Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe is a businesswoman and philanthropist, who started her career in medicine. With her husband Dr Patrice Motsepe she founded the Motsepe Foundation in 1999, and in 2013 they became the first couple in Africa to join the Giving Pledge.

The Motsepe Foundation has programmes in South Africa aimed at reducing poverty and improving the lives of the poor and marginalised communities. The foundation’s focus areas are in: education and the provision of skills; youth empowerment through sports, music and arts; and women empowerment through programmes run by the Women’s Unit.

The foundation has global partnerships with the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, Harvard Kennedy School, the Milken Institute and various other philanthropic organisations.

She established African Fashion International in 2007, initiating an incubation programme for design graduates and hosting bi-annual pan-African fashion week platforms. She has launched the careers of young designers and promotes artisan skills development and impactful job creation.

For her work in propelling African designers and empowering women artisans, Dr Moloi-Motsepe was awarded the Fashion 4 Development Franca Sozzani Award at the United Nations General Assembly in 2017.

Her professional associations include:

• Harvard Kennedy Women’s Leadership Board
• Harvard Centre for Public Leadership Council
• Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum
• International Women Forum of South Africa
• Cancer Association of South Africa
• Co-chair of Maverick Collective