Michael Louis
Michael Louis’s grandparents arrived in South Africa in 1914 from Lebanon. He studied law and completed postgraduate courses at Harvard University. His experience is varied, from property executive for some of the largest corporate property companies in South Africa, to media, agriculture, education and politics.
At the start of the “Mandela Era” in 1994, he encountered a spiritual calling to politics and became a member of parliament in the Western Cape Parliament. He was a founding member of the African Christian Democratic Party in South Africa and served as chairman for six years. He also fulfilled a cabinet position in government with the portfolios of public works, asset management and development planning. During this time, he was also privileged to represent his party in drafting the national and provincial constitutions.
Michael presently serves his third-generation family business, the Louis Group International, originally established by his grandfather. House of Louis, a century of family tradition, has offices in London, Singapore, South Africa and Germany. The company has been recognised with numerous awards: Top 100 Property Companies, Top Manager of the Year, Top Company To Work For, South Africa’s Leading Manager of the Year, and numerous international awards. The company focuses on property investment, finance, leadership and information technology, and these companies all are committed to maintaining a Christian ethos of integrity, innovation and excellence. Michael’s strength is being an activator, strategic partner and pioneer of meaning, leading projects not only in South Africa but across the continent of Africa.
Having won the Team Leadership Award at the JF Kennedy School for Privatisation and Regulatory Reform, Michael has also been nominated for numerous other leadership awards, including being one of South Africa’s top 20 Christian mentors, as cited in the book Mentors. He also experienced a successful climb of Kilimanjaro in May 2007. More recently, he was honoured with an honorary doctorate from Nyack College in New York with Steve Forbes of Forbes Magazine.
He has served on many local and international boards and been key speaker for numerous local and international forums.
Michael’s passion is to make a social difference to a country he has been committed to for the past 30 years. His current passions include being one of the founding members of the One South Africa Movement, the founder and director of the Independent Candidate Association and the pioneer and force behind the #Direct Elections Bill currently serving in Parliament.
Opdraandestryd vir onafhanklike kandidate in Suid-Afrikaanse verkiesing
2023-04-19Freek Robinson vra in hierdie onderhoud vir Michael Louis waarom hy, en ander, nie tevrede is met die veranderinge aan die Kieswet nie, wat die probleme is met die wet soos dit tans staan, en hoe sy regsgeding die OVK se werk in die wiele gaan ry, al dan nie.