Stadio Holdings’ higher education students. The company has a target of reaching 26 000 students by 2026. Picture: supplied
Higher education provider STADIO Holdings said Professor Stan du Plessis has been appointed as the new CEO of STADIO Higher Education, effective August 1, 2025.
He fills a position previously held by Chris Vorster, who remains CEO of STADIO Holdings. The new appointment was necessitated by the group’s rapid growth, a statement said Thursday.
“By welcoming Professor du Plessis…we are positioning ourselves to accelerate our plans and better serve our growing student community and achieve university status, when regulations allow,” Vorster said in a statement. Currently, in South Africa, the regulations do not allow private higher education institutions to call themselves universities, despite holding the same qualification accreditations.
In August 2024, STADIO surpassed the 50 000-student enrolment milestone across its three registered private higher education institutions and was on track to meet its 2017 pre-listing target of 56 000 students by 2026, and its longer-term goal of 100 000 students.
“He has extensive expertise in the higher education sector and has an in-depth understanding of the evolving needs of South African students and institutions,” said Vorster.
“This leadership appointment is a natural progression of STADIO’s success. It enables us to focus on our core strengths and objectives while ensuring our students continue to receive world-class education tailored to their needs and the changing demands of tomorrow’s workplace.”
Du Plessis would play a key role in accelerating the institution’s mission, while Vorster’s leadership at STADIO Holdings would drive strategic alignment across the group’s initiatives, ensuring continued innovation and long-term sustainability.
STADIO’s share price gained 1.02% to R6.92 on the JSE on Thursday afternoon, bringing the gain in the share price to 42% over a year.
BUSINESS REPORT