Michiel Steven Smits

Sandbox Holdings was formed in 2007 as the holdings group resulting from the merger between Sandbox Projects (Pty) Ltd and Sitronix (Pty) Ltd. Both of these entities were family-owned businesses up to the time that Paul Wootten, the current group CEO, was invited to join the companies as a minority shareholder in 2005, with the express purpose of corporatising the structures and at that time readying the group for a listing. The combined group performed very well leading up to, and following, the merger. Together with the founding shareholders, who had by 2007 largely vacated the day to day operations, it was decided to bring in a private equity company to replace them rather than pursue a listing. A significant contributor fuelling the growth has been the 40% shareholding acquired by the management of the group, and the huge supportive role its private equity partner, Aureos, has played through two of its investment funds in the group (Aureos African Fund and Aureos Southern African Fund). Today the Sandbox Group has grown significantly in size and capability, and has completely transformed itself into a solid, high-end Enterprise Quality Technology Partner capable of taking on the largest of technology projects available in South Africa.

Sandbox Holdings was formed in 2007 as the holdings group resulting from the merger between Sandbox Projects (Pty) Ltd and Sitronix (Pty) Ltd. Both of these entities were family-owned businesses up to the time that Paul Wootten, the current group CEO, was invited to join the companies as a minority shareholder in 2005, with the express purpose of corporatising the structures and at that time readying the group for a listing. The combined group performed very well leading up to, and following, the merger. Together with the founding shareholders, who had by 2007 largely vacated the day to day operations, it was decided to bring in a private equity company to replace them rather than pursue a listing. A significant contributor fuelling the growth has been the 40% shareholding acquired by the management of the group, and the huge supportive role its private equity partner, Aureos, has played through two of its investment funds in the group (Aureos African Fund and Aureos Southern African Fund). Today the Sandbox Group has grown significantly in size and capability, and has completely transformed itself into a solid, high-end Enterprise Quality Technology Partner capable of taking on the largest of technology projects available in South Africa.