Celebrating 20 Years of Purpose-Driven Impact

Be Part of the Legacy
  • The Seed of a Vision

In 1984, Mr. Gray wrote to the South African government’s Finance Department, requesting permission to donate 20% of what would later become Allan Gray Pty Limited to a trust dedicated to supporting Black enterprise. Although unsuccessful at the time, the seed of his philanthropic vision had been planted.

  • Turning Vision into Action

In 2005, two decades after first articulating his vision for meaningful societal change in South Africa, Allan Gray established Allan Gray Orbis Foundation to invest in individuals who would go on to become high-impact, responsible entrepreneurs capable of shaping and transforming the future of the Southern Africa region. His commitment to this mission has remained unwavering over the years, as reflected in the Trust Deed that continues to guide the Foundation’s purpose today.

  • Entrepreneurship as a Catalyst

Allan Gray was a visionary who saw entrepreneurship as a powerful catalyst for societal change. His belief in the potential of individuals to drive economic progress and social transformation has laid the foundation for our work. The Allan Gray Orbis Foundation was established to create opportunities for promising young South Africans, particularly those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, equipping them with the knowledge, skills and ethical grounding to become high-impact, responsible entrepreneurs.

  • A Mission That Endures
His vision was clear: To address poverty, inequality and unemployment by nurturing individuals who would go on to create ventures that generate jobs, uplift communities, and contribute to a more prosperous and inclusive society. This remains the essence of our mission today.

It’s more than just entrepreneurial leaders – it’s leaders in the broadest context that are needed. It’s about creating opportunity – a sense of hope for everybody such that people can dream, not a dream that is impossible, but a dream that can be realised”

Allan Gray

A Vision Beyond Profit

Mr Gray's Letter to Government

Read Letter

Our Impact

The success of our participants, their ventures, and the broader entrepreneurship ecosystem stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to advancing the transformative vision set forth by Allan and Gill Gray.

Selection Stats

600 + Allan Gray Scholars

Supported through the Scholarship, selected from more than 72,000 applications.

1.8K + Candidate Allan Gray Fellows

Nurtured through the Allan Gray Fellowship Programme, chosen from a pool of over 68,000 applicants.

30 Postgraduate Allan Gray Candidate Fellows

Selected from six major universities, drawn from a pool of 2,338 applicants.

Programme Stats

80,000 + Participants

Engaged in the Allan Gray Entrepreneurship Challenge’s online game

Business Stats

572 Allan Gray Fellows

Of which 340 have reached the launch stage and beyond.

2,976 Jobs
Created

Through responsibly-led businesses by Allan Gray Fellows.

1.5 Million Lives Improved

By Allan Gray Fellow ventures designed to uplift communities and drive impact

R2.1Billion Annual Revenue

Generated on average by Allan Gray Fellow-founded businesses.

Allan Gray Orbis Foundation 20 Year Anniversary Report

Since its establishment by Allan Gray in 2005, the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation has been steadfast in its mission: to create opportunities for promising young South Africans, and particularly those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.

For 20 years, the Foundation has helped equip them with the knowledge, skills and ethical grounding to become high-impact, responsible entrepreneurs and leaders.

Download Report

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Mr Gray’s letter to Government

ALLAN GRAY DEVELOPMENT TRUST

August 31, 1984

Allan Gray Investment Counsel, a partnership, is a firm of investment counsellors managing over R 500 000 000, comprised primarily of pension funds. The firm has experienced dynamic growth since its formation ten years ago, primarily due to the superior rate of return earned for its pension fund clients and the professional nature of its services. Further details on the firm are given in the attached brochure.

It is felt that simply donating the funds flowing to such Trust from its participation in Allan Gray Investment Counsel to established educational, ecclesiastical and charitable institutions, would fall short of optimising the contribution we could make to society.

Being entrepreneurs ourselves, we at Allan Gray Investment Counsel are excited at the thought of using not only the money which would accrue to the Trust, but also our skills in investment, accounting, finance and general management to provide a catalyst for the creation of small labour intensive businesses such as cottage industries, firms in the service industry etc. amongst the less privileged of South African society.

The objective would be to create job opportunities, to encourage enterprise and sow the seeds of capitalism, to associate the country’s new dispensation in the political arena with new opportunities in the economic sphere. The urgent need to create a stronger middle class in South Africa demands affirmative action by the Trust by confining its loans to non-whites.

While the funds flowing to the Trust each year, from its interest in Allan Gray Investment Counsel, would not be inconsequential, if the Trust is to achieve its goals, its effort should be so structured as to have a cumulative and compounding effect.

Preferably, therefore, financial assistance granted to create or further develop small firms would be repayable – or if an equity interest would be sold – and these funds would in turn become available to finance yet more new firms. The skills within Allan Gray Investment Counsel should prove valuable in determining areas within the economy where new businesses could be visible, in selecting potential entrepreneurs to head the businesses and in anticipating the varied demands that will be made on such businesses. Allan Gray Development Trust would clearly have to develop its own staff some of whom would have to be paid economic salaries, while at the same time, it expects to be able to enlist the assistance of many others, such as non-working wives, on a voluntary basis.