Your future is created by what you do today!
So, take the first step towards entrepreneurship and greatness and apply for our Fellowship Programme
LIFELONG SUPPORT FOR A LIFELONG ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY
Overview
Our purpose is to cultivate high-impact responsible entrepreneurship in Southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana and Eswatini). We seek out young people who have the potential to change the world with their energy, curiosity and new ways of seeing and understanding the problems we face, and how to solve them. Our role is to nurture this potential using our ecosystem of partners, programmes and resources.
The Foundation takes a holistic approach to entrepreneurship development with a focus on three critical aspects: cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset in our Candidate Fellows and Fellows; developing entrepreneurial skills in our Fellows; and being relevant in the African context while understanding global entrepreneurial ecosystems.
The foundation believes that entrepreneurially-minded individuals with ethical values and strong leadership skills hold the promise of change. We stand behind entrepreneurs improving the socio-economic landscape of Southern Africa. Our aim is to foster such impact by providing youth demonstrating the highest potential access to education and cultivating within them an entrepreneurial mindset.
Who is a high impact, responsible entrepreneur?
Individuals of passion, integrity and innovation, who are at the forefront of the continuing economic and social transformation of Southern Africa. These individuals serve as ambassadors for the power of initiative, determination and excellence, acting as role models for many more to follow in their pioneering footsteps. They utilise their potential and the opportunities they have been afforded, to make a life-altering, positive impact on the world around them.
Why is it important to develop entrepreneurs?
- Entrepreneurs create businesses and create value for society by solving problems.
- Entrepreneurs are the primary catalyst for the vitally important function of job creation in Southern Africa.
- Profitable and sustainable businesses contribute to Southern Africa’s economic growth and generate tax revenues to fund social and economic initiatives.
We’re about cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset, that will allow our
Programme Participants to approach life in a solution-focused manner.
– Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Programme Participant
FROM ONE ENTREPRENEUR TO MANY
Background
The Foundation was created in 2005 as part of Allan Gray’s vision to make a sustainable, long-term contribution to Southern Africa (Namibia, Botswana and Eswatini) by nurturing the emerging entrepreneurial potential from the region.
His entrepreneurial journey has taught him that it takes time, patience and long-term support to build the kind of high-impact entrepreneurs that will make wide-reaching and significant economic and social impacts on a country. It was from this vision that the Foundation was born and now runs in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Eswatini.
The Allan Gray Orbis Foundation is funded by a donation of 5% of the taxed profits from Allan Gray Limited.
It’s about creating opportunity - a sense of hope for everyone.
Vision: An entrepreneurial, equitable Southern Africa flourishing with meaningful employment.
Mission: Foster a community of responsible entrepreneurs to ensure the development of Southern Africa.
Our Five Pillars
The Foundation believes that entrepreneurship can be taught. This is evident a recent study conducted by the Foundation where we interviewed 15,000 entrepreneurs and found 14 competencies that lead to entrepreneurial action. The study confirmed our belief that an entrepreneurial mindset can, in fact, be taught and that these entrepreneurial, behavioural competencies can be developed.
The Five Pillars have underpinned the Foundation’s ethos, objectives and programmes right from the beginning. The Pillars represent the values, mindsets, attitudes, characteristics and attributes the Foundation believes Fellows need to become the responsible entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
spirit of significance
A weight of personality that comes from living a life of passion and integrity. A recognition that personal satisfaction comes from empowering oneself in order to serve others.
intellectual imagination
Demonstrated by an established record of intellectual achievement; an ability to see the unseen, challenge the status quo and suggest that things could be done differently.
achievement excellence
The ongoing pursuit of excellence with a tangible and specific focus on setting goals. A motivation to make a difference and leave a mark.
personal initiative
A person who makes things happen and celebrates the satisfaction of bringing new things into being. Independent, proactive and self-starting.
courageous commitment
The courage of dedication to continue, realising that applying consistent commitment has a way of overcoming adversity. All applicants are expected to exhibit an entrepreneurial attitude and a belief in the future of their country.
Board
The Foundation’s Board of Trustees acts as a strategic guide to the leadership team and supports us in ensuring that we are doing our best to cultivate our future entrepreneurs with a combination of formative education and entrepreneurial development programmes.
Eswatini
DR MICHAEL MATSEBULA
CHAIRMAN
Dr Matsebula is the CEO of the Swaziland Sugar Association and a non-executive director of Allan Gray Swaziland. He has served as an Economics Professor at the University of Swaziland, and as president of the Economics Association of Swaziland, of which he is a founding member. He is also a founding member of the African Economic Research Consortium. As a member of the Monetary Policy Consultative Committee, he advises the Central Bank. He has been decorated twice with national honours, has earned a PhD, an MA and BA from Queen’s University in Canada; the University of Manitoba, Canada; and the then University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland; respectively.
ZODWA MABUZA
TRUSTEE
Zodwa is currently the CEO of the Federation of Swaziland Employers and Chamber of Commerce. She earned an MSc degree in International Business from Lancaster University and a BA in Economics and Statistics from the University of Swaziland. She is a non-executive director of Allan Gray Swaziland.
Tapologo Motshubi
Trustee
Tapologo Motshubi joined Allan Gray in 2004. He is the Portfolio Manager of Allan Gray Botswana and his responsibilities include researching Botswana capital markets and selecting suitable offshore products to ensure that Allan Gray optimally manages its clients’ portfolios. In January 2011 he was appointed Managing Director of Allan Gray’s operations in Namibia and Swaziland until 2014. Tapologo was the Managing Director of Allan Gray Botswana from 2007 to 2017. In 2016, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Allan Gray Kenya and Head of Allan Gray’s businesses outside South Africa in 2018.
Prior to joining Allan Gray, Tapologo worked at Grant Thornton in their Cape Town office. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from the Universities of Cape Town and Natal, is a Chartered Accountant (SA) and a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder. Tapologo is also a Fellow Certified Public Accountant (FCPA).
Botswana
GOLEELE MOSINYI
trustee
Goleele worked for Price Waterhouse Coopers in Johannesburg and Gaborone for seven years before moving on to Fieldstone Capital, doing project finance in New York and Johannesburg. Goleele spent the next four years working on mergers and acquisitions, debt capital markets and ratings advisory for JP Morgan London and Johannesburg. He is currently the Founding Executive Director of Kago Capital, a financial advisory and investing firm, with Brait SA as a significant minority shareholder. He is a non-executive director of Allan Gray Botswana.
Tapologo Motshubi
Trustee
Tapologo Motshubi joined Allan Gray in 2004. He is the Portfolio Manager of Allan Gray Botswana and his responsibilities include researching Botswana capital markets and selecting suitable offshore products to ensure that Allan Gray optimally manages its clients’ portfolios. In January 2011 he was appointed Managing Director of Allan Gray’s operations in Namibia and Swaziland until 2014. Tapologo was the Managing Director of Allan Gray Botswana from 2007 to 2017. In 2016, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Allan Gray Kenya and Head of Allan Gray’s businesses outside South Africa in 2018.
Prior to joining Allan Gray, Tapologo worked at Grant Thornton in their Cape Town office. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from the Universities of Cape Town and Natal, is a Chartered Accountant (SA) and a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder. Tapologo is also a Fellow Certified Public Accountant (FCPA).
Namibia
ANDREW THEUNISSEN
CHAIRMAN
Andrew is an attorney with the Supreme Court in Namibia. He earned his LLB from Stellenbosch University. He is a trustee of Windhoek Gymnasium Private School and chairman of the board. He is also a trustee of several inter vivos trusts and an active farmer.
Ronald Kubas
TRUSTEE
Ronald is a registered professional engineer with over 26years engineering and project management experience within the SADC region. He is the holder of a BSc. (Elect/Electr), from the University of Cape Town, Executive chairman, shareholder and managing director of Burmeister & Partners (Pty) Ltd. Consulting Engineers, Chairman of the Rehoboth Community Trust. He is serving as Vice Chairman of the Meatco Namibia board and chairman of the audit and risk committee. His personal passion is sustainable community development with a focus on hydroponic crop cultivation and are a keen commercial livestock farmer.
Tapologo Motshubi
Trustee
Tapologo Motshubi joined Allan Gray in 2004. He is the Portfolio Manager of Allan Gray Botswana and his responsibilities include researching Botswana capital markets and selecting suitable offshore products to ensure that Allan Gray optimally manages its clients’ portfolios. In January 2011 he was appointed Managing Director of Allan Gray’s operations in Namibia and Swaziland until 2014. Tapologo was the Managing Director of Allan Gray Botswana from 2007 to 2017. In 2016, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Allan Gray Kenya and Head of Allan Gray’s businesses outside South Africa in 2018.
Prior to joining Allan Gray, Tapologo worked at Grant Thornton in their Cape Town office. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from the Universities of Cape Town and Natal, is a Chartered Accountant (SA) and a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder. Tapologo is also a Fellow Certified Public Accountant (FCPA).
Dr Delvaline Mowes
Trustee
Dr Delvaline Möwes was the Founding Director of the Centre for Open and Lifelong Learning (COLL) at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). A position she held from 2002 -2022. Her career in Higher Education (HE) and Open, Distance and eLearning (ODeL) began at the University of Namibia’s (UNAM) Centre for External Studies in 1992. She has 30 years of experience in Higher Education and ODeL Leadership and Management, whilst she served in the positions of Lecturer, Assistant Registrar, Director, Acting Deputy Registrar, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic Affairs and also deputised for the former NUST Registrar and the current Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic Affairs.
Team
Our team shares the mindset and many of the behaviours of entrepreneurs, and this means they can take the vision of cultivating a community of high-impact entrepreneurs and turn it into a daily reality.
Alvina Hekungua
Programme Coordinator
Alvina graduated from the Namibia University of Science and Technology with a Bachelor of Technology in Human Resources Management. Pursuing a Postgraduate diploma with Regent Business School. As a Programme coordinator she coordinates the Fellowship selection process, that identify and nurture academic potential Fellows in Namibia. She uses her skills and knowledge to identify most competent learners then helping them to take their rightful place in the transformation civil society. This search for excellence is inherent in the Foundation values thus she demonstrated through dedication and going the extra mile in her duties to bring hope to the hopeless learners. Alvina has been a good steward through constant ways to improve and nurture the programme to reach its greater heights. Because of the structure of the programme it calls for excellence where every bit hinge on the other and thus far she managed to excel in her duties. As a coordinator part of her responsibility is to cater for the needs of current Fellows. Previously she held the position of an event coordinator with the Malaysian Embassy where she developed administration and human relations skills.
Aina Ickua
Finance and Administration Manager
Aina Ickua joined the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation in January 2019 as Finance and Administration Manager. Aina obtained a Master’s Degree in Cost and Management Accounting from the Nelson Mandela University in South Africa and a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Finance from the Namibia University of Science and Technology. Prior to joining the Foundation, she served as a Finance Manager at one of the Asset Management Companies in Namibia and lectured part-time at one of the Namibian Universities. With over six (6) years’ experience serving in finance positions in both private and public organisations, she brings wealth of experience to the team.
Gavin Frey
REGIONAL HEAD
Gavin Frey is an accomplished business professional currently serving as the Regional Head of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation for Namibia, Botswana & E-swatini. Gavin plays a pivotal role in driving the foundation’s mission to empower aspiring entrepreneurs and change-makers. Through his leadership, he fosters an environment that nurtures and supports young talent, facilitating their growth and development as future business leaders.
He is a Chartered Accountant and holder of an MBA from the University of Stellenbosch. Gavin’s professional journey spans across various sectors within the financial services industry. He has gained invaluable experience in audit and tax, asset management and corporate & investment banking.