A key defining characteristic of the Lereko team is its strong and highly respected leadership in the business, community and political arenas and its proven commercial and business acumen. Lereko’s founders are committed to participating in value-add, sustainable empowerment transactions.
CHAIRMAN
Popo Molefe was awarded the Harvard University Certificate for Conflict Resolution and has diplomas in leadership from the Wharton School of Business and JFK School of Governance at Harvard. He served two successful terms as Premier of the North West Province and Chairperson of the ANC in the North West. Popo is the Principal of the Lereko Metier Capital Growth Fund. He served as chairperson of Petro SA, Armscor, Simeka BSG and Eqstra Limited and on the board of the CEF Group of Companies (Pty) Ltd. He is the former Chairman of Anooraq Resources Corporation Incorporated and former Chancellor of the North West University. He is currently chairman of the Passenger Rail Services of South Africa (Prasa).
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Cedrick Mampuru holds a BCompt (Hons) from Unisa and H Dip Tax Law from University of Johannesburg. Cedrick qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1999 after completing his three -year training contract with Ernst & Young. Prior to Lereko, Cedrick spent six years as a manager in the Securitisation and Structured Finance division of Mettle Limited.
He gained extensive experience in debt origination and structuring with specific emphasis on asset-backed securitisation and credit enhanced debt issues on behalf of corporate and institutional clients. In addition, he gained significant experience in transaction risk management and compliance. Cedrick is currently responsible for finance and investments within Lereko. As CEO Cedrick has prioritised the drive towards acquiring operations to maximime value add.
Valli Moosa was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is a veteran of the South African Freedom struggle. He worked closely with Nelson Mandela during the settlement talks and served as a negotiator for the ANC. He participated in the drafting of the South African Constitution.
He served in President Mandela’s cabinet as Minister of Constitutional Development and in President Mbeki’s government as Environment Minister.
He joined the corporate sector in 2004 and currently serves as Chairman of Anglo American Platinum and Sun International and serves on the boards of Sanlam, Sappi and Imperial. He is also a partner in the Lereko Metier Sustainable Capital Fund.
Valli Moosa is Chairman of WWF (SA) and has served as a facilitator in the Global Climate Change Negotiations for a number of years.
He previously served as President of the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) and Chairman of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.
Lulu Gwagwa has a PhD from University College, London, holds a Masters degree in Town and Regional Planning from the University of Natal and an MSc (cum laude) from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Lulu serves as a non-executive director on the boards of the FirstRand, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Sun International and Massmart. She was a finalist in the 2001 Nedbank Business Woman of the Year awards. She has also served on various government commissions, including the Commission for the Delineation and Demarcation of Provincial Boundaries and the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Local Government Transformation. Lulu is a Principal of the Lereko Metier Capital Growth Fund.
Lulu was the Deputy Director-General in the national Department of Public Works from 1995 to 1998 and she also led the Independent Development Trust (IDT), and the as CEO from 1998 to 2003.
Ms Martha Molobi has dedicated her professional life to the education sector, devoting her time to Sacred Heart College, a Catholic Private School in Johannesburg. Before then, she worked at the University of the Witwatersrand. She is the founding member of the National Education Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU). She also co-founded CORD (Charge or Release the Detainees) in the early 1970’s. She is a staunch member of the Mother’s Union of the Bethesda Methodist Mission in Houghton and worked alongside her late husband, Eric Molobi, during the liberation struggle for better and quality education