Kurt April
Professor
Professor
Kurt April
Kurt April is currently the Allan Gray Chair, an Endowed Professorship, specialising in Leadership, Diversity & Inclusion and Director of the Allan Gray Centre for Values-Based Leadership at the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town (South Africa, 1998-present), and is Adjunct Faculty of Saïd Business School (University of Oxford, UK, 2000-present).
About My Journey
Academia
Kurt April is currently the Allan Gray Chair, an Endowed Professorship, specialising in Leadership, Diversity & Inclusion and Director of the Allan Gray Centre for Values-Based Leadership at the Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town (South Africa, 1998-present), and is Adjunct Faculty of Saïd Business School (University of Oxford, UK, 2000-present).
Previously, he was a Faculty Member of Duke Corporate Education (Duke University, USA, 2008-2022), Research Fellow of Hult-Ashridge Business School (UK, 2004-2016), Visiting Professor at London Metropolitan University (UK, 2014-2017), Visiting Professor at Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University, Netherlands, 2001-2013), and Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Economics & Econometrics (University of Amsterdam UvA, Netherlands, 2004-2007).
Business
Outside of academia, Kurt is the Managing Partner of LICM Consulting (South Africa, 2001-present), Managing Director: Leadership, Diversity & Inclusion Practice at Oxford Acuity (Singapore, 2019 present), Shareholder and Director of the Achievement Awards Group (South Africa, 2007-present), Shareholder of bountiXP (Pty) Ltd (South Africa, 2019-present), as well as Ambassador of the global Unashamedly Ethical movement (2016-present).
Previously, he was an Owner-Director of Helderview BMW Somerset West (South Africa, 2010-2016), Chairman of the International Advisory Council (DIAC) to Novartis International AG (Switzerland, 2006-2019), Executive Director of Complex Adaptive Systems (South Africa, 2003-2006), Non-Executive Director of Power Group Holdings – Construction & Developments (South Africa, 2012-2018), Global Agenda Council Member (Talent & Diversity) of the World Economic Forum (Switzerland, 2009-2013), Non-Executive Director of the International School of Cape Town (Education Development Trust, UK, 2013-2019), and an Advisory Board Member to the Unit for Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement (DICE) at the University of Leicester (UK, 2015-2019).
Editorial Work
Kurt is a Series Editorial Board Member of Palgrave (Springer) on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization in Business (Switzerland), an Associate Editor for Leadership & Organization Development Journal (UK), an Associate Editor for Gender, Work & Organization (UK), an Associate Editor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal (UK), an Associate Editor for Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management (UK), an Associate Editor for Design Science (UK). Additionally, he is an Editorial Board Member of the European Management Review (UK), Editorial Review Board Member of the Africa Journal of Management (USA), and Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Tropical Futures: Sustainable Business, Governance & Development (Singapore).
Previously, he was an Editorial Board Member of the British Journal of Management (UK), an Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Management Education (USA), an Editorial Board Member of Annual Review of High Performance Coaching & Consulting (UK), an Editorial Board Member of the International Journal of Information Systems & Social Change (USA), Advisory Board Member of the Knowledge Management Professional Society (USA), and previously the Chief Editor of the Journal for Convergence (SA).
Qualifications
Kurt holds a doctoral degree in IT Strategy & Economics (Ph.D), Certificate in Japanese Production, Masters degree in Business Administration (MBA), Masters degree in Electronic Engineering (MSc(ElecEng)), Higher Diploma in Education (HDE), Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering (BSc(ElecEng)), National Trade Test (Electronic Mechanician), National N6 Diploma in Electronic Engineering (NDip(EE)), National N6 Diploma in Logic Systems (NDip(LS)) completed at the University of Cape Town (South Africa), University of Oxford (UK), Wingfield College (South Africa), Olifantsfontein (South Africa), and AOTS Nagoya (Japan).
He has published 12 books, 38 peer-reviewed book chapters with global publishers, and over 108 peer-reviewed papers in journals such as Organization; Leadership & Organization Development Journal; Gender, Work & Organization; The British Journal of Sociology; Journal of Knowledge Management; Journal of Intellectual Capital; Journal of Managerial Psychology; Journal of Public Policy & Marketing; Equality, Diversity & Inclusion; Design Science; and Journal of Cleaner Production; amongst others.
My Books
My Testimonials
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My Clients
My Books
Leading from Values
I can be your Keeper
Journey Ended
Weekend Rains
Synchronicity
Necessary Imperfection to enact change
Beauty in Imperfection
Stop Fighting Wholeness
My Work
My POEMS
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce (UK), 2009-present
- Member of the Academy of Management (USA), 1998-present
- Member of the Africa Academy of Management (AFAM) (USA), 2014-present
- Member of the British Academy of Management (BAM) (UK), rejoined 2025-present (previously member from 2005-2016)
- Member of the International Leadership Association (ILA) (USA), 2019-present
- Senior Member of the Community of Science (USA), 2003-present
- Member of the American Psychological Association (USA), 2023-present
- Member of d&I Leaders (UK), 2023-present
- Member of the DEI Club (Denmark), 2023-present
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION:
- Written and published 12 books.
- Published 38 peer-reviewed book chapters with global publishers.
- Published 107 peer-reviewed academic papers.
- Supervised 19 PhD students to successful graduation, and currently supervising 5 more.
- Supervised 159 Masters (MPhil, MComm, EMBA, MBA, MSc, MHR) students to successful graduation, and currently supervising 4 more.
- Supervised 3 Honours (BSc Hons) students to successful graduation.