Mr. KEITH PEARSON
2020 WinnerSouth Africa
South Africa
Keith Pearson's activities within the South African packaging industry have been legendary, particularly his dedication to the industry in general and to IPSA (the Institute of Packaging SA) in particular, combined with his diligence and generosity in sharing his impressive packaging knowledge, and promoting packaging education.
A member of IPSA since 1990, Keith later served as a Regional Chairman and then went on to be elected as the Institute's National Chairman (2000-2004); he also chaired and was a member of IPSA's education committee.
During his time as IPSA's National Chairman, Keith represented IPSA on the WPO Board, which acted as a precursor to his subsequent involvement in the organisation.
Keith was part of the WPO leadership team for 18 years, at one stage heading up the organisation's education committee before going on to serve two terms as President (2006-2011) – the organisation's first African President – and then as General Secretary (2012-2018).
Keith was passionate in his leadership of the organisation, just one example being his restructuring activities that allowed more members to participate in sharing their knowledge and skills.
Networking formed another important component of Keith's WPO involvement and he was a keen proponent of expanding packaging education as members from developed nations started to communicate, meet and work with members in the developing world.
Keith has played an important role on the international packaging stage and as WPO President spent much time criss-crossing the globe in pursuit of WPO’s goal of ‘Better quality of life through better packaging for more people’. This goal is pursued by stimulating packaging technology and motivating packaging education and training around the world.
Keith helped to put the organisation more emphatically on the world map, and helped WPO to gain additional recognition thanks to high-profile programmes such as the WorldStar Awards, and the World Student Star Awards.
He also enhanced the organisation by setting up international working groups, bringing about greater brand recognition by establishing a marketing plan, building a new website and representing WPO at global packaging conferences and trade fairs.
As part of these efforts, Keith travelled internationally on fact finding missions to research, benchmark and identify best practices. The resultant information was published and used in training seminars
In addition, he forged closer links between WPO and IPPO (the International Packaging Press Organisation) to ensure better coverage and understanding of WPO activities by ensuring a ‘good press’ in the world’s leading packaging journals.
Keith became closely involved in packaging development throughout Africa, helping to create packaging institutes such as those in Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania, and ultimately the establishment of the African Packaging Organisation.
He became an integral part of the rapidly-developing global packaging community where developed and developing countries were able to network and share knowledge.
Such initiatives were strongly supported and the International Trade Centre in Geneva.
More recently, further evidence of his passion for packaging education and expansion was unveiled when Keith travelled to Iran on three occasions to help in the establishment of the Iranian Institute of Packaging.
In 1970, Keith started his packaging career as an engineer at Kohler Corrugated and was later transferred to fill the role of production manager at the Namibian-based corrugated converter, Walvis Bay Containers. Throughout the following decades, Keith continued to growth within the Kohler group in which he advanced to the role of Divisional Chief Executive.
Over 48 years spent in the packaging industry, Keith Pearson has dedicated his life to packaging in Africa. His experience covers manufacturing and converting in the fields of corrugated, carton and print, cores and tubes and multiwall sacks, and involvement in a variety of packaging disciplines from factory to executive level.
In 2007, his achievements were recognised with the South African industry's highest accolade, being named Packaging Achiever by PACSA (the Packaging Council of South Africa), now known as Packaging SA.
And at Pack Expo (Chicago) in 2018, the Packaging & Processing Hall of Fame welcomed South Africa's Keith Pearson as its latest member
Keith originally entered the packaging industry in an engineering capacity but went on to spend 32 years with the Kohler group management team, in a number of packaging disciplines such as corrugated, carton and print, cores and tubes, and bags and sacks.
He worked for Kohler Packaging for 33 years holding positions as Factory and Production Manager, Divisional Technical Manager and Divisional Chief Executive.
For many years, the company was South Africa's second largest packaging company, eventually being acquired by Nampak in 2002.
Keith was elected head boy of the college he attended and was captain of the first rugby team.
For 40 years, he has been a member of Gideons International, visiting schools and addressing around 10,000 students each year, and distributing Bibles.
In 1996, he completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
A member of IPSA since 1990, Keith later served as a Regional Chairman and then went on to be elected as the Institute's National Chairman (2000-2004); he also chaired and was a member of IPSA's education committee.
During his time as IPSA's National Chairman, Keith represented IPSA on the WPO Board, which acted as a precursor to his subsequent involvement in the organisation.
Keith was part of the WPO leadership team for 18 years, at one stage heading up the organisation's education committee before going on to serve two terms as President (2006-2011) – the organisation's first African President – and then as General Secretary (2012-2018).
Keith was passionate in his leadership of the organisation, just one example being his restructuring activities that allowed more members to participate in sharing their knowledge and skills.
Networking formed another important component of Keith's WPO involvement and he was a keen proponent of expanding packaging education as members from developed nations started to communicate, meet and work with members in the developing world.
Keith has played an important role on the international packaging stage and as WPO President spent much time criss-crossing the globe in pursuit of WPO’s goal of ‘Better quality of life through better packaging for more people’. This goal is pursued by stimulating packaging technology and motivating packaging education and training around the world.
Keith helped to put the organisation more emphatically on the world map, and helped WPO to gain additional recognition thanks to high-profile programmes such as the WorldStar Awards, and the World Student Star Awards.
He also enhanced the organisation by setting up international working groups, bringing about greater brand recognition by establishing a marketing plan, building a new website and representing WPO at global packaging conferences and trade fairs.
As part of these efforts, Keith travelled internationally on fact finding missions to research, benchmark and identify best practices. The resultant information was published and used in training seminars
In addition, he forged closer links between WPO and IPPO (the International Packaging Press Organisation) to ensure better coverage and understanding of WPO activities by ensuring a ‘good press’ in the world’s leading packaging journals.
Keith became closely involved in packaging development throughout Africa, helping to create packaging institutes such as those in Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania, and ultimately the establishment of the African Packaging Organisation.
He became an integral part of the rapidly-developing global packaging community where developed and developing countries were able to network and share knowledge.
Such initiatives were strongly supported and the International Trade Centre in Geneva.
More recently, further evidence of his passion for packaging education and expansion was unveiled when Keith travelled to Iran on three occasions to help in the establishment of the Iranian Institute of Packaging.
In 1970, Keith started his packaging career as an engineer at Kohler Corrugated and was later transferred to fill the role of production manager at the Namibian-based corrugated converter, Walvis Bay Containers. Throughout the following decades, Keith continued to growth within the Kohler group in which he advanced to the role of Divisional Chief Executive.
Over 48 years spent in the packaging industry, Keith Pearson has dedicated his life to packaging in Africa. His experience covers manufacturing and converting in the fields of corrugated, carton and print, cores and tubes and multiwall sacks, and involvement in a variety of packaging disciplines from factory to executive level.
In 2007, his achievements were recognised with the South African industry's highest accolade, being named Packaging Achiever by PACSA (the Packaging Council of South Africa), now known as Packaging SA.
And at Pack Expo (Chicago) in 2018, the Packaging & Processing Hall of Fame welcomed South Africa's Keith Pearson as its latest member
Keith originally entered the packaging industry in an engineering capacity but went on to spend 32 years with the Kohler group management team, in a number of packaging disciplines such as corrugated, carton and print, cores and tubes, and bags and sacks.
He worked for Kohler Packaging for 33 years holding positions as Factory and Production Manager, Divisional Technical Manager and Divisional Chief Executive.
For many years, the company was South Africa's second largest packaging company, eventually being acquired by Nampak in 2002.
Keith was elected head boy of the college he attended and was captain of the first rugby team.
For 40 years, he has been a member of Gideons International, visiting schools and addressing around 10,000 students each year, and distributing Bibles.
In 1996, he completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.