Who we are
RiskRecon is a partnership between Dr KLM Makhubela and Dr Petrus de Kock. The partners have extensive experience in the public, private, academic, and non-governmental sectors.
RiskRecon deals not just with risk, but, how conditions of hyper-complexity, and change (that may pose risks), can be turned into new thinking and ultimately opportunities.
Their professional ‘partnership’ goes back many years, when Dr KLM Makhubela joined Brand South Africa, as Chief Executive Officer, an SOE located in the Presidency of the Republic of South Africa. Dr de Kock was General Manager for Research, at the time.
They quickly discovered, though, that beyond their official duties and capacities of CEO and GM, they have a unique intellectual connection, a major shared interest in both the academic- and practical real-world policy realms of Political Science, International Relations, and contemporary diplomacy & geopolitics.
While in those ‘official’ capacities, they quickly found common interest in the intricate dynamics that impact on national and corporate/business strategy, policy, and reputation. This common interest in the extent to which policy positions, diplomatic actions, or corporate communications/marketing, can make or break the reputation of a nation or corporation, is what brought them, since both departed from Brand South Africa, to pool their knowledge, resources, networks, and expertise to create RiskRecon.
It is through a convergence of their personal, intellectual, practical political, and professional interests, that they decided to create RiskRecon, as platform through which they can help solve challenges clients experience as a result of hyper-complexity, and uncertainty.
Who are the RiskRecon Partners?
Dr KLM Makhubela
Dr Makhubela started his career in international relations, as Head of the Security team of Oliver Reginald Tambo – leader of the African National Congress (ANC) in exile, at the age of twenty four. Carrying such a responsibility, at such a young age, is what prepared Dr Makhubela for a significant career serving the South African nation.
Dr Makhubela, born in Soweto, distinguished himself, after returning from exile, as senior civil servant, occupying critical positions such as – representing the ANC at the United Nations during the complex years of South Africa’s negotiations, he then served as Chief of State Protocol in the Mandela administration, he was posted as South Africa’s Ambassador to Portugal, and Kenya. Additionally, in his career he has served as Presidential Special Envoy for the Somali conflict.
In the latter case Dr Makhubela worked extensively in diplomatic efforts in conflict negotiation, mediation, and mitigation efforts in the war ravaged Somalia. Dr Makhubela brings a unique skill in terms of conflict mediation- and negotiation to RiskRecon, this is anchored in his fundamental belief in the importance of democratic transparency, and most importantly – the ability to engage in dialogue to create mutual understanding as foundation for conflict mitigation.
Dr Makhubela was also Director General of the national Department of Tourism, where his department consistently received clean audits (a major accomplishment in the South African state system).
Being a scholar, strategic, and practical solutions-driven thinker at heart, Dr Makhubela graduated with his PhD in Political Science from the University of Pretoria, while being CEO of Brand South Africa.
This achievement affirms his belief in the importance of knowledge, thorough research, which then creates the ability to make fact-based policy or strategic business decisions.
In the latter case it can comfortably said that Dr Makhubela has, and still advises Presidents, Cabinet ministers, and senior South African business and civil-society leaders on strategic issues.
Dr Petrus de Kock
Dr Petrus de Kock, on his part, started what was to become an action packed career, in Political Science, in 1995. In the nearly thirty years hence, he has distinguished himself as a prolific writer of academic/scientific research articles, media articles and analysis, and books – both fiction and non-fiction.
Dr de Kock has distinguished himself in academia in his earlier career. But, by the mid 2000s he had established himself as independent political risk consultant, analyst and advisor. In this time he was one of the only South African ‘researchers’ willing to put life and limb at risk to do hands-on, primary research, in rather interesting territories such as Southern Sudan, Darfur, Uganda, Rwanda, and the Eastern DRC – all focused on human security, conflict, geopolitical interests, and the strategic risk outlook of key African conflict ecosystems. In this time he worked with clients in the mining- and oil & gas sector across the African continent.
By 2010 Dr de Kock joined the South African Institute of International Affairs, where his research focused on the intersections between resource extraction (oil, gas, and mineral resources), African conflict zones/patterns, and geopolitical trends.
By 2012 he joined Brand South Africa, and there, a few years hence, met what was (unbeknownst to them at the time) – to become his partner for a future venture called – RiskRecon to be established in the year 2021.
But, for Dr de Kock, hard facts speak the loudest. His unique skill is to tackle a question, or issue, with no fear of what results one may find. He is also not afraid to step out of the comfort zone of air-conditioned offices, and ivory towers, to get to the bottom-line of a problem in our complex reality.
Over the course of his career, in different capacities, Dr de Kock has maintained an active media presence, and he has appeared as analyst on platforms, and in publications on every continent of planet earth. Through the years he has remained actively engaged in the academic environment – he lectured at Monash University, Johannesburg campus, and often delivered guest lectures, seminars.
Dr de Kock has created, led and delivered on multiple private- and public sector social, political, risk, peace & security, and natural resource related projects. He has been involved in, and actively deployed projects in more than thirty (35) African & Middle Eastern markets. He understands the African- and Emerging Market world realities from the proverbial pavement, all the way to its highest offices in the land.
RiskRecon’s unique strength lies in the actual first-hand experience Dr Makhubela and Dr de Kock has in dealing with African/Emerging Market political-economic, social, conflict, and developmental realities – and ultimately Risks, or, Opportunities.
Dr Petrus de Kock
Click here for more on Petrus //aka// Buiteboer’s work -> www.buiteboer.co.za
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