SRK Consulting (South Africa) has recently appointed Vis Reddy as its new chairman, following an eight-year term as managing director.

Reddy has also assumed the role of regional coordinator for Africa, on behalf of SRK Global – as part of the company’s strategic expansion into African markets. He explained that his focus will build on the work of previous chairmen in promoting innovation, technology, excellence, and collaboration which also aligns with the company’s strategic focus areas.

“The international SRK network has grown considerably, and it remains important to work as one team to leverage our one-stop-shop capabilities,” he said. “We have always strived to be a leader in our field, and to serve clients in a diverse range of skills and offerings as markets evolve.”

SRK will celebrate five decades in business next year and has grown to about 1600 employees in over 40 offices worldwide. He noted that, with the buoyancy of commodity prices and SRK’s history of involvement in the mining sector, his appointment comes at a busy time for the company.

“The world over, engineering consultancies like SRK are facing shortages of well-qualified and experienced scientists and engineers,” he said. “An important part of my immediate role will be to help the business attract and retain the best people available – and to ensure that the pressure of work does not compromise our standards and quality of work during this period.”

He highlighted that SRK had always had a reputation for delivering the best solutions for clients, based on strong technical studies and independent advice.

“A priority for the SRK network will continue to be strengthening our collaboration between consulting practices – within South Africa and with our colleagues across the globe,” he explained. “With the considerable scope for the growth of mining and other industries in Africa, we are also looking for opportunities to establish consulting practices in countries where our clients and potential clients are operating.”

This expanded presence could also be achieved through alliances and partnerships with locally based consultants with the required qualifications and experience. He emphasised SRK’s philosophy of providing the same high quality services and studies irrespective of where the client was geographically located.

“We are also ensuring that our skill-sets develop to encourage a more holistic approach with our clients, integrating the operational aspects not only with environmental considerations but with social aspects,” he said. “The sustainability of clients’ operations has now become a central theme, where we can assist with decarbonisation strategies to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.”

As specialist in environmental geochemistry and air quality management, Reddy has consulted extensively in the fields of air quality management, contaminated land and water quality management. Before taking on the role of managing director of SRK Consulting (SA), he had managed SRK’s KwaZulu-Natal business unit for eight years.