AVCA | AVCA Member Interviews

The Abraaj Group

Sev Vettivetpillai, Managing Partner

September 2017

The Abraaj Group (Abraaj) is a leading investor, purpose-built for operating in the growth markets of Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Turkey. Abraaj has realized US$6.3bn from over 80 full exits, and funds managed by the group have made over 170 investments across a range of sectors including consumer, energy, financials, healthcare and utilities. The group is committed to the highest environmental, stakeholder engagement and corporate governance standards and is a signatory to the United Nations-backed Principles for Responsible Investment and the United Nations Global Compact.

ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment Limited

Opuiyo Oforiokuma, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer

August 2017

ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment Limited (ARMHIIL) is the fund manager of the ARM-Harith Infrastructure Fund (ARMHIF), a closed-ended specialist infrastructure fund established by Asset & Resource Management Company Limited of Nigeria (ARM), in partnership with Harith General Partners Proprietary Limited (Harith) of South Africa. ARMHIIL is based in Nigeria and Ghana, and has over 70 years of proven infrastructure experience in Africa and globally.

CDC Group

Clarisa De Franco, Head of Africa Funds, and Jeremy Cleaver, Portfolio Director

April 2017

Founded in 1948 and owned by the UK Government, CDC Group (CDC) is the UK’s Development Finance Institution (DFI) and one of the most experienced DFIs in the world. CDC provides patient capital to businesses and entrepreneurs in Africa and South Asia, primarily to facilitate job creation and sustainable development.

Capria Ventures

Jack Knellinger, Co-Founder and Principal

January 2017

Capria Ventures (Capria) is a global financial services innovator investing in fund managers who are focused on financing missing middle” opportunities in emerging markets. Capria manages Capria Accelerator, the first global business accelerator for impact fund managers; Capria Fund, which provides seed capital to fund managers and also acts as an investor in promising emerging market funds.

Jackson, Etti & Edu

Koye Edu, Managing Partner, and Folasade Olusanya, Partner

October 2016

Jackson, Etti & Edu is a leading full-service commercial law firm that covers West Africa from its three offices in Nigeria and an associate office in Ghana. Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, the firm is recognised for its high calibre professional services, drawing on a unique knowledge of the business environment and socio-political climate in Africa.

Musa Group

William Jimerson, Chief Executive Officer, and Richard Akwei, Head of Fund Management

August 2016

Musa Group is an Africa-focused private equity (PE) investor and corporate finance adviser co-founded by William Jimerson, a trail blazer in the African private equity industry. Launched in 1995, Musa Capital principally focuses on small and medium-sized enterprises with the concentration of its investments being in affordable housing, the food value chain, fast moving consumer goods, retail financial services and logistics. AVCA talks to William Jimerson, Chief Executive Officer, and Richard Akwei, Head of Fund Management, about Musa Capital’s investment legacy and their perspective on the investment climate in Africa.

Simmons & Simmons

Noro-Lanto Ravisy, Head of Private Equity and Partner

July 2016

Simmons & Simmons LLP (Simmons & Simmons) is a global law firm with 22 offices spanning Europe, the Middle East and Asia, and an extensive track record operating across all 54 African countries. Noro-Lanto Ravisy is Head of Private Equity (PE) and Partner in the Paris office of the firm. Born and raised in Madagascar, Noro-Lanto has more than 15 years’ experience advising private equity (PE) funds. AVCA talks to Noro-Lanto about Simmons & Simmons’ footprint in PE, and her expectations for the future.

African Infrastructure Investment Managers

Jurie Swart, Chief Executive Officer

June 2016

African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) is a private equity infrastructure investment firm that invests in a range of projects across Africa, including thermal and renewable power generation and transmission, gas pipelines, roads, ports and communication infrastructure. AIIM has been investing in Africa for over 16 years, making it one of the largest and longest-running African infrastructure fund managers. AVCA talks with Jurie Swart, Chief Executive Officer at AIIM, about Africa’s infrastructure deficit and why this sector has substantial potential for investment.

Cepheus Growth Capital Partners

Kassy Kebede and Berhane Demissie, Managing Partners

April 2016

Cepheus Growth Capital Partners (Cepheus) is a private equity (PE) fund manager established in 2016 to take advantage of the growing investment opportunities in Ethiopia. Founded by Ethiopian-born Managing Partners, Kassy Kebede and Berhane Demissie, Cepheus is raising its first Ethiopia-focused fund to target the manufacturing, agriculture / agro-processing, and consumer service sectors. Kassy and Berhane talk to AVCA about the economic and growth potential of their home country.

Purple Capital Partners Limited

Obinna Onunkwo and Laide Agboola, Managing Partners

March 2016

Purple Capital Partners Limited (Purple Capital) is an investment firm specialising in Real Estate and Financial Services, based in Lagos, Nigeria. Founded in 2013, the firm is currently raising its first private equity (PE) fund. Obinna Onunkwo and Laide Agboola, the Managing Partners, talk to AVCA about how they are leveraging their experience to harness Nigeria’s exciting investment prospects.

Centum Investment Company Limited

Fred Murimi, Director

February 2016

Since 1967, Centum Investment Company Limited (Centum), a Kenyan listed investment company, has been focused on generating strong returns for its investors through high-growth and scalable investments in East Africa. The company aims to grow its total assets under management from US$300mn in 2015 to US$1.2bn by 2019 by investing across eight target sectors.

Charles Russell Speechlys

Adrian Mayer, Partner

January 2016

Charles Russell Speechlys is an international law firm headquartered in the city of London, formed by the 2014 merger of Charles Russell and Speechly Bircham. The firm's Africa operations are run by the Africa Focus Group, based in London, which works with private equity institutions, management teams and acquisition finance providers on all aspects of domestic and international transactions.

Àrgentil Capital Partners

Gbenga Hassan, Co-Manager, Principal Investments

November 2015

Àrgentil Capital Partners (Àrgentil) is a Nigerian financial advisory firm specialising in corporate, project and infrastructure finance, and mergers and acquisitions. In April 2015, Àrgentil launched its first private equity fund focused on the energy sector in West and Central Africa.

Control Risks Group

George Nicholls, Senior Managing Director, Southern Africa

August 2015

Control Risks is a global risk and strategic consulting firm with more than 30 years experience in Africa. With a network of consultants in every African country, Control Risks operates from three local offices in Lagos, Nairobi and Johannesburg.

Mediterrania Capital Partners

Albert Alsina, Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner

July 2015

Mediterrania Capital Partners provides growth capital to small and mid-sized companies based in North Africa’s Maghreb region with aspirations to expand into sub-Saharan Africa. The firm founded in 2013 when the current team, who had been investing in Africa since 2008, spun off from Riva y Garcia, a Spanish financial boutique.

LeapFrog Investments

Doug Lacey, Founding Partner

June 2015

LeapFrog Investments (LeapFrog) is a leading investor in emerging markets financial services, investing in insurance and related financial companies who reach over 48 million people across Africa and Asia. The firm, which has a dual purpose of achieving top-tier financial returns and positive social impact, seeks opportunities across sub-Saharan Africa and in emerging Asia.

Clifftop Colony Capital Partners

Oliver Drews, Chief Executive Officer

May 2015

Clifftop Colony Capital Partners (Clifftop Colony) is an independent corporate finance, investment advisory and operational financial management firm focused on growth companies in sub-Saharan Africa. Oliver Drews launched Clifftop Colony in 2012, following a long and successful career in global investment banking.

DEG

Gunnar Stork, Director – Equity & Mezzanine, Africa and Latin America, and Anne Keppler, Vice President – Equity & Mezzanine Africa

April 2015

DEG is one of the Development Finance Institutions (DFI) that has been leading investments in Africa since the 1960s. Today it is part of KfW, the German promotional bank. DEG’s mission is to create sustainable growth in developing and emerging market countries by promoting business initiatives. Of the 100 emerging and developing market private equity (PE) funds in its portfolio, 25 are African.

Swicorp

Nabil Triki, Co-Head of Private Equity

April 2015

Swicorp is a financial services group offering investment banking, private equity (PE) and asset management services across the Middle East and North Africa. To date, the firm has raised over €1bn of private equity capital and its move into sub-Saharan Africa is being led by its PE team.

Pantheon

Dushy Sivanithy, Principal - European Primary Investment

March 2015

Pantheon is a leading global private equity (PE) fund investor with over US$31bn in assets under management. Pantheon’s assets are diversified across a range of primary, secondary, infrastructure and co-investment activities.

Agri-Vie

Herman Marais, co-Founder

February 2015

Agri-Vie, a private equity investor in the food and agribusiness sector, was co-founded by Herman Marais and Izak Strauss in 2007, soon thereafter joined by Avril Stassen. With Fund I now fully invested, Herman Marais talks about the road so far and what lies ahead for Agri-Vie.

Casey Family Programs

Joseph Boateng, Chief Investment Officer, and Tim Stark, Director of Private Market Investments

February 2015

Joseph Boateng, a fund management industry veteran, joined Casey Family Programs as Chief Investment Officer in 2007, bringing the Foundation’s previously outsourced US$2bn fund management programme in-house.

Kibo Capital Partners

Christoph Evard, Partner

February 2015

Kibo Capital Partners (Kibo Capital) is a private equity company based in Kenya and Mauritius that invests in SMEs and mid-market companies in Eastern and Southern Africa and Indian Ocean islands. Christoph Evard, Partner at Kibo Capital, who joined prior to the launch of Kibo Fund II, talks to AVCA about what lies ahead.

Verod Capital

Danladi Verheijen, co-Founder and Managing Director

November 2014

Verod Capital is a generalist private equity firm based in Lagos, Nigeria which invests in Nigerian companies with the objective of expanding many of them into sub-Saharan Africa. AVCA talks with Danladi Verheijen, co-Founder and Managing Director, about Verod Capital’s journey.

DOB Equity

Hedwig Siewertsen, Managing Director

October 2014

DOB Equity is a growth equity funder investing in companies that positively contribute to a more social and sustainable society, and that deliver long-term profitability. The fund is an evergreen vehicle and all proceeds from investments are reinvested back into the fund, making DOB Equity a true long-term growth partner to portfolio companies.

Kusuntu Partners

Jean-Luc Koffi Vovor, Managing Partner and co-Founder

October 2014

Kusuntu Partners (Kusuntu) is a Paris-based advisory firm specialising in assisting private institutions to access the vast investment opportunity set in Africa. We speak with Jean-Luc Koffi Vovor, Kusuntu’s Managing Partner and co-Founder, about how Kusuntu is supporting the growth of the private investment industry in Africa.

STC Partners

Laurence Elong-Mbassi, Attorney at Law - Of Counsel, Head of the Africa Tax and Legal Practice, and Anne-Sophie Hébras, Attorney at Law – Of Counsel

September 2014

STC Partners is a Paris-based law firm with significant experience in assisting French and foreign investment funds in managing transactions, with or without leverage, in both listed and unlisted companies. STC Partners also helps private equity portfolio companies in their expansion phase, and provides private equity firms with end-to-end assistance on exit.

Intercontinental Trust Limited

Ben Lim, Chief Executive Officer

July 2014

Intercontinental Trust Limited (ITL) was established in Mauritius in 1999 to provide a comprehensive range of financial and fiduciary services to international businesses. ITL has expanded its presence to Kenya, the Seychelles, Singapore, and South Africa, and serves a range of Africa-focused private equity funds, with targeted capital commitments of approximately US$5.5 billion.

Augentius

J.P. Harrop, Group Head of Sales

June 2014

Augentius is a global independent private equity and real estate fund administrator with offices in Mauritius, London, Belfast, British Virgin Islands, Cayman, Cyprus, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Jersey, Luxembourg, New York, Singapore, and The Netherlands.

International Financial Services

Rubina Toorawa, Chief Operating Officer

May 2014

International Financial Services Limited (IFS) was founded in December 1993 by Kapil Dev Joory and Couldip Basanta Lala at a time when the global business sector was nascent in Mauritius. The focus initially was to provide fund administration and support services for Indian investments.

Venture Partners Botswana

Anthony Siwawa, Chief Executive Officer

April 2014

When Venture Partners Botswana (VPB) was founded in 2002, it was the first dedicated private equity and venture capital fund manager in Botswana. The firm now invests in businesses across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and is raising for its third fund, VPB III, which will target regionally-focused companies operating in consumer-driven, high growth sectors.