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.
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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. Quali Doc has also developed a platform that enables disadvantaged communities to access home-based primary healthcare and screening via community health care workers. This has considerably eased the burden of seeking healthcare in the most vulnerable communities by removing the need to commute to local clinics. Through a strategic and impactful partnership with the Gates Foundation, the organisation has launched a product called Doc on T@pp, which allows two-way healthcare communication between
medical practitioners and communities via voice notes, texts, pictures, and videos. The consulting arm of the business works with primary healthcare clinics and endeavours to optimise their processes as a precursor to the adoption of technology in the form of digital health
records and complementary devices. She has over 19 years of clinical experience and has explored the healthcare industry from public, private, and pharmaceutical perspectives.
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 CEO of Weber Shandwick, a global strategic, communications, and consulting firm. Ipi’s strength lies in solidifying multi-market client relationships in Africa and managing and expanding the agency’s growing network across the regional operation. She has specific expertise in C-suite advisory council and transitions. Her focus areas include organisational change management, sustainability, corporate and public affairs.
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Her experience further includes working at blue-chip companies such as Deloitte and Altron, where she specialised in strategic business planning, innovation, corporate affairs and 360 marketing. She has also worked with Non-Profit Organisations in North America, Asia and Africa.
Ipi is a board member and director of PRCA UK Ltd and is listed as such at London Companies House. She also serves as a board member of Nahana Communications Group. She has further served on other boards and as a judge at some of the industry’s largest awards, which span across the African continent.