You're Invited! Leadership, Tech and Career Conversation with Jesmane Boggenpoel

What is private equity and what role does it play in funding scale-ups, especially tech driven scale-ups?

Scaling up to become a large organisation is rarely achieved without substantial funding. While a lot of funding discussions focus on start-up funding and venture capital with many a publication and newsletter reporting on the latest - series A, B, C, etc. - funding successes, the world of private equity remains opaque and beyond most people’s visibility and comprehension. Yet, private equity is a trillion dollar funding source. Understanding and placing private equity in context is therefore key for any business that needs funding to scale or drive growth, including established technology businesses.

Therefore, it is with great excitement that we invite you to join us for this leadership conversation where Jesmane Boggenpoel, seasoned investor and Managing Partner at AIH Capital unpacks the world of private equity and helps us understand its role in scaling technology ventures.

I first met Jesmane Boggenpoel while I was leading the BMF Innovation and Invention Programme focused on supporting start-ups and small businesses in validating their business model through customer discovery and a (technology) innovation focus. A key part of the programme was that of helping start-ups navigate the support and funding landscape available to them. Considering her extensive investment experience, I was delighted when Jesmane agreed to join the multi-disciplinary team made up of stakeholders from various organisations to leverage her experience in helping guide programme participants. That is where I had the fortune of witnessing her energetic spirit and deep commitment to positive socio-economic change. I am therefore excited to introduce you to this gem of a leader.

The conversation titled, Funding Tech: Leveraging Private Equity to Scale Tech, will take place on 27 June 2024 (19:00 PM SAST | 19:00 PM CET | 13:00 PM EDT)

About Jesmane Boggenpoel

Jesmane Boggenpoel CA (SA) is a co-founder and Managing Partner at AIH Capital (AIHC), a South African private equity fund that is focused on the mid-market. In line with her passion, the purpose of AIHC is that of uplifting and positively impacting women through the investment choices that AIHC make. Jesmane’s extensive investment experience spans several organisations including Brait PLC, Uranus Investment Group, several entrepreneurial ventures and now AIH Capital (AIHC), while her work and travel experience spans continents. She is passionate about effecting positive change in the world through her investment work as well as her work focusing on diversity and inclusion. The World Economic Forum honoured Jesmane by naming her a Young Global Leader in 2013, following which she spent time as Head of Business Engagement Africa at the World Economic Forum. 

Jesmane has served and continues to serve on several boards including Spur and Murray & Roberts as well as the Mauritius based agricultural conglomerate ETG which boasts operations in 43 countries. She further authored, „My Blood Divides and Unites“, a book on racial reconciliation and inclusion. Building upon that, Jesmane created the online Udemy course: Dealing with the Heart of Race and Gender Inequality in the Workplace. 

Amongst her qualifications, she counts her Master’s Degree from Harvard University’s JFK School of Government (US, 2012). The BMW Foundation selected Jesmane one of their Responsible Leaders, 2022. She is regularly called to speak on investment and inclusion all over the world.

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