Palesa Mabidilala is the Deputy Executive Director of the Independent Philanthropy Association South Africa (IPASA). She is an executive leader in philanthropy, entrepreneurship and ecosystem development, with more than 20 years of experience leading organisations, building strategic partnerships and advancing inclusive economic development across the nonprofit, social impact and private sectors.
Throughout her career, Palesa has worked with foundations, corporates, entrepreneurs, government and development partners to strengthen organisations, design impactful programmes and foster collaboration across the entrepreneurship and social impact ecosystem. Prior to joining IPASA, she held senior leadership roles at Enzi Africa, ygap South Africa and Endeavor South Africa. Earlier in her career, she worked with Deloitte, EY, GroFin and Business Partners, building a strong foundation in governance, financial oversight, business advisory and enterprise development. She has also spoken on entrepreneurship and ecosystem development at platforms including BBC Africa, London Business School, the Gordon Institute of Business Science and the Graça Machel Trust.
Palesa holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Postgraduate Certificate in Enterprise Management from the University of Cape Town and is an accredited facilitator, assessor and moderator. She is passionate about strengthening the philanthropy ecosystem by fostering collaboration, supporting learning and helping organisations work together to achieve greater social impact.