Cora Fernandez

Cora Fernandez is one of South Africa's leading private equity professionals. Cora entered the private equity industry in 2001 when she joined Ethos Private Equity. She joined Sanlam in 2006 as Deputy CEO of Private Equity and was subsequently appointed as CEO of Sanlam Private Equity. She served on the board of the board of SAVCA for two years and subsequently served as the chairperson of SAVCA. In 2006, Fernandez was awarded the top private equity deal maker in 2008 and in 2009 she was awarded Sanlam CEO’s award for her deal making capabilities. In 2012 Cora was appointed the managing director of Sanlam Investment Management (SIM), one of the largest asset management firms in the country. She subsequently became the Chief Executive of Sanlam Investments Institutional Business; which business was responsible for managing Sanlam’s Institutional Clients such as Pension Funds, Retirement Funds, Provident Funds, Endowments and Unions. During her tenure in private equity, she served numerous boards, board subcommittees, advisory boards and investment committees. She currently serves on the Board of Sphere Holdings and chairs the Remuneration Committee of Sphere. She also serves on the Board of Tiger Brands Limited, Tiger Brands Audit Committee and Chairs the Tiger Brands Risk and Sustainability Committee. She serves on the Board of Spur Corporation and its Audit and Risk Committees, respectively. She is a member of the Investment Committee of 27Four’s Black Business Growth Fund. She is also a member of the Investment Committee of the National Empowerment Fund and she serves as an independent Trustee on the Allan Gray Pension, Provident, Retirement Annuity - and Umbrella Funds.