Lifetime Industry Achievement Award
Llewellyn Pike RECOGNITION
L
lewellyn Pike, CEO of Merchelles Collective, hails from the Eastern Cape, and is a proud past-scholar of Muir
College (one of the oldest schools in South Africa), with which he still maintains close ties. After school, he pursued engineering at Stellenbosch University. Llewellyn’s choice of career was inspired by Ben Govoni, a professionally registered engineer who also financially assisted him by awarding him a bursary to study engineering – an act of kindness that Llewellyn both recognises as the catalyst to his rewarding career and has strived to emulate. After a brief stint with the City Engineers’ Department in Cape Town, Llewellyn’s relocation to Johannesburg heralded the start of his 40-year career in black women who approached him with a
(Gauliwe Consortium), N3 Corridor DBOT
view to assisting them in founding a black-
(Mafube Consortium), N1N4 Platinum
natural leader, a man of principles and
woman-owned engineering consultancy.
Toll Road, the Nelson Mandela Bridge
ideals, who is driven by a long-term
This resulted in the 2017 establishment
and Carr Street I/C, N1 New Road I/C and
vision of development, transformation,
of Merchelles Collective – a Level 1 BBBEE
the Concorde Road East (Harper Road)
growth and economic opportunities for
majority black-woman-owned business of
cable-stayed bridge, to mention just a few.
all. He spent 35 years in the company that
which Llewellyn is currently CEO, a position
In addition, Llewellyn is quite at home
started off as Keeve Steyn & Partners, later
he holds at the insistence of his fellow
directing multidisciplinary projects.
becoming Goba, and finally Hatch Goba.
directors. Llewellyn is proud to be heading
consulting engineering. Llewellyn can best be described as a
is the project lead on several SANRAL
Llewellyn enjoyed the role of executive
in the future of women in engineering and
road projects, where the company is
director, being instrumental in reinventing
accelerating transformation within a male-
the targeted enterprise in conjunction
the company into the iconic Goba. For a
dominated industry.
with larger generic consultancies. He is
Llewellyn’s core expertise lies in
currently the independent engineer on
role of COO, and deputy to CEO Trueman
transportation engineering, having
the N1N4 Platinum Toll Road (a six-year
Goba, during which time the company
expert knowledge of both geometric,
contract won in joint venture with Nyeleti
grew from approximately 200 to over 500
pavement and materials design, and
Consulting Engineers, covering some
employees, and was twice the recipient of
contract management. He has spearheaded
384 km of national road). In addition,
Business Excellence awards (SAICE in 2007
large and complex transport projects
he is currently the principal agent on
and CESA in 2009).
such as the N12: Gillooly’s to R21 I/C
three multidisciplinary manufacturing
further period of 10 years, he occupied the
and N3: Geldenhuys to Buccleuch I/C
infrastructure upgrade projects for
Llewellyn has remained a true and
(both of which were part of the Gauteng
Coca-Cola Beverages SA.
persistent force for change and legitimate
Freeway Infrastructure Programme), N1/
Llewellyn believes that every project is an
transformation. These attributes can best
N2 Winelands DBOT Toll Road (Overberg
opportunity to enhance the landscape and
be demonstrated and recognised by two
Consortium), Gautrain Rapid Rail Link DBOT
improve the lives of communities.
Throughout these and later years,
6
Under the Merchelles’ umbrella, he
up a company that is committed to investing
For his last 10 years at Keeve Steyn,
C E S A A o n E n g i n e e r i n g E x c e l l e n c e Aw a r d s 2 0 2 0