Alec Erwin currently serves as the Chairperson of UBU Investment Holdings and is a distinguished member of the Presidential Investment Advisory Council for Nigeria and Togo. Additionally, he holds the position of Honorary Professor of Economics at the University of the Western Cape (South Africa) and is a valued member of the International Shaping Health Systems Network Advisory Board at Leeds University, United Kingdom.
In the period spanning May 1994 to September 2008, Mr. Erwin held several key public offices, including Deputy Minister of Finance (1994-1996), Minister of Trade and Industry (1996-2004), and Minister of Public Enterprises (2004-2008) for the Republic of South Africa. Notably, during his tenure, he served as the President of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) from 1996 to 2000.
Alec Erwin has a distinguished history of engagement with South African labour unions dating back to the 1970s and 1980s. His roles have included General Secretary of the Trade Union Advisory and Coordinating Council (TUACC), General Secretary for the Federation of South African Trade Unions (FOSATU), and Education Secretary for the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). Further, from 1988 to 1993, he served as the National Education Officer for the National Union of Metalworkers (NUMSA).
A member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress from 1994 to 2007, Alec Erwin also contributed his expertise as a special advisor for the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation from 2008 to 2010.
Mr. Erwin earned his BA (Hons) in Economics from the University of Natal in 1970 and holds an Honorary Doctorate in Economics from the same institution. His extensive experience, both in the public sector and within the labour movement, reflects a deep commitment to economic development and social progress.
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