“Unhook the t from can’t.” That’s the philosophy Tracey Henry, chief executive of Tshikululu Social Investments, lives by. She heads South Africa’s leading social investment manager, which handles approximately half a billion rand of corporate social investment (CSI) funds annually for clients, including corporate giants such as Anglo American, De Beers, First Rand and Discovery.
Born in Fochville in the North West, Henry was one of seven children. “My parents had to be frugal and to this day I place a greater value on opportunities, people and sharing than on money.”
She earned an MA in the social sciences from Wits University in 1993 and worked at the Chamber of Mines before moving to the Anglo American Chairman’s Fund in 1995. In 1998, she helped establish Tshikululu Social Investments and worked for a decade as a fund manager for various companies. She was appointed chief executive in July 2008, responsible for the strategic implementation and management of CSI grants.
Henry’s ultimate goal is to make a meaningful contribution to South African society. Whether through a school soup kitchen or a skills training centre, “Our job is not to give hand-outs or cheques but to ensure there’s a real impact. Money alone is not the answer,” she says.
Believing charity begins at home, she is on the governing body and fundraising committee at her children’s school and serves on the governing body of the African Children’s Feeding Scheme.
— Qudsiya Karrim
