CPUT recently welcomed Khula Poulten as the institution’s new Risk Manager.
Poulten joins the university from Eskom and says his main focus will be to embed a risk management culture from management to student level (the SRC).
“The institution has certain objectives that have to be achieved – some over a short term and others over a long term period. As a risk manager you look at risks (operational and strategic) that will affect the achievement of this. Furthermore, as a risk manager you also have to identify opportunities that will assist management to reach their objectives,” says Poulten about his new role.
“I enjoy what I do in terms of risk management. It’s an exciting feeling when people say to you ‘wow, we didn’t know we were facing such a risk’. When I add value to the process it’s such a good feeling.”
On top of his agenda will be to revive CPUT’s strategic risk register.
“Management has identified strategic risks in the past. Going forward we’ll have to look at these on a more frequent basis.”
He said risk champions have already been nominated by Faculties/Departments and the plan is to work with them to embed the risk management culture i.e. identify risks and maintaining risk registers.
Poulten completed his degree in Internal Auditing at the Durban Institute of Technology and started his career at KPMG. He them moved to Bidvest where he worked in the Bidvest Port Operations Division.
“I then took up a senior risk officer position in the Newcastle Local Municipality in KZN. After that I joined Eskom where I worked on a project at the Koeberg Power Station called the Steam Generator Replacement Project. I was risk officer there for more than two years.”
Poulten enjoys travelling and describes himself as an adventurer at heart.
As the eldest of five children he also strives to be a role model to his siblings who still reside in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal.
