APPROACH

OUR INVESTMENT PHILOSOPHY

ThembiSA is a growth-oriented, all-weather investor.  Applying a solutions-based mindset that focuses on what is right for each business at that moment in time. Being generalists, we are industry agnostic and able to identify opportunities by connecting the right dots. We invest in:

  • Companies with uncomplicated business models, operating in large markets, exhibiting significant capacity for growth, job creation and transformation.
  • Industries where the macroeconomics point to long-term growth.
  • Entrepreneurial management who are honest, focused and hungry for success.
  • Businesses with defensible intellectual property (whether registered or not).

OUR STRATEGY

Building businesses alongside entrepreneurs, by:

  • Focusing mainly on founder owned businesses and ensuring management retains a meaningful equity stake, keeping them motivated and incentivised to grow the business.
  • Acquiring sizeable influential equity stakes (25% – 60%). Through our active approach we invest significant time into each investment and therefore require meaningful shareholdings for it to be worth our while. The minimum of 25% + 1 vote also aligns with the ownership compliance target from the BEE codes.
  • Providing access to capital that helps expedite future growth, both organically and through acquisitions.
  • Providing management with strategic, financial and operational input post investment.
  • Participating actively at board-level and at an executive-committee level.
  • Assisting and driving job creation and transformation within these businesses.
  • Driving good corporate governance and decision making anchored on sustainability, as a non-negotiable because we believe great companies are built on integrity and transparency.

POST INVESTMENT

ThembiSA is an active manager with a partnership mentality, passionate about driving business growth.

At a minimum, ThembiSA will participate actively at board-level and at an executive-committee level:

  • Monthly executive committee meetings
  • Quarterly board meetings
  • Bi-annual sub-committee meetings – Finance and Risk committee

We take pride in being great partners. Our flexible investment approach, strategic insights and open communication allow us to build enduring relationships with our companies.