Critical Conversations
Let’s talk: Acting for Impact
Can impact be a key to a sustainable future? In a country with so many socio-economic and environmental challenges, we all need to contribute towards unlocking a more sustainable future.
“Our role as a business is to figure out how to get you good financial returns but at the same time make sure that capital is put to work in areas that contribute to a sustainable world as well.”
– Nersan Naidoo
Let’s talk about acting for impact. Join the conversation with leaders from Sanlam Investments on 7 November 2022 at 10.00 SAST, for insights into their collective journey towards making a long-term sustainable impact. We’ll discuss the importance of aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and how this can benefit our country. During the virtual event we will also be sharing our insights and learnings on:
- The importance of making an impact.
- How impact investing can benefit South Africa.
- Contributing to zero hunger (SDG 2).
- Reducing inequality (SDG 10).
- Decent work and economic growth (SDG 8)
- Conserving life on land (SDG 15).
- Climate action (SDG 13).
Innovative, courageous conversations start here
We’ve created Critical Conversations to tackle the dynamics of sustainability and impact investing. It highlights the need for educated and authentic conversations that explore the right ideas, with the right people, to continue to move the best solutions forward.
Meet our panel.
MC: Lerato Mbele
Business and News Presenter
Lerato is a business and news presenter well known for raising Africa’s profile in world news and current affairs. Lerato has spoken at and moderated televised debates for the World Economic Forum on Africa, the World Bank and IMF annual meetings, African Development Bank summits, the UN Climate Change Summit COP-17 and has hosted the televised presidential debates for the Nigerian Economic Summit Group. Lerato is a previous business presenter for BBC World Television and was the host of Africa Business Report. Before that, Lerato was a senior business anchor for CNBC Africa and a national public broadcaster of South Africa.
Nersan Naidoo
CEO: Sanlam Investments
Nersan is the CEO of Sanlam Investments. Before being appointed to his current role, Nersan was founding member and CEO of the Sanlam Investments Multi-Manager business from 2002. He was instrumental in building the business to its current status as one of the leading multi-managers in South Africa. Nersan was also head of the previous investment services sub-cluster, which included Sanlam Collective Investments, BlueInk Investments, Sanlam Investments Multi-Manager, Graviton Financial Partners and Graviton Wealth Management. He is a member of Sanlam Investments’ Executive Committee, where he has served since 2007.
Nersan’s 20-year track record includes extensive experience in investment management and business leadership, both locally and internationally. Nersan is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and holds a B.Sc in Electrical Engineering as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Organisational Leadership from Oxford University.
Mervyn Shanmugam
CEO: Alternatives, Sanlam Investments
Mervyn is the CEO for Alternatives at Sanlam Investments. Prior to this he was executive head for the Empowerment Finance division within Sanlam Capital Markets, a role he held from June 2016. The focus of this division was providing financing solutions for empowerment companies in both listed and unlisted capital markets. Prior to that, he held the role of head of Equity Structuring from November 2004 to May 2016. Mervyn was with Sanlam’s Capital Markets business for 13 years.
He has nearly two decades of experience in financial markets structuring and financing transactions across industries utilising loans, bonds, shares, preference shares, derivatives and foreign exchange. Mervyn holds an MBA from Buckingham Chilterns University and a B.Sc (Honours) in Mathematical Statistics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Marthinus van der Nest
Head: Amplify Investment Partners
Marthinus is the founder and head of Amplify. His vision, determination, ability to build and maintain relationships, and decades of experience equip him with a unique combination of skills and expertise to lead Amplify from strength to strength.
As someone with a deep affinity for South Africa, Marthinus is committed to doing everything possible to help make this country a self-sustaining success. This passion for sustainability spills over to Amplify, with its goal of positive impact for investors, communities, and the environment.
Andrew Johnstone
CEO: Climate Fund Managers
Andrew is the CEO of Climate Fund Managers and an infrastructure investment specialist with over 30 years’ experience in the delivery of infrastructure assets in emerging markets. His experience spans origination, due diligence, capital structuring and execution of 32 acquisitions, eight disposals and four asset refinancing across a variety of infrastructure sectors in Africa.
Andrew was the CEO of the African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) for 13 years. Before that, he was the project director of an operations company in Bangladesh, and led the operational start-up of a toll road company in Brazil.
Andrew established Phoenix InfraWorks in 2014. He led the joint venture Phoenix has with FMO, the Dutch development bank, which led to the successful first close of Climate Investor One, an emerging markets renewable energy fund based upon blended capital, on 23 June 2017 at $412m.
