Our Story
A pioneering team built the early LifeCo in South Africa – and then slowly grew to serve customers and clients from 44 countries around the world (Rest of Africa, Europe, Asia, the America’s).
Today the business:
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Invests in selected, large-scale established businesses
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Invests in early to growth-stage impact enterprises
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Develops human capital (leaders and entrepreneurs)
Our Purpose
A generative economy – championed by impact investments and entrepreneurs.
Founders
LifeCo UnLtd was founded and funded by two families in 1997 - the Pillai and the Di Rito families.
Pat Pillai
Director/Founder
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Patmanathan DS Pillai is a Teacher, Businessman and Entrepreneur. He has also previously held executive directorships in the media industry, e.g., Primedia Ltd. He’s been in broadcast media for 22 years in various roles with the SABC and 10 years at ETV News (News Anchor and Executive Producer). He writes for the Daily Maverick and other news publications. He is invested in the real estate and media production sectors.
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He was awarded the Ashoka Fellowship in 2007 for his work at LifeCo. Pat was also selected as an Ashoka Globalizer Fellow – a group of 35 Ashoka Fellows drawn from approximately 2 800 Ashoka Fellows.
Carmen Di Rito
Director/Founder
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As an Italian / South African entrepreneur and educator, Carmen Di Rito has contributed significantly to the visionary and strategic growth of the organisation. In her executive capacity she takes care of product development, programme and process research, implementation and facilitator training and development.
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She is a trustee on LifeCo UnLtd SA Trust. From the 1980’s, her family was invested in a bulk energy distribution business, which operated across Southern Africa. The company also consulted to European infrastructure investors in Africa.
Executive Leadership
Emanuela Di Rito
General Manager
Sharon Lazarus
Finance & Governance
Board
Anele JL Malumo, Ferdinand A Gazendam, Mervin Naidoo, Ntombi B Langa-Royds, Pat DS Pillai, S Carmen Di Rito, Zanele B Xaba.
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Advisory Committee
Doug Smollan, Dr Reuel Khoza, Joel Netshitenzhe, Pregs Govender, Prof. Njabulo S Ndebele, Santie Botha, Wendy Lucas-Bull, Richard Benton (UK).