SAVCA is the industry body and public advocate for private equity and venture capital asset classes in Southern Africa. The association plays a meaningful role in the sector by:
SAVCA’s mission is to contribute towards a vibrant industry, characterised by:
Objectives
SAVCA aims to:
Promote
the venture capital and private equity industry and profession in Southern Africa
Represent
the profession at a national and international level
Contribute
to the management development of our members
Stimulate
the growth of venture capital and private equity asset classes throughout Southern Africa
Maintain
ethical and professional standards
Provide
the relevant authorities with proposals for improvement in the corporate, fiscal and legal environment for the venture capital and private equity asset classes in Southern Africa
Collect
information from members and markets
Circulate
information to members and other stakeholders
Support
professional and transactional venture capital and private equity investments throughout Southern Africa
SAVCA Team Members
Tanya van Lill
SAVCA
Tanya van Lill, CEO: SAVCA
Tanya joined SAVCA in March 2017, after a rewarding 10-year career at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) with her last role being Director of Academic Programmes where she also served on the board of the Executive MBA Council (EMBAC), an international academic association that represents the Executive MBA industry.
Tanya is passionate about human and organisational development. During her time as a learning and development specialist focusing on management and leadership development, Tanya gained valuable experience working with various companies across a wide range of sectors. She holds an MBA and Post-Graduate Diploma from GIBS where her MBA research focused on methods to develop a global mindset. Tanya also holds a BCom Informatics and Honours in Business Management from UNISA.
Tanya is the mother of a teenage son and a South African PowerLifter .
Manusha Parshotum
Operations
Manusha Parshotum, Head: Operations
Manusha Parshotum, currently at SAVCA as the Head of Operations. Commenced employment on the 10 September 2018.
Previous work experience entailed working at GIBS for the last six years as Senior Manager Marketing and Head of MBA Admissions and Alumni. Previously work in the Marketing environment of Accenture, PwC, the Kelly Group and African Mediums.
My skills include an in-depth knowledge base and experience in marketing within South Africa as well into Africa and Internationally.
I have experience in the Education sector, Financial Services sector and Consulting both locally as well as internationally. I am passionate about people, learning and growth. I enjoy spending time with my family, reading and when time allows exploring and experiencing different cultures. I am married and a mother of a baby girl.
Shelley Lotz
Regulatory Affairs
Shelley Lotz, Head: Regulatory Affairs
Shelley joined SAVCA in 2016 as the Head of Regulatory Affairs focusing on leading SAVCA’s engagement and advocacy efforts with regulators including National Treasury, SARS, SARB and the FSB.
Shelley’s extensive experience in the financial services sector includes 6 years at Horizon Equity Partners, where she was responsible for all fund reporting, valuations and compliance.
Shelley also spent 7 years at the Royal Bank of Scotland in London where she worked in a technical accounting and regulatory advisory role for the Investment Bank. Shelley was the Finance lead in the launch of RBS’s GBP 1.1bn Private Equity fund in 2007, which paved the way for Shelley’s career in private equity.
Bukiwe Kabi
Events & Membership
Bukiwe Kabi, Events & Membership Manager
Bukiwe Kabi is the Events and Membership Manager at SAVCA, she looks after the SAVCA membership, events, stakeholder relations and venture capital activities.
Bukiwe joined SAVCA as an Administrator in August 2015 and was responsible for finance and administration. Prior to joining SAVCA, Bukiwe was a Health and Safety Officer in the steel and engineering industry.
Bukiwe holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of South Africa.
Pule Boroko
Pule Boroko, Admin Coordinator
Pule manages all office related functions management, offering administrative support to the team and responsible for coordination of the SAVCA training and events.
Prior to joining SAVCA, Pule worked as a Programme Coordinator at GIBS for 4 years and holds a Certificate in Business Management.
Pule holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from MANCOSA.
Melanie de Nysschen
Fund Manager Development Programme
Melanie de Nysschen, Programme Manager: Fund Manager Development Programme
Melanie joined SAVCA in March 2019. She is a financial services industry professional with a legal background and extensive experience in the investment banking industry, specifically corporate finance and capital markets.
Melanie is passionate about the sustainable development, and ultimately growth, of small to medium sized enterprises.
She believes that putting people first, and showing due respect for the planet on which we build lives, and businesses, contributes to sustainable business and a healthy profit line.
A keen supporter of the Arts, Melanie also currently serves as an independent, non-executive director, on the board of The Joburg Ballet Company (NPC).
Avantika Seeth
Avantika Seeth, Research & Communications Manager
Avantika joined the SAVCA team in November 2019, where she currently oversees the research and communications processes related to the organisation. Prior to this, she worked as a journalist with a strong focus on human rights and politics. She is currently completing her MA in Journalism and Media Studies with a focus on Human Trafficking at Wits University.
Avantika comes with a strong background in research, writing and communication skills. She holds an BA in Communication Studies and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University.
Directors
Joint-CEO
Old Mutual Alternative Investments
Paul Boynton, Old Mutual Alternative Investments
Paul is the CEO of Old Mutual Alternative Investments (OMAI), Africa’s largest alternative investment manager investing R60bn across African infrastructure, private equity, impact funds and mezzanine debt.
Prior to setting up OMAI for Old Mutual Investment Group (Pty) Ltd, Paul was the Senior Portfolio Manager of the Old Mutual Life Funds (at the time a $50 billion portfolio) and was Head of Investment Views for three years, formulating the investment house view and model portfolio for OMIG.
Paul is married to Di and has three children: Matthew, Marion and Stuart.
CEO
Firebird Fund Managers
Cathy Goddard, Firebird Fund Managers
Cathy is the CEO and founding partner in a South African-based BEE women-owned private equity fund manager Firebird Fund Managers which was founded in 2017. Firebird Fund Managers is currently fundraising for Firebird Futures, a SME Focused fund which has been shortlisted by the PIC for R500m of funding during the 2018/2019 tender process.
Cathy is a board member of the Southern African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association ("SAVCA") since September 2016. She is an Investment Committee member of Spear Capital, a Scandinavian-backed fund which provides growth capital funding of $2-10 million in Africa. Cathy is a registered Key Individual for Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) registration purposes and KI for Firebird, Edge Growth and Spear Capital. Cathy is incubating two SA SME Fund funded venture capital firms for FSCA Compliance purposes ie Savant Technology and 4DI, both based in Cape Town.
Cathy is a strong originator and very active networker who has developed strong networks over her career. She was voted 5th in the 10 Power Women Shaping Africa’s Private Equity Market by AfkInsider.com in the Fall 2015 Edition of Women in Private Equity Awards.
Cathy is a registered senior business rescue practitioner and has experience in working with distressed assets and turnarounds. She completed the University of Pretoria's first Certified Rescue Analyst course in 2016 with the class leaders.
Partner
Actis
Natalie Kolbe, Actis
BComm, MBA, CFA
Natalie joined Actis in 2003. She was the Partner responsible for the South Africa and West African offices. In 2016 she took over as Head of Private Equity across all regions and sectors, encompassing LatAm, Africa and Asia.
Natalie started her investment management career at Investec Bank in 1999 where she was part of the team that established Investec Asset Management’s investor centre. In 2002 she joined Thebe Financial Services, a stock broker providing clients with dealing, research and portfolio management as a stock analyst.
In 2003, Natalie joined Actis and was a leading member of the deal teams who led the acquisition and portfolio management of Alexander Forbes, Paycorp, TekkieTown, Savcio, Tracker, Coricraft, MoukaFoam, Upstream, Vliscoand Sigma Pensions in Nigeria.
Type of experience:
Natalie joined Actis in 2003 as an investment associate and held several positions in the firm, including heading up the South and West Africa offices and latterly as Global Head of Private Equity. Experience includes originating and leading PE deals as well as running the global team at the fund level.
Investment Principal
Summit Africa
Langa Madonko, Investment Principal; Investor Relations & Capital Raising: Summit Africa
Langa Madonko is a Co- Founder of Summit Africa a Niche Alternative Investment Manager focused on delivering superior financial returns to investors on a risk adjusted basis whilst achieving meaningful socio-economic impact and Transformation through investment in Private Equity and Social Infrastructure.
He is responsible for Investor Relations, Capital Raising and Training. He has over 12yrs experience in Financial Services and Management consulting previously with JP Morgan and Mckinsey in the US.
He was also founding Associate of Africa Strategic Impact Fund under Arnold Ekpe Former CEO of Ecobank.
Co-founder and CEO
One Africa Capital Partners (OACP)
Yvonne Maitin, Bopa Moruo
Yvonne is co-founder and CEO of One Africa Capital Partners (OACP). She has broad experience gained across 17+ years in financial services within various disciplines including private equity, private debt, derivatives and macro-economics.
She began her private equity career at Actis in 2007 as a member of the investment team. She later joined Liberty where she was a divisional director, on-balance sheet private equity, unlisted debt and PE fund set-up. She also served as a private equity specialist fundraiser at STANLIB. Yvonne later joined Bopa Moruo private equity as a partner.
Prior to the above, Yvonne was a derivatives structurer at Standard Bank (CIB) and an economic analyst at Credit Suisse.
Yvonne serves on various boards and is a strategic advisor to Helical Capital Partners.
Founding Partner and MD
Third Way Investment Partners
Fulu Makwetla, Thid Way Investment Partners
Fulufhelo (Fulu) Makwetla is an investment professional and entrepreneur with a passion for developmental investments, diversity advancement and inclusivity. She is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Third Way Investment Partners, a Non-executive Director of All Weather Capital, Fundi Capital, and serves on the investment committee of RH Bophelo.
She was previously the Investment Manager of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) and represented GEPF on several advisory boards of Private Equity Funds on the African continent.
Prior to joining GEPF, she was an Executive and Senior Investment Consultant at RisCura, and an employer elected trustee of the RisCura Provident Fund. She also worked for RMB Asset Management, having started her career at Liberty Life and has over 17 years industry experience.
She is a member the Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP). In pursuing her passion of diversity advancement and inclusion, especially that of women, she is intentional in her mentorship of young women both through the ABSIP Women in Focus, a sub-committee of ABSIP, as well as in her personal capacity.
Fulu holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Econometrics (a double major in Economics and Statistics) and a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) in Economics from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She has completed several short programs in Private Equity at GIBS and Investment Banking Institute. She has also completed programs at the World Bank in Washington DC, in Private Equity, Strategic Asset Allocation, Manager selection, and Master Custody.
CEO
Ascension Capital Partners
Kabelo Moja, Ascension Capital Partners
Kabelo is a qualified and admitted attorney of the High Court of the Republic of South Africa. His qualifications include an LLB and Postgraduate Diploma in Tax from the University of the Witwatersrand and a LLM from the University of Pretoria.
Kabelo worked at the Public Investment Corporation SOC Limited as a senior legal advisor and periodically held an acting executive head of legal role, National Treasury of South Africa as a legal commercial director, Absa Capital and at Hogan Lovells South Africa.
He is currently the managing director with Ascension Capital Partners (Pty) Ltd, a boutique fund management and advisory business that also specializes in structuring and capital raising for various unlisted investments. He has extensive experience in corporate restructuring, mergers, corporate finance, litigation, a host of debt, equity and mezzanine funding and private equity across a diverse range of industries.
Recent projects that Kabelo has been involved in include an equity investment into various assets including a diversified agri business that exports wool and mohair products, a leading global ICT technology company, a security equipment manufacturing and communications company and a property development and management company that develops and manages mixed use developments in CBD’s.
Kabelo also forms part of the Ascension Investment Committee.
Founder and CEO
Khulasande Capital
Sthembile Nkabinde, Khulasande Capital
CA (SA) – Chartered Accountant and Executive MBA alternative (Programme for Leadership Development- PLD) at the Harvard Business School
Sthembile is a CA(SA) with 11 years’ experience in investment banking and private equity. She is the CEO of Khulasande Capital, which she founded alongside Investec in 2014. She has executed private equity transactions with an enterprise value of cR10 billion, and has sat on various boards as a Khulasande representative, including Clover, Bud Industrial Services, Tarsus Distribution, Afrit Trailers, Goscor and Dartcom. She is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Programme for Leadership Development, an Executive MBA alternative.
Type of experience:
After qualifying as a CA (SA) at PWC, Sthembile joined Corporate Finance, and subsequently Investec’s Private Capital division. In 2014, she founded Khulasande Capital, where she is currently the CEO. In 2017, she completed Harvard Business School’s Programme for Leadership Development, an Executive MBA alternative.
Head of Unlisted Investments
27four Investment Managers
Rory Ord, Head of Unlisted Investments: 27four Investment Managers
Rory joined 27four in 2017 to head the unlisted investments of the firm, and to manage the Black Business Growth Fund, focused on investing the South African mid-market.
Prior to joining 27four he spent 10 years at RisCura, as head of their private equity team, and 5 years at Deloitte before that.
In 2010 he initiated industry wide performance reporting in collaboration with SAVCA.
In 2012 he created the Bright Africa series of reports on the state of unlisted investments and deal making across the African continent.
He has also co-authorised private equity research reports with AVCA and EAVCA.
CEO
Sanari Capital
Samantha Pokroy, Sanari Capital
Samantha is the founder and CEO of Sanari Capital, a private equity firm investing in the lower mid-market, with a specialization in founder-run, owner-managed and family-owned businesses. Samantha has fifteen years of private equity and venture capital experience in the South African and United States markets. She played a leading role in investments at Ethos Private Equity, prior to which she worked in private equity in Chicago and investment banking and consulting in New York.
Samantha has an MBA with Honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, a B.Com and BA Honors in Industrial Psychology from the University of the Witwatersrand and is a CFA Charter Holder. She serves on several industry bodies to promote entrepreneurship and is a member of the board of SAVCA.
Samantha sits on the boards of Fernridge, JAYCOR and Sensor Networks.
CEO
Ata Capital
Lelo Rantloane, Ata Capital
Lelo is the founding CEO of Ata Capital. Prior to this he was Head of Debt Capital Markets and structured debt at Deutsche Bank AG.
He began his career with RMB as a Transactor in Debt Capital Markets and later became a Transactor in Acquisition and Leveraged Finance where he focused on Private Equity firms.
While at RMB, he was Executive Assistant to the CEOs of FirstRand and FirstRand Bank. Lelo also worked for Morgan Stanley’s Securitised Product Group in London and as a Transactor (on secondment) at the Makalani Management Company.
CEO
SAVCA
Tanya van Lill, SAVCA
Tanya joined SAVCA in March 2017, after a rewarding 10-year career at the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) with her last role being Director of Academic Programmes where she also served on the board of the Executive MBA Council (EMBAC), an international academic association that represents the Executive MBA industry.
Tanya is passionate about human and organisational development. During her time as a learning and development specialist focusing on management and leadership development, Tanya gained valuable experience working with various companies across a wide range of sectors. She holds an MBA and Post-Graduate Diploma from GIBS where her MBA research focused on methods to develop a global mindset. Tanya also holds a BCom Informatics and Honours in Business Management from UNISA.
Tanya is the mother of a teenage son and a sports enthusiast.
Founding Partner
Knife Capital
Keet van Zyl, Knife Capital
Keet is the Founding Partner of Knife Capital, a leading venture capital firm with offices in Cape Town and London. Keet is a venture capitalist with extensive growth equity investment experience. Knife Capital’s latest fund: KNF Ventures is a SARS S12J VC company that leverages knowledge, networks and funding to enhance investee growth and investor returns. Prior to this, Keet structured various private equity funds in Southern Africa for a US fund-of-funds investor and worked at industry-leading companies such as Procter & Gamble, Investec Bank and ‘Here Be Dragons’ (HBD) Venture Capital.