Georgina Smit appointed CEO of Green Building Council SA

• GBCSA announces Georgina Smit as CEO, effective May 2026, at its annual Green Building Convention.
• Smit succeeds Lisa Reynolds, who strengthened the Council’s leadership and financial stability since 2020.
• The transition marks a shift from consolidation to growth as GBCSA expands its national impact.

The Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) has announced Georgina Smit as its next Chief Executive Officer, effective May 2026. The appointment was made during the organisation’s annual Green Building Convention in Cape Town, signalling an exciting new era for South Africa’s green building industry.

Smit will succeed Lisa Reynolds, who has led GBCSA since 2020. Under Reynolds’ leadership, the organisation cemented its position as the country’s foremost authority on the green built environment - driving building certification, sustainability education, and climate-resilient advocacy.

An award-winning sustainability professional, Smit holds undergraduate and Master’s degrees in Sustainable Development Management and Planning from Stellenbosch University and a further Master’s degree from Cambridge University (UK).

She steps into the CEO role after more than five years as Head of Technical and Executive Director at GBCSA, where she led certification, training, and research initiatives that have measurably advanced South Africa’s green property sector. A respected thought leader and frequent speaker, Smit champions practical, locally relevant solutions that accelerate sustainable development.

André Theys, outgoing Chair of GBCSA, expressed optimism about the leadership transition:

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“Lisa has been a remarkable leader, steady, wise, and committed to greening the built environment. She brought calm and financial stability during challenging times, transforming uncertainty into progress. Her legacy will continue to shape GBCSA’s future.”

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He added: “As we thank Lisa, we warmly welcome Georgina as CEO. She steps in at a moment where GBCSA is ready to move from consolidation to growth. Georgina has the passion and strategic vision to expand our certifications, partnerships, and impact. We are confident GBCSA will continue to lead with purpose, impact, and foresight.”

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Reynolds also endorsed her successor: “Georgina recognises a need and makes things happen, phenomenally well. She combines strategic insight with action and is perfectly positioned to take GBCSA to the next level.”

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Smit, who joined GBCSA in 2019, said: “I am grateful for the confidence the Board has shown in me and for the opportunity to build on Lisa’s incredible work. With five years to the 2030 net zero target, GBCSA will focus on providing practical tools for businesses to integrate climate goals into strategy and scaling our social impact through training for the Just Energy Transition.”

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The leadership transition, announced at the 18th Annual Green Building Convention, reinforces GBCSA’s mission to drive a sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient built environment in South Africa.

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