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.
PHILIP GELDENHUYS
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Philip is the co-founder and CEO of Triga Ventures. He also co-founded Community Keepers and Calling Education and served as the former’s CEO for ten years. Philip holds a PhD in Social Development from the University of Cape Town and 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.
LESEGO HOLZAPFEL
NON-EXECUTIVE MEMBER
Lesego is the co-founder and chairwoman of Raise the Children International, a registered nonprofit in South Africa, USA and UK. As a former volunteer teacher in a rural school outside of her hometown of Mmabatho, Lesego believes in education-based solutions to poverty. Raise the Children identifies self-motivated orphans from impoverished and rural communities and mobilizes resources for these children to gain access to higher education that leads to employment and public service with a high return on social investment.
READ MORE
Lesego is also the founder and CEO of Bokamoso Impact Investments, a social enterprise solely dedicated to uplifting remote underdeveloped areas of the country. Bokamoso introduces innovative agricultural solutions to poverty, incubates local rural entrepreneurs, and tackles lack of basic resources with commercial strategies and natural asset mobilisation. Lesego is also the founder and CEO of Bokamoso Foods, specialising in manufacturing, packaging and distribution of food and beverages. She is an alumna of the City College of New York with a bachelor’s degree in International Studies, more specifically Social and Economic Development in Southern Africa, and a graduate of the London School of Economics, with a MSc in Social Policy and Development, investigating the impact of decentralisation of education and quality in the former homelands of South Africa. Lesego was recently given public recognition as a young Achiever and Trail Blazer, and Mail and Guardian honoured her as one of South Africa’s 200 young leaders. Recently, she won the Standard Bank Top Women award, alongside noticeable icons like Yvonne ChakaChaka.
WILLEM MEYER
CO-FOUNDER & NON-EXECUTIVE MEMBER
Willem co-founded Campitor Investments and serves as the CEO of this company that invests in food, beverage and agribusinesses that facilitate positive change. Previously, Willem was part of the Stellenbosch-based PSG Group Private Equity team that built and listed South Africa’s Zeder Investments in 2006. Zeder is a JSE-listed agribusiness investment company with interests in food processing, fruit exports, agri inputs, seed and farming.
READ MORE
Willem’s tenure as CEO with Chayton Africa, an African farming enterprise in which Zeder invested, gave him first-hand experience in leading a large African operational agribusiness. In 2015, Willem lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he helped start the African Agribusiness Knowledge and Innovation Leadership Initiative. In collaboration with faculty and students of the MIT and Harvard, Willem researched models of African agribusiness, drawing from his experience from working in investment and operational sectors in Africa. Willem holds a Bachelor’s degree in Investment Management from the University of Stellenbosch and a Master’s degree in Finance from the University of Cape Town. Willem and his wife, Nicola, live in Boston, USA.
LANCE VAN DER SPUY
CO-FOUNDER & NON-EXECUTIVE MEMBER
Lance is the General Manager at Checkers Food Services, a division of the Shoprite Group. In 2011 he started Checkers Food Services, a broad line distributor that supplies the hospitality and catering industry. Lance also serves as a member of the Shoprite Checkers Executive Committee, and has been with the Shoprite Group since 2009.
READ MORE
He is passionate about finance and building good businesses. He completed his undergraduate and post graduate degree in Accounting at Stellenbosch University. After completing his studies, Lance joined KPMG in Johannesburg and obtained his Chartered Accountant (SA) qualification. Lance is a family man, and lives in Somerset West with his wife, Lydia, and their two sons Daniël and Matthew. Besides work and family, Lance enjoys being active or playing golf.
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.