Brief Biography of Dr Tony Heher
Tony Heher has had a longstanding interest in research and innovation and the contribution it can make to economic and social development. His experience includes 12 years at the national research laboratory (the CSIR); 16 years as founder and CEO of a spin-out company based on his PhD; and 12 years in economic development, including 2 years at the Department of Trade & Industry where he was Chief Director for Industrial Promotion in 1997 and head of the national economic cluster programme.
From 2000 to 2005 he was Director of UCT Innovation at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Responsibilities included managing research contracts between industry and UCT, handling intellectual property arising from research, technology transfer and a range of enterprise activities. In 2006 he rejoined the economic and business consultancy, AfED, which he had founded in 1998 and has been involved in a range of projects ranging from entrepreneurship development to economic development through public-private partnerships.
He was instrumental in the establishment of the Southern African Research & Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) in 2001 and was the founding President of SARIMA. In his capacity as President and past-President he was involved with national science and technology development institutions in South Africa and also lectured and engaged in dialogues with a number of countries to promote cooperation in science and technology.
In 2003 he was awarded a USAID grant to undertake research into technology transfer and to develop a dynamic business and economic model of the technology transfer process. This research attracted considerable international interest and has been presented at conferences in Brazil, Italy, India and the USA. Papers on this work have been published in the Journal of Technology Transfer and the International Journal of Sustainable Development.
He has a PhD in engineering and, in the course of a varied academic career, is a graduate of the Universities of Natal, Pretoria and California in Physics, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science and an executive MBA from Wits Business School. He has remained an active ‘researcher’ his whole working life, although his research ‘output’ has encompassed rather varied forms!
This has continued into an active ‘retirement’ with involvement in a number of U3A activities and leading a group which is mapping and describing all the hiking and climbing routes in the Western Cape using innovative web technology. In 2022 he joined Probus Groote Schuur Club in Cape Town and is the webmaster setting up their website. This draws on his 14 years of experience of web development for a wide range of organisations.
He has also been actively involved in the disability sector for nearly 20 years, serving as board member or chairman of various charities that have led to the established of a number of homes for handicapped young adults.
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A range of other more detailed CV's are attached below, each covering a different aspect or time span of his career.