Kresen Pillay, UP alum and wildlife vet, on leading humans as well as animals

Dr Kresen Pillay is a graduate of the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Veterinary Science, the second oldest veterinary faculty in Africa and the only one of its kind in South Africa.

He recently moved to Australia to pioneer a new department as the Manager of Veterinary Services at the Sydney Zoo. Among the many other highlights of his career so far, Dr Pillay was part of the team that conducted surgery on Makokou, a gorilla from the Johannesburg Zoo.  The rare surgery garnered international attention. 

On this episode he speaks about:

• Being encouraged to pursue his passion from a young age
• How studying taught him self-leadership and discipline
• Why all of us need to take wildlife conservation seriously to leave a legacy
• How he learned management and leadership in the zoo space
• How he is building a team at the Sydney Zoo, and the magic and majesty of working with wild animals

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LeadUP is a production of the University of Pretoria’s Alumni Office. Our host is Lennox Wasara and our team includes Elna Schütz and Samantha Castle. Our sound engineers are Louis Cloete Productions.