Business Talk – E Squared Investments CEO Gladwyn Leeuw on supporting responsible entrepreneurship
In this Business Talk with Michael Avery interview, Gladwyn Leeuw discusses the importance of supporting entrepreneurs in Africa.
Leeuw is the CEO of E Squared Investments – a position he has held since September 2023.
Before taking on his current role, he also served as the company’s Chief Investment Officer, where he built an investment team that has consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of the investment ecosystem, risk management, market trends, and opportunities that translated into notable portfolio growth.
Before joining E Squared Investments, Gladwyn was a General Partner at Kingson Capital – a South African-based venture capital investment firm – where he led post-investment management.
Leeuw has also worked in Anglo American’s private investment arm – Zimele – and was a key member of the senior executive team at CCI South Africa – one of South Africa’s largest international BPOs.
He holds a Master of Management degree in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management in the field of Business Administration, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economic Studies and International Relations from Wits Business School and Wits University respectively.
The interview
In this Business Talk interview, Leeuw begins by defining “scaling with purpose.”
He explains what sets E Squared Investments apart in its approach to investing – including its industry-agnostic approach.
Leeuw then reveals what this approach means for E Squared Investments’ ability to be hands-on during and after the investment process.
He discusses the use of a blended capital approach to investing – including the strategies that have worked best for E Squared Investments in this regard.
Leeuw also shares some of the key findings in the recently published E Squared Investments Report – including how the organisation is investing significantly in black-woman-owned businesses.
He then talks about responsible entrepreneurship – which entails simultaneously running a successful business and having a positive impact on society.
Leeuw concludes the discussion by sharing the one thing he would change about South Africa’s investment landscape.
Watch the full interview with Gladwyn Leeuw, below.
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