Jack Halfon

For more than 20 years, Jack Halfon has shaped Atlas Finance into a model of customer service, ethics and responsibility for the microfinance industry. From its humble beginnings as a small business in Johannesburg, Jack has since made Atlas Finance one of the largest microlending organizations in South Africa, with more than 170 branches nationwide. Despite this growth, Jack never lost sight of the qualities that matter most to his customers: honesty, transparency and a commitment to help borrowers obtain the loans they need. This is why the company has made over two million loans of up to R8000 since 1994; for Jack, clients of Atlas Finance are no different than family.

Indeed, Jack considers Atlas Finance part of a vibrant, diverse family of South Africans trying to make a difference in their communities and the world. Over the years, he and Atlas Finance have given to a wide range of organizations that provide food, clothing, shelter, educational opportunities and more to people in need. Just some of the many recipients of their philanthropic contributions include Inkwenkwezi School in Soweto, FeedSA, Othandweni Children’s Village, Miracle Drive Trust’s Grow Your Life, Kraaipan Youth Foundation, Warm the World and the Phuthaditjhaba Community Centre in Alexandra.

A proud husband, father and grandfather, Jack enjoys nothing more than spending time with his family and watching it grow. He is a photographer as well and has traveled around the world capturing the essence of people and places through his camera. In 2011, he published a collection of his black and white photography, Faces and Places, all proceeds of which have been donated to South African charities.