Master of Institutional Agriculture (Crop Protection), MBL – Masters in Business Leadership

Wendy is a plant pathology specialist with over 12 years of experience. She has worked in the Crop Protection and Agrochemical industry for 12 years in various companies; mainly in product development and regulatory teams. She is highly qualified, holding two Master’s degrees in Crop Protection from the University of Pretoria, as well as Master of Business Leadership from UNISA’s School of Business Leadership.

PhD Agric Economic, Executive African Agribusiness Programme, Structured Commodity Trade Financing

Tinashe is an experienced value chain analyst and trade and investment policy analyst, with over a decade of private and public sector experience. His area of expertise includes market and trade analysis, research and policy advocacy. He is an advocate of free markets and a supporter of evidence-based and inclusive policy making. A sector modelling specialist with training in partial equilibrium modelling.

PG DIP. (Corporate Governance), MDP (B-BBEE Management Programme), BCom. (Economics and Marketing Management, Cert. Social Entrepreneurship Programme

Makibinyane is the founder of Tshokoma Business Consultancy, an Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Impact Investing Advisory firm. Tshokoma has been officially endorsed by Statistics South Africa as a major contributor to the country’s SDG country report. As Vice-President of the Youth Economic Alliance, he has led South African delegations to Tunisia and the United Kingdom on issues revolving around collaboration in emerging technologies and venture capital. He continues to be an important role player in advancing the on-going policy discussions surrounding the role of the youth in the mainstream economy and a champion for ESG, Impact &Responsible Investing; he also takes pride in his role as a guiding light to many young entrepreneurs across the Southern African region

BSc Actuarial and Financial Mathematics

Didintle has over 15 years of experience in commercial banking and insurance. Her expertise covers back and front office functions as a risk analyst and dealmaker. She was the founder of New Vantage Solutions (NVS), an advisory firm assisting black owned SMEs in raising acquisition, expansion and transformation funding through DFIs, commercial banks and PE Funds. NVS’ function was later absorbed into Global Hands (later rebranded Empower Energy), where she was an Executive Director. Empower Energy is an enterprise that delivers engineering infrastructure solutions throughout Africa responding to the physical, social and economic infrastructure needs of Africa. Integrating engineering and construction capabilities of traditional firms with infrastructure investment solutions and a socio-economic development approach is used to create sustainable communities through infrastructure projects. She served on the board and investment committee of the RH S12j VCC, an investment holding vehicle aimed at investing in healthcare infrastructure in South Africa. Her key areas of expertise include, but are not limited to Research; Risk Portfolio Management; Transaction Structuring and Data Science.

South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (Chartered Accountant), BCompt Honours (Accounting Science)

Melisa is a trailblazing financial leader who has rapidly ascended to prominence in the private equity and asset management sectors. As the Founder and CEO of Oakland, she has demonstrated exceptional acumen in financial strategy, propelling her company to exponential growth over the past two years. Melisa’s innovative approach to fractional CFO services has redefined industry standards, providing bespoke financial solutions that drive sustainable growth and operational efficiency for her clients. With over a decade of experience in private equity, Melisa has honed her expertise in financial planning, analysis, and strategic management. Her deep understanding of the asset management landscape allows her to navigate complex financial environments with precision, ensuring optimal outcomes for stakeholders. Melisa’s ability to foresee market trends and adapt swiftly has been instrumental in her success, earning her a reputation as a forward-thinking and resilient leader. Melisa’s career is marked by her commitment to excellence and a relentless drive to achieve outstanding results. Her leadership style fosters a culture of collaboration and innovation, empowering her team to deliver unparalleled service. A dedicated advocate for professional development, Melisa mentors aspiring finance professionals, helping them unlock their potential and advance their careers. Her visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to the financial industry make her a formidable force in the asset management space, poised to continue making significant impacts in the years to come.

Bachelor of Agriculture (Agric Economics and Animal Production), Master of Commerce (Business Management), Postgrad Diploma (Business Management)

Jacky is an Agricultural Economist and also a distinguished IT Executive. In his Agricultural career, Jacky worked for the University of Pretoria`s Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP), where he consulted for some of the largest and most complex organizations in the agricultural industry in South Africa. During this period, Jacky was sent by BFAP to the University of Missouri in the USA, where he was trained in Econometric Modelling in the agricultural industry. Beyond University, Jacky has consulted  for developing farmers in South Africa. In his IT career, he boasts a remarkable 18 year career history in prominent leadership roles across leading organizations in Africa and beyond. Having served as an IT executive at such prestigious multinationals as Nedbank, FNB, Discovery, Liberty, Hollard, ABSA, Coca-Cola, and DAL Food, Jacky brings invaluable IT and Digital Transformation expertise to the Agro-Food industry in South Africa and the continent.

Having served as the Director for IT at Coca-Cola for Africa and as Head of Data, Analytics and Digital Transformation for DAL Food, which is the largest private company in Sudan, Jacky has gained invaluable experience in the management and operations of complex Agro-Food organizations on the continent. The experience gained in these prestigious global FMCG companies places Jacky in a great position to harness the networks, experience and contacts which will be pivotal in building Nala Capital Partners into a formidable player in the Agro-Food industry in the South Africa and beyond.

Freddy is an experienced Environmentalist with a Doctorate degree from the University of Limpopo and 15 years of professional experience in various agricultural organisations.

Mankwana is a seasoned animal scientist with over 14 years of experience gained from various organizations, in the academic and private sector. She is a specialist in animal health.

John is an experienced Agronomist with a Masters degree from the University of Limpopo. His experience spans 10 years in various agricultural organisations. He is also a published author of several academic papers.