Ata Capital gets new CEO as founder Rantloane steps down

South African private equity firm Ata Capital, which raised its third fund just a few weeks ago, has said that founder Lelo Rantloane is passing on the baton of chief executive to Mamedupi Matsipa.

Mamedupi has previously worked as a management consultant at Accenture South Africa, after which she spent eight years with FirstRand Group, primarily as an acquisitions and leveraged finance solutions expert at Rand Merchant Bank.

This was followed by a stint at Goodwell Investments as an investment associate. Mamedupi holds a B.Com. (Hons) degree in information systems and an MBA.

Rantloane, who has been at the helm since he founded the company 10 years ago, will remain on the board of Ata Capital as an executive director and chair of the investment committee.

Mamedupi’s appointment comes soon after Ata Capital hit the final close of Ata Fund 3 on December 31, 2020.

Johannesburg-based Ata Capital is a sector-agnostic alternative investor founded in 2012 by Rantloane and the Harris Family Office.

It has raised three funds to date, all with South Africa investment mandate anchored on black economic empowerment (BEE). It is in the process of raising a fourth fund.

The maiden fund had raised R473 million, and stands fully invested across six portfolio companies. Its successor Ata Fund II is aimed at providing liquidity into the BEE market. It raised R600 million and is currently investing. The Ata Fund III was initially aiming to scoop up as much as R1.5 billion, and is focused on primary and secondary BEE deal opportunities.

Ata Capital is also raising its maiden fund for deals outside its home market. The Ata Resources Fund I is focussed on alternative mining finance and aims to back junior mining and small to mid-tier production projects in Sub-Saharan Africa. This fund aims to raise US$100 million and is currently inviting commitments.