Kelly Chibale: ‘No leader should be feared’

An illustrated portrait of Kelly Chibale

Source: © Peter Strain @ Début Art

The founder of the H3D drug discovery centre in South Africa on leadership and flying with Jürgen Klopp

I originally come from Zambia. I grew up in what you would define today as slums – we call them townships. Fortunately for me and many other people coming from those impoverished communities, the government after independence provided free education. In secondary school I had this fascination with chemistry practicals, and being able to see the colour changes, even if you’re doing a simple titration. For me as a young boy who came from those tough townships, that was almost like I could see miracles in front of me.

It wasn’t until I went to university that I really began to enjoy organic chemistry. I love it because of the logic. I feel like it’s my calling in life. I don’t want to make it sound like I knew what I was doing – I just fell in love.