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

My Clients

My Books

06/04/2023 / POEMS

In the Flow

When in the flow Being a vessel Cultivating what needs to emerge Whether in solitude or busy-ness Whether in my...
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06/04/2023 / POEMS

Enough is Never Enough

Born with a need to be To be counted To be among the best Never satisfied, always seeking Always striving...
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06/04/2023 / POEMS

Never Alone

We are born alone, and then embark on life’s road But we are never quite alone Our parents initially Still...
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06/04/2023 / POEMS

How Blessed we are

How blessed we are For men and women Brown and Yellow Black and White Who had patient hearts Who acted...
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06/04/2023 / POEMS

The past in the now

I do not see the world as it is I do not see things as they are There is an...
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06/04/2023 / POEMS

The Dance

I watched my baby cry, and grow I see his smile – he recognises emotion, he notices What a wonderful...
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06/04/2023 / POEMS

Inner Theatre

You cherish the notion that you're in control   However   Underlying all action, all thought   Is your shadow, your unconscious   So...
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06/04/2023 / POEMS

Whole, but not complete

Wholeness is an experience I had to first believe it – truly believe it, before I experienced it I know...
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06/04/2023 / POEMS

He is our Space

First there was effort Then conversation Oh how we talked – of us, of them, of life of the things...
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06/04/2023 / POEMS

For Bliss

Nothing real can be threatenedYetAgain and again, it defeats meThis reliance, by fearful individuals, on their unconscious dreamsThis reliance, by...
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My Work

My POEMS

Silver
$64 per month
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Gold
$128 per month
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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.

Happy Clients

578

Working Hours

4,780

Awards Won

15