Dr Gideon de Wet’s formal academic qualifications are the degrees BSc B.Eng (Electron) and PhD Eng., awarded by the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa.  Post-graduate studies include the Diploma in Digital Electronics, Philips International Institute for Technological studies, Eindhoven, Netherlands, Advanced Course in Control Engineering; University of Cambridge, UK, Advanced Executive Programme, University of SA, MOT Summer School, MIT, Cambridge, Ma, USA. He has published a number of professional papers and presented papers at several international conferences.

He has been involved in the management of technology for many years.  He was the founder manager of the Institute for Maritime Technology (IMT) in Simon’s Town.  As General Manager: Research at Armscor, he played a significant part in the creation and operation of the technology development and management system of the Defence Community during the eighties.  He was the first incumbent of the Chair for Engineering Management at the University of Pretoria, where he taught management of technology and entrepreneurship at post-graduate level for more than 10 years.  As a director of LGI and Technotron Pty Ltd., he participated in the establishment of a number of high-tech ventures.  He was also the first Director: Intellectual Capital of DataFusion (Pty) Ltd.  He has served on the Boards of Directors of several “high-tech” companies, several times as Chairperson.  

He started the Policy Studies Unit at CSIR, and expanded his field of interest to the level of the national innovation system and science and technology policy.  This included participation in activities in countries like Chile, Mauritius and New Zealand and consultation for the United Nations’ Economic Commission for Africa.