Lisa Cohen
South Africa
Occupational Information
Job Title: Beyond Us Trust, Alpha Charitable Trust, Philippi Village
Professional History
Lisa Cohen joined The Bertha Foundation in August 2011 where she currently manages the South African activities. Prior to joining Bertha Philanthropies SA, she managed the Entrepreneurial Development Trust at Investec, a black empowerment trust that developed and supported projects related to entrepreneurship and leadership in South Africa. Lisa started her career in law during which time she chaired the Witwatersrand Regional Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights. In 1997 she joined Investec. During her time there she headed up the Employee Relations division and the Black Empowerment and Sustainability portfolio for the group. She headed up the Corporate Social Investment Division at Investec.
Whilst at Investec she founded the Business Place - a network of entrepreneurial centers for small entrepreneurs that now have a national footprint and spearheaded Investec's founding role in establishing CIDA City Campus. Lisa is a Young Global Leader for the World Economic Forum in 2008; in 2011 she was nominated by Forbes Magazine as one of the top 20 dynamic young African women under the age of 45 who wield enormous influence in African business. Her work and passion remain to work with communities and local enterprises to find sustainable solutions to the myriad of social and environmental challenges in Southern Africa.
Qualifications
Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Cape Town
Bachelor of Law from the University of the Witwatersrand
Programme
2007 Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow
