Pinagare Mogodi
Pinagare Mogodi | |
|---|---|
 Mogodi in 2026 | |
| Born | Pinagare Mogodi November 11, 1989 Itsoseng, North West, South Africa |
| Other names | "Boss of Bosses" ("El Jefe de Jefes") |
| Citizenship | South African |
| Education | Midrand Graduate Institute (now Eduvos) |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, business executive |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Organization | MAB Group (Matsapa-A-Botshelo (Pty) Ltd) |
| Known for | Founder and Group CEO of MAB Group; founder of The Pinagare Mogodi Foundation |
| Net worth | Billionaire |
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Title | Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, MAB Group |
| Partner(s) | Ivana Agatha Miriam Wilhase (engaged) |
| Parent(s) |
|
| Relatives | Ignatius Oupa Mphomane (uncle) |
| Website | m-a-b |
Pinagare Mogodi (born 11 November 1989) is a South African businessman and the founder and chief executive officer of MAB Group (Matsapa-A-Botshelo (Pty) Ltd),[1] a privately held company based in Midrand, Gauteng.[2] Founded in 2010, the company began as a construction firm and later expanded into mining, road transport, exports, energy, and telecommunications. Mogodi is known for building the business from a small construction operation into a group active in coal and chrome mining and infrastructure development in South Africa. He has been described in a number of published profiles as a billionaire.[3][4]
Early life and education
Mogodi was born on 11 November 1989 in Itsoseng, a town in South Africa's North West province. He had a modest upbringing and was raised largely by his mother, Puleng Mogodi, who worked several jobs. His uncle, Ignatius Oupa Mphomane, was an early mentor who introduced him to business. Mogodi started small trading ventures during his school years and registered MAB Group while at university.
Mogodi holds a Bachelor's degree in accounting and management from Eduvos, formerly the Pearson Institute of Higher Education, and has completed further qualifications in project management, Pastel accounting, and strategic planning. He paused his studies to concentrate on the growing company and later returned to finish his degree.[5]
MAB Group
MAB Group traces its origins to April 2010, when Mogodi founded the business in the Tshwane region of Gauteng.[6] It started as a construction company and added mining and road transport divisions in 2016. Over the following years the group broadened its activities to include commodity exports, fuel supply, energy, and telecommunications and connectivity services, and became a diversified group serving domestic, commercial, industrial, and export markets.[7]
In mining, MAB Group operates in coal and chrome. It conducts opencast mining together with crushing, screening, and bulk earthworks, and markets washed and unwashed coal against standard export grades, exporting through South African ports to buyers in Asia and Europe. The company has expanded into chrome, with a flagship operation in the North West province near Rustenburg and further chrome assets under development.[8]
In construction, the group has undertaken residential, commercial, and civil projects, including housing developments, road works, and water infrastructure, some carried out with public bodies.[9] The group's leadership team includes Mpumi Bomvana as chief financial officer, Igor Špoljar as an executive director, and divisional heads across its mining, energy, construction, and technology units.[10]
Business approach
Mogodi's approach centres on operating across several commodities and sectors rather than relying on any single market, dealing directly with established counterparties, and hiring locally in the areas where the company works.[11] In 2026, as the war between Iran and the United States disrupted global shipping and raised freight and insurance costs for seaborne trade, the company accelerated its expansion into chrome as part of a strategy of diversification and closer control of the supply chain. The chrome move reflects a shift toward vertical integration, from ore production through concentrate and export.[12]
Public profile
Mogodi and MAB Group have been profiled in a number of South African and international business and trade publications covering the mining, construction, and logistics sectors.[13] The company is a diversified industrial group operating across mining, construction, logistics, energy, and telecommunications, and has announced plans for expansion and further investment to support its growth.[14][15]
Philanthropy and community work
Mogodi is the founder and chairman of The Pinagare Mogodi Foundation, a South African non profit organisation registered in 2026 and based in Midrand. His fiancée, Ivana Wilhase, serves as its chief executive while she studies toward an LLB and Bible studies.[16]
The foundation focuses on poverty alleviation, education and youth empowerment, skills development, and support for survivors of gender based violence.[17] Its programmes include a Young Entrepreneur Fund that provides seed funding and training to small businesses, along with initiatives in food security, healthcare support, and community development. It works with government, businesses, educational institutions, churches, and community partners across South Africa.[18][19][20]
Personal life
Mogodi is engaged to Ivana Agatha Miriam Wilhase, and the couple plan to marry in December 2026. He has children, and has said that setting an example for them was among his reasons for returning to complete his studies. He is based in Gauteng, South Africa.
Gallery
References
- ↑ "MAB: a CEO who cares". Leadership Magazine. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "About Us". MAB Group. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "Making a powerful impact on people's lives, meet entrepreneurial titan Pinagare Mogodi". Business Insider Africa. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "Pinagare Mogodi Foundation". Pinagare Mogodi Foundation. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "Pinagare Mogodi and MAB Group: A Focus on Growth and Expansion". Investing.com. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ Kayser, Matthew. "Why is Pinagare Mogodi betting MAB Group's next chapter on chrome?". TIME Africa. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "Meet Pinagare Mogodi: Building empires, empowering communities and inspiring the gen-next". GQ South Africa. 11 January 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "Bullied to billions, South African mining titan Pinagare Mogodi". African Mining Market. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "Inside MAB Group's Growth: What Is Actually Being Measured?". Global Banking & Finance Review. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "Pinagare Mogodi: Creating Meaningful Impact in Mining and Construction Industries". CIO Views Magazine. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "Pinagare Mogodi: The Mining Tycoon Building Africa's Next Industrial Giant". Vocal Media. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "From Start to Scale: A South African Entrepreneur's Foray into Mining, Construction and More". CNBC Africa. 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "G20 drives investor eyes to businessman Pinagare Mogodi and mega mining empire". BusinessTech. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "From Start to Scale: A South African Entrepreneur's Foray into Mining, Construction and More". Forbes Africa. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ Mgolombane, Grecia (19 September 2025). "6 coal billionaires in Africa you didn't even know existed". African Mining News. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ Boye, Kody (26 February 2025). "South Africa's rising titan Pinagare Mogodi builds MAB Group into a mining and infrastructure giant without bank funding". USA Today. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "MAB Group rises as Africa's next industrial super-giant". Business Insider Africa. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ Russell, Kyle J. (4 February 2025). "Pinagare Mogodi: Setting New Standards In 2025 With His Entrepreneurial Skills". International Business Times. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "Building Africa's Next Mining Giant: The MAB Group Story". Forbes India. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
- ↑ "MAB Group's R18 Billion Valuation: A Watershed Moment for African Mining". The Daily Caller. 29 October 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2026.