Industrial policy is once again central to global debates on economic growth and development. Governments worldwide are deploying new strategies to stay competitive amid geopolitical shifts, climate imperatives and rapid technological change. South Africa is no exception.

The International Economic Partnership (IEP) Programme invites you to a four-part webinar series on industrial policy. The third session, Public Procurement as an Industrial Policy Lever, explores how local content regulations, preferential procurement, and public sector demand can stimulate industry while aligning with broader structural reforms and international trade commitments.

The discussion critically examines the effectiveness of South Africa’s procurement framework in advancing industrial policy objectives and highlights forward-looking reforms, drawing on both international experience and comparative best practice.

This webinar brings together policymakers, researchers, and private sector representatives to:

• assess the effectiveness of South Africa’s industrial policy using local and global evidence.
• create a platform for dialogue among policymakers, researchers, and practitioners.
• identify opportunities to refine policy and build capacity for better outcomes.
• support macroeconomic coordination, structural reform, and inclusive growth.
• promote equitable participation, especially by women, to drive sustainable development.

Key questions:

1. How effective is South Africa’s public procurement framework in driving investment, innovation, and inclusive growth?
2. In terms of design and implementation, what works well and what needs improvement?
3. What international lessons can strengthen procurement and localisation policies for better coordination and impact?
4. Which key reforms should government prioritise to accelerate industrialisation and inclusive growth?

The webinar includes a Keynote Presentation by Philipp Lamprecht (the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE)), and will be followed by a panel discussion between Ryan Brunette, Stavros Nicolaou, Annie Sugrue, and David Walwyn. There are also Q&A from the audience.

Philipp Lamprecht is the Director at the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE) in charge of overseeing fundraising activities, in addition to his trade economist research work. He holds a PhD from the LSE with a specialisation on International Political Economy. The PhD thesis, which he finished in 2014, lays a focus on economic diplomacy and bargaining power in international and multilateral trade negotiations.

Ryan Brunette is a Research Associate at the Public Affairs Research Institute. Ryan does research on the formation, preferably over long periods of time, of public administrations. He is particularly interested in understanding the ways in which such institutions are embedded in, and entwined with, broader social contexts. His work presently extends to compliance regimes, civil service and public financial systems, and public procurement. Ryan is currently studying for a PhD in Political Science at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Stavros Nicolaou is a member of Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Limited Group Executive Committee and is the Group Senior Executive responsible for Strategic Trade Development. Previously he was CEO of Aspen’s Export Business. Stavros Nicolaou has almost 34 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical industry, mainly in domestic and international general management. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science in Medicine by the University of the Witwatersrand.

Annie Sugrue is a Director at EcoSasa Developments. Annie is an established leader and innovator across the development sector in sustainable development, green economy, climate change, small business development, women economic empowerment and financial inclusion across a range of sectors. I can combine macro, scientific, business and social approaches in complex programs and projects with an understanding of, and commitment to, real life challenges and offerings across different stakeholder sectors. 

David Walwyn is a Professor in the Graduate School of Technology management at the University of Pretoria. David is a trans-disciplinary scholar who is focused on two important research areas: localisation of manufacturing in the health and energy sectors, and transformation of socio-technical systems, especially systems for mobility and electricity. For this work, he uses a combination of techno-economics, policy mix theory and transitions theory to identify turning points for localisation and transformation.