As founding chairman of SABT, MacRobert was instrumental in establishing the SABT and growing it into the country's largest professional ballet company.
He obtained his BA LLB Degrees at UCT; was called to the Bar in the UK, at Grays Inn, and then qualified as a patent attorney (FSAIPA). He was also the founder chairman of the Lawyers for Human Rights movement in Pretoria. He was also president of the Pretoria Chamber of Commerce and served on various ASSOCOM sub-committees. He currently serves on the International Chamber of Commerce, Paris and is a past president of the Licensing Executive Society (SA). He also served on the Credit Committee of Investec, and now serves on the Credit Committee of IDC.
MacRobert practised for 17 years with Adams & Adams, in Pretoria, having become a registered patent agent and then moved on to handle a range of high court litigation matters, mainly in the trademarks and common law (passing off) areas. After working in Soweto, he was invited to join Edward Nathan Sonnenberg. He has pioneered several educational initiatives in previously disadvantaged areas such as the Get Ahead Foundation and was honoured with the Paul Harris Award from Rotary International. Archbishop Desmond Tutu conferred on him the St Michael's Award at the Michaelhouse Centenary celebrations.
He is at present a consultant to Edward Nathan Sonnenberg, corporate lawyers, as well as Adams & Adams, Intellectual Property lawyers. He co-authored the South African version of the lay person's guide to intellectual property, from Edison to iPod.
Acknowledging MacRobert's contribution towards keeping classical ballet alive, SABT artistic director Iain MacDonald said: “We at SABT have travelled a long journey filled with many challenges, excitement and success - Don MacRobert has been with us every step of this journey and we acknowledge his unflappable support of the company as well as his wise counsel and leadership”.
MacRobert will be presented with the inaugural SABT Lifetime Honary Membership award during the forthcoming season of Swan Lake at the Joburg Theatre. This Lifetime Membership Award will be presented to individuals who have given tremendous support to SABT and MacRobert will be the first inductee.
As SABT's new chairman, Cedric Ntumba brings extensive financial experience to the position. He is a chartered accountant and a member of the Institute of Directors and also involved in the private equity industry.
Ntumba sits on the Board of the Railway Safety Regulator, a department of Transport agency, where he is a member of its audit committee and chairs its Finance and Procurement Committee. He is also a member of the audit committee of the Gauteng Provincial Treasury with specific oversight over the Office of the Premier, department of health and the Gauteng Shared Services Centre (GSCC).
He obtained his professional qualifications with Deloitte and Touche and went on to be involved in numerous leadership development programmes including the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)'s Dialogue Circle, the African Leadership Academy and the Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa JHB (ABASA), where he co-founded the ABASA Leadership Programme.
Swan Lake opens at the Joburg Theatre on 12 March and runs until 4 April, 2010. Tickets may be purchased through Computicket on www.computicket.com or +27 (0)83 915 80200.
