As part of his formal studies, he obtained his B.Sc. Hons. degree as well as M.Sc. degree in Organic Synthesis. Both degrees were completed with distinction. His Ph.D. degree (part time), focused on Inorganic Synthesis and Reaction Kinetics. He held a position as Researcher in the area of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry in the Biophysics department for a total of two years. Upon completion of his Ph.D. degree, he held a position in the Chemistry Department UOFS as Lecturer in Physical Chemistry for a total of two years. During this period, he was a visiting scientist (3 months) in Sapporo, Japan on Coordination Chemistry and was the main technical advisor for a Chemical Consultation Company. He started working at Sasol as a Senior Scientist in the area of Heterogeneous Catalysis in December 1997. During his tenure at Sasol, Thys had worked on a diverse project portfolio. He had also functioned as Group Leader for the Oxidation Catalysis Group, Hydrocarbon Transformation Group, the Low Temperature Iron-based FT Catalyst Development Group and as Functional Manager for the Fischer-Tropsch Refinery Catalysis and C1 Chemistry Research Department as well as the Coal and Gas Processing Technologies Research Department at Sasol Technology Research and Development. In 2011, Thys was appointed as the Portfolio Executive: Global Chemicals for Sasol Technology and in 2012 took up the position as Portfolio Executive: Sasolburg Hub where he was responsible for Capital Projects executed by Sasol in the Sasolburg and surrounding areas. In September 2013, Thys was seconded to Sasol Technology R&D as a Specialist Scientist, responsible for Portfolio Management on next generation Catalyst Development and looking after our Research Group in St Andrews, Scotland. He was appointed in 2019 as Senior Manager, Fischer Tropsch at R&T, Sasol.