MENTORS

ABIGAIL KHULUSE

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR  |  TUSHIYAH ADVISORY SERVICES

Abigail launched Tushiyah in 2008 with the focused and ambitious objectives of growing SMEs, growing corporates and growing the economy. Over the last decade the company has gained significant standing in the Enterprise and Supplier Development space, responsible for countless SME/Corporate successes. Putting planning into practice has been a central theme for her over this exciting period of exponential growth.

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Abigail’s drive has also seen her being crowned SACBW Business Woman of the Year in 2014. With a unique pool of some of the brightest people that South Africa has to offer, Abigail succeeded in securing Tushiyah’s USP: access to market; access to finance; and access to business savvy for SMEs. In this way, Tushiyah facilitates successful value chain relationships for corporate procurement divisions.

AFRIKA MHLOPHE

PASTOR & AUTHOR  |  PRESSING MATTERS

Afrika Mhlophe has been in ministry since 1998 and has been Good News Community Church in Port Elizabeth’s leading pastor since 2002. He ministers on various platforms in South Africa and abroad, including being a regular speaker at the Mighty Men Conferences (MMC).

Afrika’s main focus revolves around calling Christians to bring Kingdom influence into every domain of life. For this reason, he has ventured to speak and write on complex subjects such as racism, corruption, and idolatry (among others). He has published three books, has a TV programme on DSTV and is a board chairman (and writer) for Gateway News, an online Christian news portal.

Afrika is married to Lindelwa, and their family reside in Port Elizabeth with their two children.

ALEF MEULENBURG

FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN |  RHIZA BABUYILE

Alef is a founder and chairman of Rhiza Babuyile, an NPO that aims to upskill entrepreneurs and young people, in order for them to contribute to the economic growth and dynamism within their communities. Passionate about social impact; Alef has a heart  for solving pressing challenges like poverty, youth unemployment and socio-economic inequality through holistic developmental models . He does this  through sitting in various board and executive positions, in organisations that are at the front-line of implementing social change in African communities. Alef’s professional background is in business administration, education, social entrepreneurship, non-profit management, impact investment, purpose driven leadership, philosophy and theology. He is also the author of “the Overcomers” – a book profiling 10 South African SMMEs that were looted during the July 2021 riots.

BEN SCHOEMAN

FOUNDER & CEO|  BUSINESS GAME CHANGERS

On a professional level Ben is a veteran private equity investor & proven high growth entrepreneur. After years of extensive  academic training Ben initially gained valuable experience as a banker before pioneering his first startup in 2001. In 2017 he founded Business Game Changers. Ben lives in Stellenbosch and he is happily married to Adi, a pharmacist, clinical research associate & consultant. They are the proud parents of three beautiful children. Ben’s family believe they exist to honour God by ultimately obeying Matthew 28:19-20. Through being and then building more Christ centred families we serve & establish similar families and communities

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Ben started his career as an office cleaner in a cardboard factory, from where he followed a winding path through insurance, IT operations, restaurants, and studying Organisation Development through UNISA. This path led him to discovering his passion in the relationship between purpose, design, and performance; and how this concept scales from individual, to team, to organisational and system design as a foundation for driving performance and well-being. He spent 9 years in China, during which time he completed a Master’s degree in Managing and Leading Innovation and Change (MALIC), whilst assisting the China subsidiary of an international off-shore equipment manufacture in creating and implementing an effective strategic management process that helped them weather the 2015 oil price crash. He returned to South Africa in July 2017, with his wife Lily, and their two children, in response to a sense that God was calling them to come back and contribute to the building of kingdom-focused businesses, with the focus on eradicating poverty in Africa.

BOSHOFF GROBLER

CEO |  FIRSTRAND GROUP

Boshoff joined RMB in 2000 after providing legal counsel to the South African Reserve Bank (SARB)for three years. During his years with FirstRand, Boshoff has been a founding member of DCM. DCM is a joint venture between Fixed Income Currency and Commodities (FICC) and the Investment Banking division (IBD) of Rand Merchant Bank. He served as a Specialist Transactor and Executive Director for various capital market vehicles. In 2007, he assumed responsibility for the DCM Executive Committee and was also appointed to the Management Board of IBD. Boshoff has been the CEO of Ashburton Investments since its conceptualisation in 2009 and is responsible for implementing the FirstRand Group’s investment management strategy.

When Boshoff is not working, he spends time with his wife, Blyde, and his three children Andreas, Nina and Miko. He is a passionate horse rider and Arabian horse breeder, enjoys tennis and fly fishing.

CHAMP THEKISO

CO-FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR  |  THE THEKVEST GROUP

Words that describe Champ Thekiso include: paradigm-shifter, leader, strategist, experienced director, entrepreneur, investor, and chartered accountant. He worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers in the Entrepreneurial Advisory Division (EAD), which focused on auditing SMMEs. After PwC, he has been growing SMMEs through The Thekvest Group, a business development expertise. He has a wealth of experience in growing dormant companies to high performing socio-economic ventures. Over and above his technical and financial knowledge, Champ has extensive experience in stakeholder engagement, local procurement, economic transformation and social performance within the resources sector. He has been an advisor on several Employee Share Schemes, BEE transactions and BEE advisories for JSE listed and unlisted companies. He serviced clients such as Impala Platinum, Anglo Platinum, Shanduka Resources, Sephaku Cement, John Taolo Gaetsewe Developmental Trust, SIOC-CDT, and Modikwa Platinum, to name the few in the socio-economic transformation capacity.

DAVID BLANKS

FOUNDER & CEO  |  AVOLANDS

David is a passionate avocado entrepreneur and an ardent ambassador for agribusiness development. He believes that the free market and small business development is the only credible means to long-term prosperity for all South Africans. Prior to farming, David worked as a consulting project manager in commercial and development agriculture throughout Africa. He is a dedicated family man and when he is not working, you will find him motorbiking in the bush with his two sons or riding his mountain bike in the forests surrounding his farm.

GERRIT HEYMANS

CEO | POPUP UPLIFTMENT
CFO | CREATION CAPITAL

Gerrit is a Chartered Accountant with experience in logistics, manufacturing, financial services and skills development. He is the CEO of POPUP Upliftment, a non-profit company, which focuses on providing skills training to unemployed youth. POPUP has trained nearly 7,500 people up to the end of 2017. Gerrit is also the CFO of Creation Capital, an asset manager which manages a debt fund and a property fund.

GLADWYN LEEUW

Chief Investment Officer | E SQUARED INVESTMENTS

Gladwyn has multi-dimensional expertise and experience as an Investment Professional, having served various sectors in senior leadership and executive positions within large corporates, MNCs, and SMEs; being a lecturer of entrepreneurship; an investor; and a founder himself. He is the Chief Investment Officer at E Squared Investments, a South African Impact Investment Fund. Before E2, he served as a General Partner at Kingson Capital. He started his career as an Investment Manager at Anglo-American’s Enterprise and Supplier Development arm, Zimele. Afterward, He joined the Senior Executive team of one of South Africa’s largest international BPO’s, CCI South Africa. Gladwyn holds a Master of Management degree in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation, a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration Management, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economic Studies and International Relations.

GUGU MOLOI

FOUNDER & MD  |  BETHEL ESTATE

Gugu is a seasoned business leader who has worked in leadership positions in both the public and the private sector. She turned mayor companies losses into thriving businesses and is very vocal about her dependence on God in the workplace. She is now the managing director of Bethel Farm, a commercial farming operation in Kwazulu-Natal, which she is building with her children.

IPI THIBEDI

CEO  |  WEBER SHANDWICK

Ipi is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Weber Shandwick, one of the world’s leading communications and marketing services agencies. She joined Weber Shandwick in March 2020 and has more than 18 years of experience in communication and business development, with deep knowledge of strategic communications across consumer and business-to-business. Based in Johannesburg, Ipi is focused on business development, further strengthening multi-market client relationships in Africa and the management and expansion of the agency’s growing network across the regional operation. She has also spent five years at Deloitte focusing on strategic planning, marketing, C-suite transition and employee engagement. She also has experience with organisations such as The Nelson Mandela Foundation, Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), and The National Empowerment Fund (NEF). She has worked with Non-Profit Organisations in the USA and India, focusing on developing communities across Southern Africa, sourcing and managing sponsorship opportunities and funders.

JOHANN SNYMAN

PRINCIPAL: PRIVATE EQUITY  |  SAAD INVESTMENTS

After an early career in financial management, Johann entered the world of dealmaking and structured finance when he joined FNB Business as a Leveraged Finance dealmaker in 2011. In 2014 he became the head of FNB Business’ New Business Acquisitions team in the Western Cape: a role in which he managed a small, niche team of specialist dealmakers.

Johann joined Cape Town-based private equity firm SAAD Investment Holdings in 2016. He is intimately involved across the full spectrum of the business’ private equity initiatives, from deal origination phase to post-transaction value creation. He serves as a non-executive director on the Boards of various SAAD investee companies operating in the technology, financial services, and contact centre industries.
He is married to the love of his life, Tara, and is a proud father of two bright-eyed and bushy-tailed boys: Aren and Jonathan.

JONATHAN ROBINSON

FOUNDER |  BEAN THERE FAIR TRADE COFFEE

Jonathan began his working career in the IT industry with IBM and Dimension Data. After a year abroad in 2002, he joined the Starfish Foundation. He followed his desire to impact the future generations of South Africa by helping to create a brighter future for orphaned and vulnerable children. In 2005 he combined his passion for Africa with his love for coffee and established the Bean There Coffee Company. Bean There is South Africa’s first roaster of certified Fairtrade coffee and works with small-scale farmers in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, and DR Congo. Their model of Direct Fair Trade and investment in agronomy training programs has significantly impacted producer communities across East Africa. Jonathan believes that business can positively impact people and the planet while still being profitable.

MICHELLE HARDING

FOUNDER | LEGACY WATER SOLUTIONS
CO-FOUNDER | IN2ENERGY & SOLH2O 

Michelle Harding has more than 30 years of experience in key sectors locally and internationally. Before founding Legacy Water Solutions, she held GM and Director positions at some of the leading corporates in manufacturing, mining, construction, and agriculture. As Legacy Water Solutions gained momentum in line with the Food-Water-Energy nexus, she co-founded In2Energy and SolH2O (Water & Energy) in 2020.

Michelle is enthusiastic about finding and implementing business opportunities to help the continent grow to its full potential. She is also passionate about the importance of the next generation. Michelle is a devoted Christian, and her family is an essential part of her life. She is married to John and has two married sons with children.

NEIL HART

EXECUTIVE HEAD | MERGON FOUNDATION

Neil is an entrepreneur with a heart for God. He was the founder and CEO of Boomtown for 26 years; today one of the top brand agencies in South Africa. In 2014 he took over leadership of All Nations Church. Together with his wife Mandi, they established All Nations Churches in 20 countries worldwide, including the Middle East, Africa, India and Indonesia.

Neil is currently the Executive Head for the Mergon Foundation, which allocates financial and human capital to ministries expanding God’s kingdom across Africa and the Middle East. He has a deep interest in leadership and creativity, loves being in nature, playing the guitar and is an exhibited artist. He lives in Stellenbosch with his family and is part of All Peoples Church in Kayamandi, Stellenbosch.

NTHABISENG LEGOETE

FOUNDER & CEO  |  MY QUALI DOC

Nthabiseng is a medical practitioner who is passionate about improving access to primary healthcare. She has a vision that, if realised, will make quality primary healthcare affordable for all global citizens in emerging markets.

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She has spent the last 10 years navigating the private health sector, firstly as a medical advisor and product manager in the pharmaceutical industry and then as a partner in an emergency medical practice. She also has experience in the sub-acute healthcare environment. Nthabi completed her MBA through the Gordon Institute of Business Science, where her research topic, “Factors that influence the non-urgent use of emergency departments in the South African private healthcare sector” seeks to aid in the development of divergent strategies for these patients.

PAUL SOPER

RETIRED CPA & ENTREPRENEUR

Paul is a retired CPA (Certified Public Accountant) from the United States. He volunteers for a number of Christian organisations, most of which work in developing countries. Paul spent twenty years as an auditor and consultant for EY and ten years as Partner with IMA Consulting. This healthcare consulting firm provides professional services to hospitals and health systems throughout the United States. He retired in 2019, one year after the sale of IMA Consulting to a private equity firm. He lives in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area, has been married to his wife Sue for over thirty years and has three grown children.

STEPHAN PRETORIUS

FOUNDER  |  AGES GROUP
FOUNDER  |  TOUCHING AFRICA GROUP

Stephan is a South African citizen, born in the late fifties and resides in Potchefstroom where he is involved in family, business and community activities. He is married to Christa and they have a family of four children and one grandchild. He is the founder of the AGES Group of companies and co-founder of various related businesses with focus on geo-environmental engineering solutions and management.

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He obtained his Ph.D. in Environmental Geology in 2009, and is involved in various post-graduate research programmes and studies. He is well known and recognised in the geohydrological community of South Africa and is involved in widespread regional water research and management projects. He is the chair of the Touching Africa Development Trust, contributing to community and business development through a cooperation of vision driven businesses, networking throughout various countries in Southern Africa. Stephan lately focused on the documentation and research on Kingdom principles and understanding the Word of God as a practical tool in all aspects of life, including the corporate environment. This has led to the development of training material, publications, and various wide spread presentations.

TOMMY O’KENNEDY

DIRECTOR  |  HALFTIME SOUTH AFRICA

Tommy O’Kennedy is the first full-time director of Halftime South Africa. He started his career as a teacher and was involved as seminar leader and facilitator for Leadership Development and Management Development programmes for many years. He started his own business as entrepreneurship and management consultant and also taught in Business Management and Entrepreneurship at CPUT and Leadership Development at Stellenbosch University.

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After reading the book “Halftime” in 1998, Tommy desired to live a life of significance and in the middle of 2009, after a number of years in the academic and business world, Tommy was asked to become the first full-time director of Halftime South Africa. He felt that he could realise his dream to inspire business and professional leaders to embrace their calling to live a life of significance.

TRIGA VENTURES IS A NON-PROFIT AND PUBLIC BENEFIT ORGANISATION (PBO) IN SOUTH AFRICA AND ALSO HAS A 501(C)(3) AFFILIATION IN THE USA.

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