As a founding partner, Fumani plays an essential role in the stewardship of developing and nurturing Pele Energy Group and its subsidiaries. Prior to her fifteen years in the energy sector expanding Pele Energy Group, she worked in the community banking sector, specialising in lending & savings within Standard Bank South Africa.

Fumani, as a principal founder and Sustainability Director is currently responsible for leading and overseeing Pele Energy Group’s research, environmental, social, and corporate governance compliance, as well as impact investments design and reporting implementation. Fumani also holds a vested interest in other areas of the business including Knowledge Pele and Pele Agri - while cross-cutting Pele’s environmental and social management systems (ESMS) as well as the environmental and social assessment procedures (ESAP).

Fumani was historically accountable for leading Knowledge Pele, the group’s research, advisory and community developmentfirm. Her integral contributions include the co-designing of an economic development plan for one of the first twenty-eight projects to be awarded a renewable energy independent power production license, in South Africa. Fumani, along with the advisory team, went on to lead the economic development strategies of a number of international energy utilities including Portugal’s TMM; Italy’s Enel Green Power and Spain’s Gestamp Wind. She subsequently pivoted KP beyond the renewable energy sector to include the mining, corporate and government sectors. A key goal for KP was to prove its community industrialisation strategy. This was achieved through establishing a large-scale hydroponic farm that employs the local Touwsrivier community.

Fumani holds an MA Science, Society & Development from Sussex University, a BA Honours Politics & Development from Wits University, a BCom Politics & Economics from the University of Cape Town and has also completed courses in Financial Modelling & Analysis, African Programme for Rethinking Economics as well as the Regulatory Exams RE 5: Financial Representatives Exam. Fumani currently sits on the boards of the National Business Initiative, the Accenture Foundation, and the First Rand Empowerment Foundation.