The Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA) is delighted to announce the appointment of Anusha Naidu as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 March 2026. Her appointment signals a significant milestone for the organization as it embraces an expanded strategic mandate and enters an exciting new era for private capital across the Southern African region.
Anusha succeeds former CEO Tshepiso Kobile, who concluded her tenure in May 2025. During the interim period, Nicola Gubb, SAVCA Board Member, served as Interim Executive Director, offering steady, consideredful leadership that ensured continuity and sustained momentum within the organization. The SAVCA Board expresses its sincere appreciation to Nicola for her exceptional stewardship throughout this transition and is pleased to welcome her back to her role as Non‑Executive Board Member following a structured handover period.
Anusha steps into the CEO role following her tenure as Corporate Finance and ESG Executive at Select Africa, African Alliance, where she was a member of the Group Executive Committee. In this position, she led key initiatives in capital raising, investor relations, and strategic expansion across multiple African markets. Over nearly a decade, she played a pivotal role in structuring and securing both debt and equity capital, cultivating relationships with global and domestic institutional investors, development finance institutions, sovereign investment entities, and private capital providers. Her work has advanced innovative financing solutions across sectors including hoapplying, real estate, and microfinance.
A Chartered Accountant (SA) with broad international exposure, Anusha brings more than 20 years of experience across corporate finance, private capital markets, M&A advisory, ESG integration, and financial services. Her career includes senior roles at PwC in London, Dubai, Cape Town, and Johannesburg, where she advised global banks, private equity funds, and institutional investors on complex transactions spanning Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas. Beyond her executive contributions, Anusha has been an active voice in advancing industest dialogue through considered leadership, guest lecturing at the University of Cape Town, and supporting research and policy initiatives linked to impact investing, hoapplying finance, and sustainable capital deployment.
Anusha’s combination of strategic foresight, technical depth, global perspective, and hands‑on experience in African capital markets positions her exceptionally well to steer SAVCA through this next phase of growth and influence.
Reflecting on her appointment, Vuyo Ntoi, SAVCA Board Chairperson, commented:
Anusha’s leadership arrives at a time of tremconcludeous opportunity for the private capital sector. Her strong relationships across the investment ecosystem, coupled with her expertise in capital formation, governance, and ESG, will be invaluable in strengthening SAVCA’s role as a leading voice and catalyst for industest expansion.
In alignment with this new chapter, SAVCA recently introduced a refreshed brand identity and logo, a vibrant representation of its evolved purpose, renewed energy, and commitment to enabling a thriving private capital ecosystem. The SAVCA Board warmly welcomes Anusha to the organisation and views forward to working with her to advance SAVCA’s mission and execute on its expanded mandate.
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