Who we are

Ambassador Stith is currently the Executive Chairman of The Pula Group. The Pula Group is a family of companies focused on high value investment opportunities in Africa. Pula has offices in Los Angeles, Johannesburg, Maputo, and Dar es Salaam. In 2024, Stith was cited by the Africa Report as one of the top 20 “Who’s Who in North American Mining in Africa”. He is the author of A View from the Other Side: Locked Down in South Africa, which was first released in South Africa and is now available internationally through Amazon. Prior to founding the Pula Group, LLC, Ambassador Charles R. Stith presented his Letter of Credence as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to the United Republic of Tanzania in September 1998. He served as the Ambassador in the traumatic period after the August 1998 bombing of the United States Embassy in Dar es Salaam. Because of his able and steady leadership, the Embassy emerged from the bombing stable, and set a new standard for U.S. Embassies promoting U.S. trade and investment in Africa. Stith worked with the Tanzanian government to enable them to become the first Sub-Saharan African country to reach the decision point for debt relief under the enhanced Heavily-Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC).

Ambassador Stith is a founder and non-executive Chairman of the African Presidential Leadership Center, a non-governmental organization based in Johannesburg, South Africa. He also a board member of the Tanzania-based Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation. Ambassador Stith formerly served on the Africa Advisory Committee of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and is currently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is the founder and former National President of the Organization for a New Equality (O.N.E.), which focused on expanding economic opportunities for minorities and women. Most notably during his tenure at O.N.E., he helped negotiate and broker the first comprehensive community reinvestment agreement in the United States. The agreement committed Boston financial institutions to $500 million in mortgage and commercial lending to low- and moderate-income and minority communities in Massachusetts. He later served on the CRA Regulatory Agency Working Group, chaired by then Comptroller of the Currency Eugene Ludwig. He was one of the architects of the regulations redefining the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), which has resulted in nearly $2 trillion in credit and capital for low- and moderate-income communities and communities of color. Prior to heading O.N.E., he was the Senior Minister of the historic Union United Methodist Church in Boston. He was an appointee of then Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. In addition, he has been an adjunct faculty member at Boston College and Harvard Divinity School. He has served on the National Advisory Boards of FannieMae and Fleet InCity Bank, the editorial board of WCVB-TV, and the boards of West Insurance, Inc. and the Wang Center for Performing Arts, among others.

Ambassador Stith was formerly on the faculty of the Boston University Department of International Relations, where he taught a course on Africa and Globalization and was the founding director of the African Presidential Center at Boston University. He is a coeditor of African Americans in US Foreign Policy: From the Era of Frederick Douglass to the Age of Obama (University of Illinois Press 2015), the author of For Such a Time as This: African Leadership Challenges (APARC Press, 2008) and Political Religion (Abingdon Press, 1995). He also served as the Senior Editor of the annual African Leaders State of Africa Report and has authored many articles, which have appeared in such publications as the African Business Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Denver Post, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Boston Globe, the Boston Herald, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, and the Chicago Sun Times.

Ambassador Stith is a graduate of Baker University, the Interdenominational Theological Center’s Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta, and Harvard University (Th.M). He is the recipient of honorary doctorates from the Interdenominational Theological Center, Elizabeth City State University, University of South Carolina, Clark Atlanta University, and Baker University.

Doctor Mimi Stith is the President of The Pula Group, a company that invests in African countries with a proven commitment to democratic processes and free markets. Pula's current priorities are battery and strategic minerals for the clean energy transition.

The company is guided by the motto “doing well while doing good.” Under Dr. Stith’s leadership, Pula has established a portfolio of assets using a sustainable model, including one of the world’s top 10 graphite projects. Pula's model relies on business practices that cut no corners along with strong ESG commitments, capacity building, and value addition. Dr. Stith is the Chairperson of the Pula New Communities Foundation and sits on the Advisory Board for the Tanzanian American Chamber of Commerce and the African Conservation Science Network.

Dr. Stith has worked with the highest levels of government throughout the continent and served as the interim attaché to President Karl Offmann, former President of Mauritius. Dr. Stith designed the communication strategy for the African Presidential Center (APC) in sixteen countries in Africa as well as the US and Europe.

She was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship for her research on natural resource management in Tanzania. Mimi is an East African specialist who is fluent in Kiswahili. She has conducted research at global centers of excellence including the Earth Institute of Columbia University, Center for Biodiversity Conservation at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). At NTNU, she held a post- doctoral fellowship in the Department of Biology and was a member of the largest research team of interdisciplinary scientists to study the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.

Mimi holds a B.A. from Spelman College, an M.A. from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. from Boston University.

Zolile Abel Dlamini is the Executive Chairman and co-founding member of Sekela Xabiso (SkX), a leading firm in internal audit, IT audit, forensic audit, and consulting services. Before establishing SkX, he was a partner at both KPMG and Arthur Andersen.

A Chartered Accountant (SA) with extensive experience in internal and external audit, business turnaround, and corporate governance, Mr. Dlamini has led numerous strategic assignments across state-owned enterprises (SOEs), including successful judicial management and privatization initiatives. His leadership was pivotal in restoring several SOEs to sustainable profitability and ensuring compliance with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).

Mr. Dlamini has served on various corporate governance structures, including audit committees for institutions such as the University of Durban-Westville, the Medical Research Council of Southern Africa, and the South African National Biodiversity Institute. He also served as Deputy Chair and Chairperson of the Independent Regulatory Board of Auditors (IRBA) between 2015 and 2020, overseeing over 2,000 registered auditors nationwide.

In addition, he was appointed Administrator of the Bapo Ba Mogale and Bakubung Ba Rathao communities by the Premier of the North West Province, where he led governance, financial, and development reforms.

Mr. Dlamini holds a B.Acc, B.Compt (Hons), and CTA in Accounting Sciences and is a member of SAICA, IIASA, and the IoDSA.

Samuel Foster is a Director of the APLC and President of Treland Capital LLC in South Carolina. He holds a BS degree from the University of South Carolina and is a current or past member of various professional institutions such as: The Urban Land Institute, University of South Carolina Board of Trustees, The Harry Dallara Foundation and The Boys and Girls Club of America.

Mr. Foster’s areas of expertise include banking, real estate development and construction, franchise development and ownership, security services and property management.

Mr. Foster has also received various accolades from the University of South Carolina and other institutions and businesses for his role as a speaker, businessman and sportsman.

Ms. Raeesah Moosa is a distinguished professional with extensive experience in project and event management, operations, and strategic advisory roles. She previously served as Operations and Event Manager at the African Presidential Leadership Center (APLC), a leading South African think tank, and is now a Non-Executive Board Member of the organization.

At APLC, Ms. Moosa managed logistics and events for the annual policy conference, The Roundtable, liaising with the offices of presidents and former presidents across 16 African countries. She also cultivated relationships with stakeholders and sponsors, oversaw communications, finances, and talent recruitment, and played a key role in organizational growth.

Her international experience spans countries including Tanzania, Nigeria, UAE, Hong Kong, the UK, and the USA. She has also served as advisor to the Chairman of the Pula Group, managing operations and partnerships across multiple African nations.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Moosa held senior roles with prominent organizations including Ogilvy & Mather South Africa, PwC, First National Bank, and Maximus Business Turnaround, contributing to corporate social initiatives, project management, and foundation operations.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, she is an avid runner and culinary enthusiast, sharing her passion for food through her Instagram page, raes_kitchen_sa. Fluent in English and Afrikaans, Ms. Moosa combines strategic insight, operational excellence, and a global perspective to deliver exceptional results.

Tommy Mohajane is a Director at the APLC and is also on the advisory committee of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and AFCORP. He enjoyed a long illustrious career at the IDC, serving in numerous management positions as Senior Socio-Economic Development Specialist.

Mr. Mohajane holds a B.A. Honors Social Science (Economics) from York University, Heslington and several other qualifications from different Institutions around South Africa and the UK. Mr. Mohajane has also received various Management and development training throughout his working career. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. Development Studies (Economics, Politics, Sociology and History) at Wits University.

Mr. Mohajane areas of expertise include Socio-Economic Development, Business Planning and Marketing, Research and Development, and leading Special Projects such as: Planning and Environmental services, Economic Development & Policy.

Millard Arnold is Senior Advisor to Bowmans, South Africa’s leading firm of attorneys. He is Chairman of Project UBU and the former Chief Executive Officer of the South African Business Schools Association. Mr. Arnold is a non-executive director of Generator Plant Hire, the Mother and Child Academic Hospital, and member of Council of the University of the Free State. He is the former Honorary Business Representative for the Government of Singapore in South Africa and a former member of Council of the University of South Africa.

He was formerly the Executive Chairman of Black & Veatch Africa, the Executive Director and Group Legal Counsel of Murray & Roberts and was the first ever U.S. Minister-Counsellor for Commercial Affairs for South and Southern Africa. Mr. Arnold has also served as the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. Mr. Arnold was professor of law at Touro University and adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law School.

Mr. Arnold holds a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Notre Dame. He was a journalist for the Washington Post newspaper and a Senior Fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is the author of “Steve Biko: Black Consciousness in South Africa”, “The Testimony of Steve Biko”, and “Steve Biko: No Fears Expressed.” In addition to his accomplishments as a prize winning photographer who has exhibited his works in London, Washington, New York, and Johannesburg, Mr. Arnold is a published poet, artist, and actor appearing in such films as “Ali” with Will Smith; “Borderline,” “A Critical Assignment” and “Diamonds.”