A full professor in the School of Commerce at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Prof. Sibanda has authored more than 80 accredited publications, supervised 24 doctoral candidates, and led numerous national and international academic partnerships. 

Prof. Sibanda has demonstrated excellence in academic and operational management, overseeing multi-disciplinary schools and professional teams while ensuring quality assurance, programme reviews, and compliance with the Department of Higher Education and Training, the South African Qualifications Authority, the Council on Higher Education, and the Higher Education Quality Committee requirements. His leadership has been instrumental in aligning institutional goals with national development priorities and transformation objectives.

In the area of research and innovation leadership, he has served as a principal investigator and research mentor on projects spanning financial literacy, public sector finance, portfolio investment and infrastructure economics. He has also established several research units and is deeply committed to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and postgraduate mentorship.

Prof. Sibanda has cultivated extensive external partnerships with professional and public institutions, including the South African Revenue Service, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute, the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority, Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges, municipalities, and various international universities. His engagement in public–private initiatives and investment regulatory bodies underscores his ability to bridge academia, industry and society. 

His professional standing and recognition include serving as president of the South African Commerce Deans Association and co-founder and conference chair of the Business Resilience, Regeneration and Continuity Conference, which recently hosted its third annual session featuring over 190 presentations. He is also a sought-after keynote speaker and conference contributor both locally and internationally.

His visionary leadership will play a pivotal role in driving the faculty's academic excellence, strengthening its research impact, and expanding strategic partnerships.