Derek Lyle Keys (30 August 1931 – 29 April 2018) was a South African politician who served as

Minister of Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...

from 1992 to September 1994, in the cabinets of F. W. de Klerk and

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...

Early life

Born in Johannesburg, he attended the

University of Witwatersrand The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (), is a multi-campus South African public research university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University or Wits ( or ). The university ...

were he graduated with a

Bachelor of Commerce A Bachelor of Commerce (abbreviated BComm or BCom; also, ''baccalaureates commercii'') is an undergraduate degree in business, usually awarded in Canada, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Ireland, New Zealand, Ghana, South Africa, Myanmar, ...

degree in 1950. By 1954, he qualified as a chartered accountant.

Career

Keys joined the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa in 1956. In the subsequent eight years he was involved in the development of many of the major South African industries. Until 1986 Keys played largely advisory roles for several international and local companies operating in South Africa as a management consultant. During these 21 years he joined the boards of, among others,

Asea ''Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget'' (English translation: General Swedish Electrical Limited Company; Swedish abbreviation: ASEA) was a Swedish industrial company. History ASEA was founded in 1883 by Ludvig Fredholm in Västerås as ...

Sandvik Sandvik AB is a Swedish multinational engineering company specializing in metal cutting, digital and additive manufacturing, mining and construction, stainless and special steel alloys, and industrial heating. The company was founded in Sweden ...

, and

Sappi Sappi Limited, originally incorporated as ''South African Pulp and Paper Industries Limited'' in 1936, is a South African pulp and paper company with global operations. Products and operation South African Pulp and Paper Industries Limite ...

. Prior to becoming a cabinet minister, he had been the

executive chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...

Gencor Gencor Ltd was a South African based mining company. It was formed in 1980 after the merger of the General Mining and Finance Corporation and the Union Corporation. Parts of the company are now owned by Gold Fields and BHP. History Gencor has it ...

from 1986 until 1991. In December 1991 Keys was appointed Minister of Economic Co-ordination and of Trade and Industry. In May 1992, the portfolio of Minister of Finance was added to Keys' tasks. He had previously served on government bodies in an advisory capacity, including the Commission for electricity, the Tax Advisory Committee and the State Presidents' Economic Advisory Council. Keys resigned shortly on 6 July 1994, and was replaced by banker

Chris Liebenberg Christo Ferro Liebenberg (born 2 October 1934) is a South African banker who was Minister for Finance of South Africa, from 19 September 1994 to 4 April 1996, in the government of national unity chaired by Nelson Mandela. He was born in Touw ...

on 19 September.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keys, Derek 1931 births 2018 deaths White South African people Finance ministers of South Africa National Party (South Africa) politicians People from Johannesburg