Zuko Kubukeli

CEO & Principal at PAPEfunds

Speaker

Dr. Zuko Kubukeli, with 15 years at PAPE, currently serves as CEO, Director, and Principal of PFM. Zuko's private equity journey began in 2002 at Brait. Over the next decade, from 2005 to 2015, he established PACH's investment vehicle and collaborated closely with Guy to pioneer Africa's first cleantech fund, Evolution One, securing $94 million in funding. In 2008, he established the core team at PFM, which has since fully invested PAPE Fund 1, 2 and 3.

PAPE Fund 1 and 2 achieved remarkable success, exiting 12 investments with returns of 2.5xTMB. Zuko holds pivotal roles within the organization, serving as CEO and Principal of PFM. He has served on a number of JSE-listed boards, Siyathenga, HPF, Poynting Antennas and chaired a number of investment committees, CIVH, Revego and PF3 and served on a number of audit and social and ethics committees.

His hands-on involvement spans deal origination, executive oversight, and astute financial management. Notably, he is recognized as a Key Individual on PFM's FSP License, a Key Person per the LP Agreement, and an executive member of the PAPE Fund 3 Investment Committee. Zuko holds a BSc in Biochemistry and Microbiology, a BSc (Hons) in Medicine, and a PhD in Physiology, from the University of Cape Town. Zuko is fluent in Xhosa, English, Zulu, Afrikaans, and Kiswahili, a language widely spoken in East and Central Africa.