PROFILE: Altron founder Bill Venter retires

Image: Altron founder Bill Venter has retired. Image by Altron.

Image: Altron founder Bill Venter has retired. Image by Altron.

Published Aug 1, 2018

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CAPE TOWN - JSE-listed Allied Electronics Corporation Limited (Altron) announced that Dr. WP (Bill) Venter, founder of the Altron Group, had taken the decision to retire as the non-executive director from the Altron Board with effect from 31 July 2018.

53 years ago,  Venter, a then 33-year old telecoms engineer, and several colleagues founded Allied Electric (Pty).

“I have the utmost confidence in the Board and the executive leadership team, who have successfully repositioned Altron on a new path of growth as an ICT company", said Venter.

Here are a few facts about Dr.Venter:

1. William Peter "Bill" Venter was born on the 29th July 1934, in Johannesburg. 

1. In 1965, Bill became the founder of Altron, through Allied Electric. 

2. Bill was the chairman of the CSIR, director of AMIC Limited, Nedcor Bank Limited, and director of the Export Council of South Africa.

3. In 1978, He won the award for Top Five Businessmen by theBusiness Times. 

4. In 1984, he won the award for Top Executive in South Africa. 

5. In 1991, he won the Order for Meritorious Service (Gold) by the State President of South Africa for his significant contribution to South Africa’s electronics industry. 

6.  He has nine honorary doctorates and several diplomas have been bestowed on him from universities and colleges throughout South Africa. Such as:

7. Venter received a Technical Doctorate Technikon Witwatersrand

8.  He has a honors degree in Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand

9. Doctor of Commerce at the University of the Free State

9. Doctor of Commerce University of Pretoria

10. Doctor of Commerce University of Port Elizabeth

11. Doctor of Science (Engineering) University of Natal, Durban

Mike Leeming, Altron Board Chairman, thanked Dr.Venter for his contribution to Altron.

“Dr.Venter has played an important and central role in the development of the South African electronics industry and the country’s economy as a whole. The Board furthermore expresses its utmost gratitude to Dr. Venter for his entrepreneurial skills, leadership and significant contribution brought to Altron over the years", said Leeming. 

- BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE

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