Theo Baloyi | |
---|---|
Born | Theo Baloyi |
Citizenship | South Africa |
Education | University of South Africa |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 2013–present |
Known for | Founding Bathu Shoes. |
Title | Founder and CEO of Bathu Shoes Founder and CEO Avenue Exchange |
Awards |
|
Theo Baloyi is a South African entrepreneur, and the founder and chief executive officer of Bathu Shoes. [1] He launched his eponymous shoe brand in 2015, having previously served as a Senior Associate at PwC in Dubai. [2] [3] He was featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2019. [4] [5] In 2021, he won GQ's Business Leader of the Year. [6] [7]
Baloyi was born and raised in Hammanskraal, Gauteng where he also spent his childhood. [8] His father, Solly Baloyi, quit his nursing job to become a real estate agent and he died in 2014 [9] His mother, Tshidi Baloyi, He has a sister called Goitsimang Baloyi. [9] Baloyi did his childhood education at Shalom Primary School, thereafter he was enrolled for high school. In 2009, Baloyi relocated to Johannesburg and studied BCom Accounting at University of South Africa. [10]
Before leaving the University of South Africa, Baloyi began his entrepreneurship journey by venturing into selling perfumes door-to-door. [11] [12] Baloyi was then selected to work for PwC South Africa under their graduate program eventually overperforming prompting the company to hire him on a full time basis and he was transferred to PwC Middle East in Dubai. [13]
In 2015 Baloyi founded Bathu, a shoe company. The company owns and operates over 30 stores across South Africa and the SADC region. [14] [15] He was appointed a board member of South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) in July 2022 [16]
Baloyi lives in Eye of Africa, Johannesburg. [17]
New Balance Athletics, Inc. (NB), best known as simply New Balance, is one of the world's major sports footwear and apparel manufacturers. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the multinational corporation was founded in 1906 as the New Balance Arch Support Company.
David Frankel is a South African-born American entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He is the co-founder of Founder Collective, a seed-stage venture capital fund with offices in New York City and Cambridge.
Theophilous James Bennett "Theo" Botha is a South African shareholder activist. He has queried many companies in the area of good corporate governance, ethics, executive compensation, environmental practices and Black Economic Empowerment. He has also criticized South African corporate governance guidelines as too lenient.
Philipp Patrick Hannes Plein is a German fashion designer, entrepreneur, and the founder of the Philipp Plein International Group, which includes the Philipp Plein, Plein Sport, and Billionaire brands.
Pepkor is a South African-based investment and holding company focused on the discount and value consumer retail and fintech markets. The majority of operations are in South Africa, and operations extend to other African countries and Brazil. It manages retail brands, selling predominantly clothing, footwear, and homeware products, in addition to household furniture, appliances, consumer electronics, and building materials.
Refiloe Maele Phoolo, professionally known as Cassper Nyovest, is a South African rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur, record producer and amateur boxer. Born and raised in Mahikeng, North West, he is regarded as one of the most successful artists in South Africa. In 2014, he established his own record label, Family Tree Records. Nyovest rose to fame with the release of his debut studio album, Tsholofelo (2014) which produced the hit singles "Gusheshe" and "Doc Shebeleza".
Tebogo Ditshego is the chief executive officer (CEO) of South African public relations agency Ditshego Media and President of the Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA). Forbes Magazine included him in their list of the top 30 African entrepreneurs under 30 in 2014. In 2012 he founded an on-line book club called ReadaBookSA, which has grown to become the biggest on-line book club in Africa.
Adidas Yeezy was a fashion collaboration between American rapper, designer, and entrepreneur Kanye West's Yeezy and German sportswear company Adidas. It offered sneakers in limited edition colorways, as well as shirts, jackets, track pants, socks, slides, lingerie and slippers. The first shoe model was released in February 2015. In 2020 Forbes described Yeezy's rise as "one of the great retail stories of the century". Yeezy influenced and inspired a multitude of other fashion brands. Outside of the former Adidas collaboration, Yeezy is the name of Kanye's company Yeezy LLC and is not connected to Adidas.
Vijay Shekhar Sharma is an Indian technology entrepreneur, multimillionaire and business magnate. He is the founder and chief executive officer of One97 Communications founded in 1997 and its consumer brand Paytm which he started in 2010.
Somizi Buyani Mhlongo is a South African television presenter, choreographer, media personality and socialite. In 1992, he appeared on the musical and political film, Sarafina! which gained him prominence. Mhlongo became lead choreographer for numerous shows and events, including the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
Allbirds is a New Zealand and American public benefit company that sells footwear and apparel, co-founded in 2014 by Tim Brown and Joey Zwillinger. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California. Its business model has relied on direct-to-consumer commerce, although it also has brick and mortar commerce.
Masenyani Richard Baloyi is a South African politician from Limpopo. He was the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs from October 2011 to July 2013 and, before that, the Minister of Public Service and Administration from September 2008 to October 2011. He represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly of South Africa between 1999 and 2013.
Shriyans Bhandari is an Indian social entrepreneur, author and co-founder of Greensole.
Bongani Michael Baloyi is a South African politician. In 2013, he was elected Executive Mayor of the Midvaal Local Municipality. He was only 26 years old at the time, and he consequently became the youngest mayor in South Africa. From 2011 to 2013, he was the MMC for Development and Planning in the municipality.
Benjamin Kapelushnik, also known as Benjamin Kickz or the Sneaker Don, is an American entrepreneur and sneaker reseller. At 16-years-old, Kapelushnik amassed nearly US$1 million in sales through his self-made sneaker business and attracted high-profile clients such as DJ Khaled and Odell Beckham Jr. In 2016, Kapelushnik was included in Fortune's "18 Under 18" list and The Guardian's "teen power list."
Obed Baloyi is a South African actor and playwright. He won a SAFTA for his performance as TsuTsuma in the sitcom Ga Re Dumele (2010–2019).
Zareef Minty is a South African lawyer, politician, businessman and television personality.
Rali Mampeule is a South African entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the founder of the African Housing and Infrastructure Fund (AHIF) and the founding donor of the Global Surgery Foundation (GSF). Rali Mampeule is the first black South African to own a Real Estate agency in South Africa. Additionally is also a member of Forbes Real Estate Council.
Uzair Essack is a South African entrepreneur. He was listed in the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs of 2020.
Randall Newman is a Botswana entrepreneur, and the founder and chief executive officer of Verbosec.