Merchant Capital’s Dov Girnun Appointed as Entrepreneur in Residence

The University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) has appointed Dov Girnun, Founder and CEO of Merchant Capital, as the Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) for the MBA Entrepreneurship Focus Programme. This is the first appointment of its kind at GIBS.

While the institute already has an Executive in Residence, former Anglo-American Executive Director Andile Sangqu, the EIR post is dedicated to entrepreneurship and the MBA Entrepreneurship Focus programme. In this role, Girnun will engage with and support both past and current students who wish to start or scale their businesses. As a seasoned entrepreneur, he will provide guidance and advice to MBA students who are interested in entrepreneurship or need help bringing their business ideas to life.

Girnun is a successful entrepreneur with qualifications from Harvard Business School and Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. His company, Merchant Capital, is an award-winning leader in providing alternative working capital to small and medium-sized businesses in South Africa.

“We are very excited to have Dov with us. It is an honor and a privilege to have someone of his stature volunteer his time to help upcoming entrepreneurs. We look forward to having him share his experience and knowledge with our MBA students,” said Dr. Jonathan Marks, lead faculty on the MBA Entrepreneurship Focus.

Girnun added, "Now, more than ever, the country needs a buoyant entrepreneurship ecosystem, and we all need to play our part in supporting young and upcoming entrepreneurs." He will dedicate his time to mentoring MBA students, hosting forums and masterclasses, and assisting faculty with guest lectures, research, and course development.

Dr. Marks further commented, “GIBS believes that education extends beyond the classroom. Interactions with entrepreneurs and executives aim to inspire students, as they share their insights and experiences. The School prides itself on creating deep, meaningful connections that positively impact students.”

About GIBS: Founded in 2000, the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) is an internationally accredited business school based in Johannesburg. GIBS focuses on general management in dynamic markets, aiming to enhance responsible individual and organizational performance in South Africa and across Africa. In 2020, GIBS was ranked as the top South African and African business school by the UK Financial Times Executive Education rankings for the 17th consecutive year. GIBS is also ranked among the top 100 business schools globally in the Financial Times Executive MBA Rankings. For more information, visit www.gibs.co.za.

About Dov Girnun: Dov Girnun founded Merchant Capital in 2012 with R3 million in start-up funding. The fintech company, based in Johannesburg, has since provided over R1.5 billion in unsecured working capital to South African SMEs. Girnun began his career in London’s financial industry but returned to South Africa to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions.

Merchant Capital was created to address the funding gap in the small business finance sector, providing businesses with quick and easy access to working capital. Girnun and his partners developed a business model that offers qualifying merchants a lump sum cash advance in exchange for a small, fixed percentage of future turnover.

Under Girnun’s leadership, Merchant Capital has grown to become an industry leader, supporting thousands of small businesses. The company was recently recognized internationally, winning the Best Small Business Funding Solution in South Africa at the 2020 UK-based Wealth & Finance magazine’s FinTech Awards.

Girnun is also a founding member of the South African SME Finance Association (SASFA), which promotes a fair and transparent SME finance industry. SASFA has published a code of conduct to protect SMEs and ensure ethical practices in the industry.

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