Inaugural SAVCA Fellowship
Class Of 2027
What is the SAVCA Fellowship?
A prestigious learning, mentoring, exposure, and networking opportunity designed to accelerate the development of promising, young, mid-seniority, candidates to opportunities that will help equip them for future senior leadership roles within the private capital sector.
Fellows will be exposed to a mix of formal training, one-on-one mentoring, and group case study immersions and content will include technical, leadership, and business modules curated to ignite the potential of fellows for more senior leadership roles and responsibilities in their Firms and the industry more broadly.
This is an 11-month programme running from May 2026 to March 2027, with a maximum of 10 fellows
Why we launched the Fellowship Programme
Accelerate the development of industry leaders of the future
Create opportunities for exposure & learning for high-potential young leaders across the industry
Build useful networks & relationships between fellows & their senior executive mentors and faculty
Ignite strong bonds and networks within the cohort that could last throughout the fellows' careers
Alleviate shortages of mentorship capacity through a programme that inculcates a culture of giving back to the industry
Share important knowledge and best practice from experienced senior executives in the industry
Elevate the EVP of firms that nominate successful candidates as a value add exclusive to SAVCA members
What Fellows will learn and experience
An 11-month learning journey curated for young leaders in private capital in South Africa.
One-on-one mentorship from Senior Executives in the Industry.
Access to the SAVCA training material and courses offering in the year that you are a fellow, with the requirement to complete at least two courses.
An 11-month learning journey curated for young leaders in private capital in South Africa.
Being part of a prestigious cohort of 10 like-minded aspiring young leaders that are recognised as rising stars in the industry.
Exposure to a broad range of topics, trends and business leaders that are shaping the industry
Content modules across technical, leadership, and business topics curated into a powerful and thought provoking learning journey that explores:
- Leading self
- Leading others
- Leading Fund Management
- Leading Fundraising
- Leading Transactions
- Leading Business
- Leading Industry
- Leading for South Africa
Who should apply?
Please take the leap and apply, or encourage the promising young leader in your network to apply, if you / they respectively fit the description and eligibility criteria below.
If you are a high-performing, ambitious, and aspiring young leader in the private capital industry, that is hungry for a prestigious opportunity to learn and grow to your full potential, and meet the eligibility criteria below, then this could be one of those critical inflection points that shapes the trajectory of your future career.
Eligibility criteria:
- Currently aged 28-35 years
- Minimum qualifications: NQF Level 8 (Honours/CA equivalent)
- Currently employed in a Firm in the private capital industry that is a member of SAVCA
- Minimum 6 years' working experience in professional services or financial services
- Minimum of 3 years' experience working in the private capital industry
- The programme is open to all eligible applicants, and we will be looking for a cohort that is diverse and both racially and gender representative
Adjudication Panel
Vuyo Ntoi
Vuyo Ntoi
Vuyo was appointed Co-Managing Director of AIIM in August 2020.
Prior to moving into this role, Vuyo was the Co-Portfolio Manager of the R15-billion IDEAS Managed Fund, which primarily focuses on infrastructure investment and development assets in the SADC region.
Vuyo holds several directorships, including positions on the boards of some of AIIM’s portfolio companies. He is also a Trustee of the Africa Infrastructure Developers Association (AFiDA).
Vuyo holds degrees from UCT, Oxford University and IESE Business School. He has also completed Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program and is and part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Anusha Naidu
Anusha Naidu
Anusha is the Chief Executive Officer of Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, with over 20 years of experience across corporate finance, private capital markets, M&A advisory, ESG, and financial services. She previously served as Corporate Finance and ESG Executive at Select Africa, where she was a member of the Group Executive Committee and led capital raising, investor engagement, and strategic growth initiatives across multiple African markets. A Chartered Accountant (SA), Anusha has held senior roles at PwC across London, Dubai, Cape Town, and Johannesburg, advising global financial institutions and investors on complex cross-border transactions.
She is recognised for advancing innovative financing solutions across sectors such as housing, real estate, and microfinance, and contributes to industry thought leadership through academic engagement and policy discussions on impact investing and sustainable capital deployment.
Nicola Gubb
Nicola Gubb
Nicola Gubb is a seasoned investment professional with over 25 years of experience in private equity, corporate finance, and impact investing. She has held senior leadership roles including Chief Investment Officer at WDB Investment Holdings and has served as Acting Executive Director of Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association. Nicola has led and managed multi-billion-rand investment portfolios and served on numerous boards across financial services, media, and education. She is particularly known for her work in BBBEE and gender-lens investing
Edward Pitsi
Edward Pitsi
Edward Pitsi is the Co-Founder and CEO of Infinite Partners, with extensive experience in private equity and investment management. He is a qualified CA(SA) and holds a Master’s in Finance from University of Pretoria, as well as an Executive MBA from INSEAD. Edward co-founded Infinite Partners alongside long-standing partners, bringing over a decade of collaborative investment experience. He specialises in identifying high-growth businesses with strong competitive advantages and capable leadership teams, with a focus on long-term value creation and strategic execution. He is driven by the real-world impact of building businesses and fostering leadership beyond financial metrics, with a strong emphasis on partnership, vision, and execution.
Lebo Thubisi
Lebo Thubisi
Lebo Thubisi is the Deputy CEO of Abax Investments, with approximately 18 years of experience in investment management. Prior to joining Abax in 2025, he served as Joint Deputy CIO at Alexander Forbes Investments, where he focused on alternative assets. His career spans roles in manager research and portfolio strategy. He has also contributed to the industry as a non-executive director at Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association.
Dion Mhlaba
Lebo Thubisi
Dion Mhlaba is the CEO of Energy Venture Capital and a Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)) with extensive experience across private equity, infrastructure, and development finance. He previously served as CFO of RH Bophelo, where he became one of the youngest black CFOs of a listed company following its listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Dion began his career at KPMG, working with institutions such as Nedbank, the IDC, and the DBSA, before moving into advisory and investment roles across multiple sectors. He holds a BCom (Accounting) and Honours degree from the University of Johannesburg. He is passionate about economic transformation, SME development, and youth mentorship, and has been recognised through multiple nominations for the CFO Awards.
