The Best CEO changes young people’s lives

For Martin Sweet, being named Best CEO at the CSI Legacy Awards isn’t a personal achievement. Rather, he sees it as recognition for thousands of young South Africans whose lives have been transformed through the work of his company Primestars over the past 21 years. 

“Being named a CSI Legacy Awards finalist is an honour that reflects not only my journey, but the collective dedication of an exceptional team, our partners, and every young person who has walked through our programmes,” he says. “It affirms that our commitment to servant leadership, innovation, and nation building is making a meaningful difference.” 

Sweet recently took on the role of group chief executive of Prime Impact Holdings, which brings together Primestars, Signa, Seed Academy, School Media, and InternFit to create what he describes as an integrated ecosystem taking young people from learning to earning. 

Despite the growth of the organisation, his purpose has remained unchanged. “My passion is driven by service,” he says. “I knew my purpose was to stand with the young people who are so often overlooked. I feel a profound responsibility to use every resource, connection, and skill I have to widen the circle of opportunity.” 

That commitment can be traced back to his childhood. Raised in Klerksdorp by parents who survived the Holocaust, Sweet says they did everything they could to ensure he received a good education, instilling in him the belief that learning has the power to transform lives. It became the foundation on which he would later build one of South Africa’s largest youth development organisations. 

After a successful corporate career and time as a Johannesburg city councillor, Sweet says he felt called to dedicate himself to addressing the inequalities that continue to limit young South Africans. 

“My inspiration came from a simple but powerful calling: to uplift the disenfranchised and ensure that where a child is born doesn’t determine how far they can go,” he says. “South Africa’s youth face disproportionate barriers, poor schooling, limited exposure, lack of guidance, and systemic inequality.” 

When he founded Primestars in 2004, then known as Marketing Stars, it was little more than what Sweet describes as “a small team with a big idea”. “We believed South Africa’s youngsters deserved more than hope. They deserved access, opportunity, and a bridge between where they were and where they aspired to go.” 

One of the organisation’s first breakthroughs came from an unconventional idea, transforming cinemas into “theatres of learning” and allowing thousands of matric pupils to revise maths and science in an immersive environment. That programme, eduCate, remains one of Primestars’ flagship initiatives. Projects promoting entrepreneurship, financial literacy, career guidance, leadership development, and healthy masculinity have since been added. 

Reflecting on the organisation’s growth, Sweet says the focus has never simply been on education. “We helped young people explore careers they didn’t know existed. We encouraged them to step into entrepreneurship, to see themselves as creators of jobs rather than seekers of them. We challenged stereotypes around gender and masculinity. We taught financial literacy in ways that spoke to human behaviour. We built leadership programmes that helped young people find their voice, their agency, their purpose.” 

To date, Primestars has reached more than 1.7 million young people across South Africa, with more than 90 000 participating in its programmes each year. 

Sweet believes the greatest misconception about young people is that they lack ability. “The youth of this country aren’t broken. They are brilliant. They simply need scaffolding, encouragement, and environments that allow their gifts to rise.” 

Although honoured by the Best CEO award, Sweet believes it’s far from the end of the journey. “When you follow your calling, and you serve with integrity, the ripple effects can reach far beyond what you ever imagined,” he says. “For Primestars, this recognition strengthens our resolve to scale our impact even further.”