Dr Kiru Pillay has been appointed dean of the Faculty of Information Technology at Richfield, effective 1 October 2026.
In his new role, Kiru will lead the strategic development of the faculty. He takes responsibility for advancing academic programmes, research, emerging technology capability and industry partnerships.
Kiru brings more than 38 years of experience across the ICT sector. His career spans industry, academia, research and the public sector. He has focused on digital transformation, cybersecurity, data governance and building secure digital ecosystems.
His public-sector experience includes 10 years with the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies. There, he contributed to South Africa’s national cybersecurity mandate through the CSIRT. Kiru has also supported regional digital transformation initiatives through the African Digital Transformation Centre.
At an international level, Kiru has participated in multistakeholder engagements with the United Nations and African Union. He has also worked closely with the Southern African Development Community. His expertise includes cybersecurity governance, data sovereignty, cross-border data exchange, AI ethics and digital public infrastructure.
Kiru is no stranger to Richfield. He has lectured and supervised students in the institution's MBA programme since its inaugural 2021 cohort.
Commenting on his appointment, Kiru said he looks forward to building on the faculty’s academic foundations.
“My focus is developing a faculty combining strong academic foundations with practical exposure,” Kiru says. “We will deliver meaningful research and opportunities for students to engage with technologies shaping their professions.”
