Skip to main content
UCL Logo Navigate back to homepage

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Study

    Study

    • Study at UCL
    • Prospective students
    • Current students
    • Accommodation
    • Careers
    • Doctoral School
    • Immigration and visas
    • Student finances
    • Support and wellbeing
  • Research

    Research

    • Research at UCL
    • Engage with us
    • Explore our Research
    • Initiatives and networks
    • Research news
  • Engage

    Engage

    • Engage with UCL
    • Alumni
    • Business partnerships and collaboration
    • Global engagement
    • News and Media relations
    • Policy and political engagement
    • Schools and priority groups
    • Give to UCL
  • About

    About

    • About UCL
    • Who we are
    • Faculties
    • Governance
    • President and Provost
    • Strategy
    • UCL's Bicentenary
  • UCL Logo Active parent page: UCL Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment
    • Study
    • Active parent page: Research
    • Our schools and institutes
    • People
    • Ideas
    • Engage
    • News and Events
    • About

Transforming the system of SOEs in South Africa: Towards a mission-oriented state holding company

Authored by Professor Mariana Mazzucato and Dr Simone Gasperin

Transforming the system of SOEs in South Africa

Breadcrumb trail

  • UCL Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment

Faculty menu

  • Research projects
  • Current page: Research publications
  • REF 2021
  • Ethics in the built environment
  • Impact at The Bartlett
  • UCL Royal Academy of Engineering, Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Design
  • The Building Envelope Research Network
  • UCL Circularity Hub

Breadcrumb trail

  • UCL Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment
  • Research
  • Transforming the system of SOEs in South Africa: Towards a mission-oriented state holding company

This policy brief is part of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose’s (UCL IIPP) publication series.

Explore more working papers and policy reports here.

 

Download policy brief

UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP) Policy Brief No.27

Author: 

  • Mariana Mazzucato | Director, and Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value | UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose
  • Simone Gasperin | Research Fellow | UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose

Abstract:

This policy brief explores the potential of a mission-oriented state holding company, which is currently being instituted in South Africa. Moving from the concept of ‘system of state-owned enterprises’ and its different configurations, the paper illustrates the historical model of Italy’s former state holding company IRI in comparison with the state ownership model currently in place in Italy. The brief presents the rationale for a state holding company and its economic opportunities, if properly structured as an entrepreneurial and mission-oriented organisation. Finally, it concludes with the presentation of an organisational and governance model that could inspire the current design process for South Africa’s state-holding company.

Reference:
Mazzucato, M. & Gasperin, S. (2023). Transforming the system of SOEs in South Africa: A proposal for a mission-oriented state holding company. UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, Policy Brief series (IIPP PB 27). 

This policy brief is part of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose’s (UCL IIPP) publication series.

Explore more working papers and policy reports here.

 

UCL footer

Visit

  • Bloomsbury Theatre and Studio
  • Library, Museums and Collections
  • UCL Maps
  • UCL Shop
  • Contact UCL

Students

  • Accommodation
  • Current Students
  • Moodle
  • Students' Union

Staff

  • Inside UCL
  • Staff Intranet
  • Work at UCL
  • Human Resources
UCL Logo

University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7679 2000

UCL social media menu

  • Link to Instagram
  • Link to LinkedIn
  • Link to Youtube
  • Link to TikTok
  • Link to Facebook
  • Link to Bluesky
  • Link to Threads
  • Link to Soundcloud
Here, it can happen.
Back to top

Essential

  • Disclaimer
  • Freedom of Information
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • Slavery statement
  • Log in

© 2026 UCL