Mr Richard Flame
Mr Richard Flame is the inaugural Executive Director-Operations appointed on 30 October 2023. The Executive Director: Operations is to lead and strategically direct the Operations portfolio in accordance with the strategic objectives of the University of Mpumalanga, across both campuses.
After his studies in chemical engineering, Mr Richard Flame joined the old Atomic Energy Corporation, in 1997 as part and the development team for chemical plant production specialist inorganic solutions like NF3, SF6, and surface fluorination solutions.
Mr Richard Flame was in his latter years, at the now Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (Necsa) appointed as Nuclear Facilities Manager. He oversaw operations at the Dry and Wet Decommissioning nuclear plants.
As senior facilities manager he oversaw facilities and administrative operations at the Agricultural Research’s Council (ARC) Onderstepoort operations and Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR, Pty (Ltd.))
In 2010 he was appointed as the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Group Manager: Property Infrastructure and Services within the Property Infrastructure and Managed Services Operating Unit.
All the positions Mr Richard Flame became responsible for since June 2006 were newly created, always the inaugural incumbent. In all (or most) instances it was expected that he:
- Amalgamate units and departments.
- Increase the revenue base.
- Develop and ensure the creation of new facilities.
- Review and reposition property portfolio based on best practise of the infrastructure management value chain.
- Develop division/departmental/group/organisational strategies for at least 3-5 years.
- Develop new clients & stake holder relations and strengthen existing relations.
- Create and/or improve mechanisms for internal and external client/stakeholder interactions.
In 2013, whilst at the CSIR, Mr Richard Flame became the Programme Head: Strategic Infrastructure Management. As Programme Head, he oversaw the development of infrastructure related products in (1) strategic facilities management focusing on the development of high-level FM related solutions; (2) immovable asset management (IAM) including strategic planning, guideline development and best practice analysis; (3) preservation, maintenance & technology program with capabilities in policy, process and systems development; (4) development of IAM solutions/products including User Asset Management Plans (UAMPs), Custodian Asset Management Plans (CAMPs), Immovable Asset Registers (IARs), Maintenance plans and policies
From July 2016 Mr Richard Flame moved to the private sector. He was appointed as the Executive Director of the Facilities Management (FM) division within the Broll Property Group reporting to the Group Chief Executive Officer.
As the Executive Director of Broll’s Facilities Management division he oversaw:
- A client portfolio comprising both private and public sector clients.
- A client portfolio that incorporated the Education, Commercial, IT, Banking, Industrial, Retail and Corporate sectors
- A client portfolio that covered in excess of 12,000,000m2
- Locations in all the major centres in Southern Africa.
- Management of prestigious educational facilities
- Management of Facilities Management elements (e.g., condition assessments) for universities
- Active participation in the activities of the Higher Education Facilities Management Association (HEFMA)
As a thought leader in the field of facilities, properties and infrastructure management Mr Richard Flame has:
- Authored thought leadership pieces for publications and presentations at conferences
- Presented at Conferences like South African Facilities Management Association (SAFMA), Higher Education Facilities Management Association (HEFMA) and FMCE Conference in Botswana
- Been interviewed on a few radio stations and other platforms on facilities and infrastructure management.
- Been part of Facilities Management podcast discussions with thought leaders and some of my clients.