The International Water Security Network congratulates Dr Sershen Naidoo on his appointment as Executive Director of the Institute of Natural Resources (INR). He replaces Duncan Hay – who has been working with the IWSN since 2013 – after five years as Executive Director.
Sershen said: “The INR has positioned itself firmly within the environmental research and practise landscape and I hope that my leadership will help the Institute contribute even more towards securing the country’s natural resource base. In these uncertain times, there has never been a greater need to be more responsive to the country’s natural resource challenges. My tenure will involve ensuring that the INR’s action research-generated tools for natural resource management fast-track the country’s efforts to transition to a sustainable development paradigm.”
Duncan said: “Sershen takes up this leadership position during the most challenging period in our recent existence, not only of the organisation but of South Africa and the world. The lockdown is ending but the real battles are only beginning. We are fortunate that the INR proceeds into this period in an intellectually, financially and organizationally strong position. That said we will need considerable courage, determination and ‘street-smarts’ to navigate our way to safety. I am confident that Sershen and the INR team will prevail.”
Sershen served as an Associate Professor in Plant Ecophysiology at UKZN and more recently as Grants, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at the South African Technology Network (SATN). He is a Fellow of the South African Young Academy of Sciences, Research Fellow at the University of Western Cape, Member of the South African Association of Botanists and Member of the Botanical Society of South Africa. In addition, he has published, presented and supervised extensively and currently serves on the Editorial Board of the South African Journal of Science. He brings to the INR considerable research expertise and acumen, leadership and managerial experience, and a broad network of collaborating partners.
The IWSN team looks forward to working with Sershen and continuing our partnership with INR.