Meet The Team
The Ascension team has significant private equity and corporate finance experience within various sectors. They seamlessly combine their complementary skillsets to drive value for investors and realise the fund’s vision.
Kabelo Senoelo is a Chartered Accountant CA(SA) with over 15 years’ post-articles experience, having qualified with Deloitte. He has worked in private equity, structured investments, and credit risk across South Africa, the Rest of Africa, and the Middle East.
His experience includes deal structuring, valuation, pricing, negotiations, and post-investment value creation. He also serves as a non-executive director on several portfolio companies.
Kabelo Senoelo
Chief Executive Officer
CA (SA)
Naairah Motala
Chief Operating Officer
CA (SA)
Naairah Motala CA(SA), with over 15 years of professional experience, serves as Chief Operating Officer and Director at Ascension Capital Partners, where she leads the firm’s operational and financial functions and plays an active role in portfolio management across the investment platform. She brings a depth of experience from investment banking and corporate finance advisory. Her career has included roles at Rockwood Private Equity, EY Transaction Advisory, and Rothschild & Co., where she developed a strong foundation in transactions, financial analysis and business valuation.
A dedicated advocate for mentorship and development, Naairah founded the Ascension Accelerate Student Programme to support historically disadvantaged students in their final years of university. The programme provides mentorship, skills development, and hands-on exposure to private equity.
Outside of her professional work, Naairah has a passion for horses, having completed her EQASA Module 1 and 2 qualifications and having qualified as a dressage rider at the South African Lipizzaners. She also enjoys trail running, open-water swimming, and obstacle course racing, and is currently studying Mandarin Chinese.
Tinyiko Ngwenya joined Ascension Capital Partners from Thesele Group where she served as an Associate. In her role, she was responsible for the financial modelling and initial due diligence for investment opportunities and served as a director on the boards of various portfolio companies. Prior to this, she served as a highly regarded Economist for the Old Mutual Investment Group. Tinyiko completed her articles and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2015 through Old Mutual’s TOPP programme. During this time, she rotated through Futuregrowth as a Credit Analyst, and Group Strategy and Corporate Finance in London.
Tinyiko is a CFA Charterholder and has a Sustainability and Climate Risk Certificate through the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP). She completed her Executive Development Programme through the WITS Business School in 2022. Tinyiko serves as the Chairperson of the Audit & Risk Committee for the CCBSA Mintirho Foundation, and is a member of the Finance & Infrastructure Committee of the Vaal University of Technology Council.
Outside of running marathons, Tinyiko enjoys spending time with her family and friends, developing a pipeline of women leaders through her non-profit, Bellona Women’s Network, and playing the piano.
Tinyiko Ngwenya
Investment Principal
CFA, CA (SA), SCR (GARP)
Shereen Mbele
Junior Analyst
BCom Investment Management
Shereen Mbele is a Junior Analyst at Ascension. She holds a BCom in Investment Management and has experience in private debt, bringing both analytical rigor and purpose-driven insight to Ascension’s investments that enhance basic human needs. She believes that private equity, guided by integrity and partnership, can transform communities and create lasting impact.
During her term as a member and Vice President of Enactus University of Pretoria, Shereen’s commitment to impact began on dusty roads visiting informal brick makers, where she witnessed firsthand the resilience and daily struggles of vulnerable communities. These experiences shaped her belief that capital, when applied thoughtfully, can unlock potential and transform lives. She later led a water conservation social enterprise that empowered communities to manage and preserve this vital resource. Shereen is an Alumna of the 2023 Ascension Accelerate Student programme (private equity mentorship programme).
Investment Committee
The Investment Committee comprises of highly experienced investment professionals including two independent members.
Kabelo Senoelo
Executive Director
STEPHAN
VD WALT
Non-Executive Director
Naairah
Motala
Executive Director
Zodwa Mlangeni
Independent Member
ANDRÉ
BRINK
Independent Member
