Our Origins

ARC was founded in July 2015 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ubuntu-Botho Investments (UBI), which was created in 2004 as a broad-based Black-controlled investment entity as Sanlam’s empowerment partner.

UBI’s vision is to make a difference in the lives of ordinary South Africans by being a premier broad-based Black-owned and Black-controlled financial services group in South Africa.

The first phase of realising this vision was the accumulation of capital by UBI in collaboration with Sanlam, as its empowerment shareholder. At the beginning of 2014, the initial 10-year lock-in period and all of UBI’s contractual obligations towards Sanlam came to an end with the repayment of the original debt. At that time UBI held a shareholding of about 12% in Sanlam, which was valued at the time at about R15 billion. UBI currently holds an economic interest of 13.1% in Sanlam and a voting interest of 18.1%. UBI is Sanlam’s single largest shareholder.

The second phase has been to partially invest this capital in ARC, as UBI’s operating investing entity and to diversify UBI’s investment portfolio.

ARC Investments (the listed entity) is majority-owned by ARC (the non-listed entity), which is a South African registered investment holding company that seeks to utilise its empowerment credentials, balance sheet strength, the business track record of its leadership team and its brand to invest in financial services and non-financial services businesses.