OUR BOARD
Experienced in founding, investing in and managing for-profit and non-profit ventures in South Africa and Africa, we’re excited to play a role in Africa’s development – and committed to seeing its redemptive purpose realised.
JOHAN DU PREEZ
NON-EXECUTIVE MEMBER
Johan, who obtained the degree M. Pharm from the University of Pretoria and an MBA from National University in San Diego, California, is the founder of SAAD Investment Holdings and the Tree of Life Foundation. He began his career in California, USA, where he specialised in the turnaround of large retail pharmacies for American Drug Stores, a retail group that owned more than 700 stores. He then moved on to managed healthcare, specifically medical insurance and risk management, and was part of a core team that created national prescription benefit manager RxAmerica.
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On his return to South Africa he was instrumental in the turnaround of Sanlam Health, where he served as CEO from 1999 to 2001, led Glacier by Sanlam and headed the start-up of the financing company Quince Capital. He subsequently acted as the CEO of the then JSE listed pharmaceutical company Cipla Medpro South Africa and, during this time, concluded a R4.5bn transaction with Cipla India that saw the delisting of Cipla Medpro. During his involvement with the Sanlam group he served on the Executive committees of Sanlam Life and Sanlam Investment Management.
PHILIP GELDENHUYS
CO-FOUNDER & NON-EXECUTIVE MEMBER
Philip has co-founded and led several ventures focusing on psycho-social services to children and youth, affordable high schools, entrepreneurship development, and, most recently, faith-based tertiary education. He holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Stellenbosch University and a PhD in Social Development from the University of Cape Town. He was also a Visiting Researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, in the USA. Philip and his wife, Reé, live in Paarl, South Africa, and have three children.
NTHABISENG LEGOETE
NON-EXECUTIVE MEMBER
Dr. Nthabiseng Legoete is an accomplished entrepreneur and medical practitioner. She is the founder and CEO of Quali Doc Holdings, an organisation focused on democratising access to primary healthcare in underserved and neglected communities. Through Quali Doc, she conceptualised and managed a network of brick-and-mortar, technology-enabled primary healthcare clinics. These were aptly named Quali Health clinics. They collectively serviced between 400-500 patients a day with pristine levels of quality and significantly reduced waiting times.
NOXOLO MALUMISE
NON-EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER
Noxolo was the Head of Philanthropy at Nedbank Private Wealth, where she was responsible for developing the philanthropy offering and strategy. The philanthropy office provides a range of specialist advice and services to individuals, families, private and corporate foundations as well as non-profit organisations (NPO’s) to ensure sustainable and impactful giving.
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Noxolo is passionate about sustainable economic and social development, and the strategic role private philanthropy can play. She has extensive experience in the financial services sector, and is an MBA graduate from Henley Business School in the UK. She also holds a post-graduate degree in Economic Policy and Development.
WILLEM MEYER
CO-FOUNDER & NON-EXECUTIVE MEMBER
Willem is the Managing Partner of Family Tree Farms Africa, the African arm of Family Tree Farms USA, which operates in California, Mexico, Peru, and Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Rwanda). In 2023, he co-founded Jack and Sun Farms, a U.S.-based CPG brand that creates healthy snacks from upcycled fruit. Willem lives in Stellenbosch with his wife, Nicola.
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Previously, Willem lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he helped launch the African Agribusiness Knowledge and Innovation Leadership Initiative, working with MIT and Harvard on sustainable agribusiness in Africa. He then founded Campitor Investments, an investment holding company focused on food, beverage, and agribusiness.
He began his career with PSG Group’s Private Equity team and later served as CEO of Chayton Africa, a large-scale Zambian farming enterprise backed by PSG’s Zeder Investments.
IPI THIBEDI
NON-EXECUTIVE MEMBER
Ipi is the Group Managing Director of Ogilvy. Her focus is on driving strategic growth across the group and deepening client relationships, with direct group responsibility across several of Ogilvy’s specialist businesses. Ipi has a proven track record as an experienced strategic advisor and growth driver, having worked with multinational clients across diverse markets and categories. Prior to joining Ogilvy, she was the CEO of Weber Shandwick, a global strategic, communications, and consulting firm, where she led the agency’s expansion across the region.
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She has many years experience in business consulting and advisory services, spanning multiple blue-chip companies such as Deloitte and Altron, specialising in strategic business planning, innovation, C-suit advisory and transitions, corporate affairs, crisis management and stakeholder engagement. She has also worked with Non-Profit Organisations in North America, Asia and Africa.
Ipi is a non-executive director of PRCA UK Ltd and is listed as such at London Companies House. She has served on other boards and as a judge at some of the industry’s most prominent awards, spanning the African continent.