Phatisa senior partner announcement – Yida Kemoli

PRESS OFFICE: Phatisa

We are pleased to announce that Yida Kemoli has joined Phatisa as Senior Partner – East Africa. Yida has served the last six years as Head of Corporate Finance and Strategy at Trans-Century Limited where he was responsible for fundraising, acquisitions and divestments, including the company’s landmark US$ 75 million convertible Eurobond programme.

Yida Kemoli

Yida Kemoli

Prior to joining Trans-Century, Yida began his career at J.P. Morgan’s European Debt Capital Markets business where he was involved in more than 20 transactions across the leveraged buyout and structured products spaces – and then moved to Actis where he was part of the Africa team. Additionally, he advised Aureos (now part of Abraaj) on the structuring and establishment of their Aureos Africa Healthcare Fund.

Yida is well experienced in all facets of investment banking, corporate finance and private equity. In private equity in Africa he has closed more than 10 transactions – both acquisitions and disposals – and has been active in portfolio management, including support on strategy and fundraising. Additionally, between 2010 and 2013 he was appointed by the Kenya National Treasury as a non-executive director of the Kenya Investment Authority.

“Although Yida has been part of the Phatisa family for a number of years, as a member of the AAF Investment Committee, we are delighted that he is joining us on a permanent basis. His reputation and deal doing track record in East Africa precedes him. This appointment again highlights Phatisa’s commitment to grow long term equity value for all funds under management across Africa,” concluded Duncan Owen, Senior Managing Partner, Phatisa. “Yida will be a great addition to our East Africa team and Phatisa Group.”


About Phatisa

Phatisa logo_235x140Phatisa is an African private equity fund manager, operating across sub-Saharan Africa, with offices in Mauritius, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, and Ghana, as well as London. The firm has two sector-specific funds under management, totalling more than US$285 million, focused on food and affordable housing. Phatisa comprises a team with a significant track record of managing private equity funds and businesses throughout the continent.

Phatisa’s African Agriculture Fund has committed investments in excess of US$135 million, from Sierra Leone in West Africa to Mauritius, East Africa and 13 other countries in between. This reflects a total of eight portfolio companies across diverse sectors: primary farming, palm oil, processing, inputs, mechanisation, fertiliser, protein production and FMCG beverages. Phatisa also introduced an eastern and southern African investment initiative in response to the ever-increasing housing shortage – the Pan African Housing Fund (PAHF). The US$41.95 million Fund commenced operations during Q1 2013 and has concluded three investments to date.

At the heart of Phatisa is development equity, as embodied in the unique formula of DevEq = PAT * x + i 2 ™; a balanced blend of private equity and development finance – striving to build sustainable assets on the ground; ensuring best possible returns for investors, including the community in which these operate.

www.phatisa.com