Catalyst Principal Partners, a new emerging markets private equity company, announced the members of a strategic advisory panel of experts. Known as the Catalyst Supervisory Panel, the group comprises seasoned and influential business professionals with hands on experience and strong networks in varied sectors: They are Gerald Mahinda, Vincent Rague, Paul McDonald and Robert Devereux. Vincent Rague will chair the supervisory panel.
Catalyst Principal Partners Chief Executive Officer Paul Kavuma said: “As we move progressively towards formally launching our first fund later this year, we found it prudent to establish a supervisory panel to advise us in a strategic capacity, providing us with valuable insights into the investment environment and facilitate relationships with key business leaders, policy makers and investor groups across the region and globally.” He added that Catalyst was honoured that the esteemed individuals had accepted to become part of the Catalyst team, having offered to integrally participate in the firm’s strategic initiatives. He confirmed that the firm had made good progress in fund raising for the Catalyst Fund I and was close to reaching the KKES8bn (USD100m) target, having received in principle commitments from the German Development Finance Institution (DEG) and the African Development Bank over the last two weeks alone. “More institutional investors have expressed interest to invest in Catalyst Fund I and we will announce these once the investments are complete,” he said.
Outlining the supervisory panel’s credentials, Kavuma noted that Vincent Rague, the Chairman would also be a critical member of the Catalyst Principal Partners Investment Committee. “He has over 25 years experience working with the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), where he had a strong focus on investments, project finance and banking in Africa, Europe and Asia. Gerald Mahinda, he explained, was armed with substantial experience in high growth consumer-driven and financial services sectors across Eastern Africa. “Mahinda is still a member of the Diageo Africa Executive and presently plays the role of Managing Director of Brandhouse,the Southern African subsidiary of Diageo,” said Kavuma.
He pointed out that Paul McDonald brings expertise in operations, marketing and strategic planning in the fast moving consumer goods sector with over 20 years of emerging markets experience and a deep understanding of private equity approach to structuring, driving investments and optimising returns. Robert Devereux, the fourth supervisory panel member, complements the group with his expansive experience as a serial international entrepreneur, with a proven track record of building business interests in multi-media, publishing, the internet and hospitality sectors. Accepting the elevation as Chairman of Catalyst’s Supervisory Panel, Vincent Rague said, “The supervisory panel’s role is to provide industry insight, operational experience and market knowledge in support of the Catalyst’s investments activities, and to leverage our collective resources and facilitate linkages to global and regional networks so as to add tangible value to our portfolio companies.” Catalyst is at advanced stages of establishing a USD100m regional private equity fund focused on Eastern Africa, to invest in dynamic regional companies with experienced management and compelling growth aspirations. With its proactive approach to investment in partnering with regional businesses, Catalyst offers value beyond capital to drive the strategic imperatives of its investee companies, with the active involvement of the supervisory panel being an integral element of its capability.
About the panel members:
The Catalyst Principal Partners Supervisory Panel is made up of individuals with substantial global experience and relevant regional expertise, and includes:
Vincent Rague, Chairman:
Vincent serves as Chairman of Catalyst’s Supervisory Panel and is a member of its investment committee. His 25 years of experience at the IFC and World Bank spanned investments, project finance and banking in Africa, Europe and Asia. As a senior manager at IFC, he most recently acted as Chief Investment Officer and Global Head of Property Finance. He previously served as Senior Manager of IFC’s Financial Markets and Advisory Services for Southeast Europe and Central Asia based in Turkey and as Manager in the SME and Advisory Services Department based in Washington DC. He was IFC’s first Regional Representative to South Africa where he established and managed its operations in Southern Africa, during which time he originated and structured IFC’s first African private equity investments. Paul McDonald: Paul is an expert in operations, marketing and strategic planning in the fast moving consumer goods sector with over 20 years of emerging markets experience and with a deep understanding of private equity approach to structuring, driving investments and optimising returns. Since 1997, he has advised multinationals as well as private and family-owned businesses on growth, performance, acquisition strategies. He has also conducted commercial due diligence investigations and added value to FMCG companies on behalf of leading emerging market private equity firms pursuing new investments and managing portfolio companies. Paul previously was COO at Swire Coca-Cola, Northern and Central China where he spearheaded the rollout of Coca-Cola into new Chinese Markets, and previously held several senior positions in Cadbury Schweppes in Europe and Asia.
Gerald Mahinda:
Gerald has substantial experience in high growth consumer-driven and financial services sectors across eastern Africa. He recently took up the position of Managing Director of Brandhouse, the Southern African subsidiary of Diageo, after having acted as Group Managing Director of East African Breweries, as Strategy and Change Director of Guinness Nigeria Plc, and as Group Finance and Strategy Director, East African Breweries, each being regional subsidiaries of Diageo. He is a member of the Diageo Africa Executive. Previously, he has held senior positions in the financial services sector, including Executive Director Finance at Standard Chartered Bank with responsibilities for Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and Comptroller and Head of Finance and Human Resources for Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe at American Life Insurance Company and AIG.
Robert Devereux:
Robert is a serial international entrepreneur, with a proven track record of building business interests in multi-media, publishing, internet and hospitality sectors. Having previously worked with Amnesty International and Macmillan Publishers he joined the Virgin Group in 1980 as Richard Branson’s partner. He established Virgin’s entertainment division of the company of which he was Chairman, which included the creation of Virgin Vision, in its day Europe’s leading film and video producer and distributer, the launching of Virgin Radio, Virgin Net, Virgin Interactive Entertainment and masterminding the purchase of Virgin Cinemas. In 1996 Robert sold his interests in the Virgin Group. He is currently the Chairman of New Forest Holdings Ltd, a sustainable commercial African Forestry company with operations in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Mozambique.
Comments are closed.