Meet the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Board of Trustees

Professor Jakes Gerwel - Chairman

Prof Gert Johannes (Jakes) Gerwel: BA, BA Hons, LicGermPhil, DLitt et Phil.
Jakes Gerwel is Chancellor of Rhodes University, Distinguished Professor in the Humanities at the University of the Western Cape, Honorary Professor in the Humanities at the University of Pretoria and Chairman of the Human Sciences Research Council.

He was Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Western Cape from 1987 to 1994. From May 1994 to June 1999 he served as Director-General in the Office of President Mandela and Secretary of the Cabinet in the Government of National Unity.

He is presently a non-executive Director of Naspers and Old Mutual as well as a non-executive Chairman of Africon, Brimstone Investment Corporation, Life Healthcare, South African Airways and Media 24.

Prof Gerwel chairs the Boards of Trustees of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Mandela Rhodes Foundation and the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation and is the Vice Chairman of the Peace Parks Foundation.

Futhi Mtoba - Trustee

Aside from being an Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Trustee, Futhi is currently the Executive Chairman of Deloitte Southern Africa and has the following qualifications: CA (SA), Higher Diploma in Banking Law, B Compt (Hons), BA (Econ) (Hons), BA (Econ) and is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants (ABASA). She currently serves on the Boards of Public Accountants and Auditors, Public Investment Commissioners (PIC) - where she is Chairman of the Investment Committee - Business Unity South Africa, Money Laundering Advisory Council, Standing Committee for the Revision of the Banks Act (1990), Trustee WDB Trust, SA Wine Trust, Nepad Business Foundation and United Nations Global Compact.

Futhi is also a past Chairman of ABASA, Johannesburg Branch, and past National President of ABASA, a past Board Member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, Financial Markets Advisory Board and Eastern Central Southern African Federation of Accountants (ECSAFA).

Mahesh Cooper - Trustee

Mahesh jointly heads up the institutional business unit of Allan Gray Limited as well as Allan Gray's offshore investment business unit. He joined Allan Gray in 2003 as a business analyst with previous experience in asset and healthcare consulting. Mahesh completed his Bachelor of Business Science degree at the University of Cape Town and is a qualified actuary. During his university career he was the recipient of several prestigious awards including the Class Medal, Marks and Spencer/Woolworths Scholarship, Dean's Merit List and the Jan Smuts Academic Award. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries (UK) and the Actuarial Society of South Africa. In April 2006, Mahesh was appointed as a Director of Allan Gray Limited.

The Trustees of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation in South Africa are devoted to education and the entrepreneurial scope that Southern Africa offers its youth. Meet the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation team for more on the people behind this catalyst for change in Southern Africa.