

Ivor Chipkin: The co-founder and director of the NSI, Chipkin has had a distinguished career as a public affairs researcher, most notably founding and directing the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI). Chipkin has written extensively on South African politics and state capture, with his latest book, The Shattered Vessel, slated for release in 2023.

Jelena Vidojević: A co-founder of the NSI and an expert on comparative and global social policy, Vidojević has worked as an Assistant Professor of Social Policy at the University of Belgrade and has been a visiting researcher at numerous universities worldwide. She focuses on welfare reforms in South Africa, including the Universal Basic Income Grant, and aims to expand the field of comparative public policy.

Martha Ngoye: As an attorney of the High Court of South Africa, Ngoye has an extensive background in corporate law, working for prestigious law firms and major banks before joining the civil service. She has been a staunch advocate against corruption in her roles at Transnet and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA).

Pratap Mehta: A renowned political theorist and academic with extensive policy experience in India, Mehta has held positions at prestigious institutions such as Harvard University, Ashoka University, and the Center for Policy Research in Delhi. He has also served on India’s Prime Minister Knowledge Commission and National Security Advisory Board.

Taibat Lawanson: A professor of Urban Management and Governance at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, Lawanson is a leading researcher on the intersection of social complexities, urban realities, and spatial justice in Africa. She is a member of the editorial/advisory committees of various urban studies journals and serves on the international advisory committee of UNHABITAT’s flagship ‘State of the World’s Cities’.

Together, these accomplished individuals will help guide the NSI towards more robust governance and decision-making, enriching the organisation’s capacity to promote conversations and reflections on public action from a South African, African, and global south perspective.