Profiles
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Board of Directors
Craig Morkel – Co-Founder and CEO
Craig is a former official in the Department of Justice; an advisor in local government and government relations; and co-chairperson of a community reconstruction and development forum; before being elected to 2 terms of office as a Member of Parliament (1999-2004 and 2004-2009), where he served on its Minerals and Energy; Science and Technology; Sports and Recreation; Public Service and Administration; Communications and Defense committees. Craig holds qualifications in Public Finance (Afrec UCT); Minerals and Energy (MQA and MEETI); besides Conflict Resolution (CCR UCT). Since 2009 he has acted as a Regulatory and Business Development advisor on Electricity and Oil and Gas to mainly multi-national Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs); Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractors and Operations and Maintenance (OandM) providers; Project Developers and Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in the conventional and renewable energy industries; until he co-founded iKapa Energy in 2014. From 2021 to-date Craig has been the Chairman of the Gas Economy Leadership Team of the South African Oil and Gas Alliance ("SAOGA"), the industry association that has been representing the oil and gas industry since 2003. In 2024 Craig was appointed as Co-Chairman of the Energy and Digital Economy Focus Group (Eastern Cape Premiers' Investment Council. Craig is often a speaker at many public events such as conferences and is frequently a guest of TV and radio programs discussing issues in the energy and power sectors.
Robert Longhi FCPA, IoD - Co-Founder and CFO
Robert graduated from Latrobe University Melbourne with a Bachelor of Economics Degree and from Deakin University Melbourne a Graduate Diploma in Accounting. He is a Fellow of the Certified Practicing Accountants of Australia (FCPA) and a member of the Institute of Directors (IOD) of the UK and has been Professor of Corporate Finance at Italy's University of Basilicata. He also successfully completed the World Bank MOOC certificate in Financing for Development (Honors). Audit Manager of Coopers and Lybrand (now PWC) and top finance positions in Johnson and Johnson and Warner Bros Group. From 2001 he has been involved in several successful project development companies principally in the energy sector and was CEO of Protos South Africa and mandated by several banks and equity investors in bid window 1,2 and 3 of the South African renewable energy program (REIPPP). Robert also assisted in developing projects in Mozambique, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Guinea and performed due diligence on projects in Namibia and Kenya. He brings to iKapa Energy 25 years of extensive experience and connections in oil and gas and renewable energy.
Finance
Poovashnee Reddy CA (SA) - Financial Reporting and Accounting
Poovashnee Reddy is a seasoned Chartered Accountant with a Postgraduate Degree in Accounting Sciences from the University of the Witwatersrand. She is a dedicated member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) and the Chartered Accountants Worldwide Network (CAW). With over 13 years of diverse experience in both audit and financial management, Poovashnee began her professional journey at PwC (South Africa) and Deloitte (UK), where she honed her expertise in audit and financial consulting, later transitioning into strategic finance roles, serving as Finance Manager at innovative start-ups, where she drove financial operations, growth strategies, and operational efficiency. In her role as Investor Relations and Startup Lead, Poovashnee leverages her extensive experience in financial management and investor relations to lead business development and strategic advisory for early-stage companies, focused on providing tailored solutions to clients across Africa, she plays a key role in navigating complex financial landscapes and driving value creation. Poovashnee brings a wealth of knowledge, a deep network of industry connections, and a proven track record of success. Her strategic insights and leadership continue to shape the financial and investment landscape across Africa, including her ongoing contributions to iKapa Energy.
Former Board Members of iKapa Energy Pty Ltd
Gerald Morkel - Founding Chairman
The late Alderman Morkel started out his working life as an artisan in the construction industry; then building contractor; co-founder of a bursary fund; sports administrator and selector; director of various companies; until he was elected to 7 (seven) successive terms of office across national, provincial and local spheres of governance. During these terms of elective office Ald. Morkel served as Minister of Budgetary and Auxiliary Services; Western Cape Minister of Housing; Western Cape Minister of Police and Leader of Government Business; before serving as Western Cape Premier and Cape Town Mayor. Ald. Morkel was co-signatory to a number of International Co-Operation Agreements between the Western Cape Government and other regional governments, incl. the state of California in the USA, the state of Bavaria in Germany and the province of Shandong in China.
Mthozami Xiphu
Mr Xiphu is a lawyer; a former official in local government and the Department of Minerals and Energy; a former CEO of the Petroleum Agency of SA (PASA); served on the Board of PetroSA (the SA National Oil Company), is a leader in Operation Phakisa – Oceans Economy, and is the present Executive Chairperson of the SA Oil and Gas Alliance (SAOGA).