Simon Baloyi was recently appointed as the president and chief executive officer of Sasol and has the high-stakes task of transitioning the energy and chemicals giant from fossil fuels to more sustainable energy sources.
Sasol is perhaps best known globally for developing coal liquefaction, which produces synthetic crude oil from coal. With a bursary from Sasol, Baloyi studied at the University of the Witwatersrand from 1995 until 2002, obtaining his undergraduate, Honours, and Master’s degree in chemical engineering.Over the years, Baloyi gradually climbed the ranks and served in several leadership positions in maintenance, technical, and general management in Sasol’s South African operations.
After that, he became executive vice president of Sasol Energy Operations and Technology before being appointed CEO in April 2024.with BizNews editor Alec Hogg, Baloyi touted a conservative approach in his first year at the helm. These changes were part of ensuring the company’s various divisions operate as effectively as possible.