NEW YORK | LOS ANGELES | GENEVA | November 13, 2014 - Redwood Capital Group, an award-winning investment banking firm headquartered in New York with offices across the US and Europe and focused on the technology, communications, media and business services sectors, announced today that it has formed a strategic partnership with Invest Africa, a London based private members club with an affiliated merchant bank. Invest Africa (IA), founded by Robert Hersov, a South African entrepreneur, has built an unrivalled network of Africa-focused investors and experts. The club comprises over 300 Family Offices, Private Equity firms and High Net Worth Individuals. IA has Chapter’s in London, Johannesburg, New York, Dubai, Geneva and Zurich.
The club has an extensive on-the-ground presence through a network of associated local African businesses. IA also has the ability to deploy and connect capital through its sister company, African Capital Investments, a merchant bank, with Technology, Media and Telecom (“TMT”) being of strategic importance given the Founder’s background in media as ex-CEO of Richemont’s media portfolio. The technology, media and telecom sectors pose an unrivalled opportunity and are the driving force behind the African growth story, accounting for 20% of FDI projects into Africa in 2013, six times more than natural resources.
Gregory Bedrosian, CEO of Redwood commented, “We feel that the TMT industries in Africa offer extremely attractive opportunities for growth and development for both strategic and financial capital.” He continued, “We believe our partnership with Invest Africa, and their local know-how, combined with Redwood’s TMT sector expertise, will enable us to better serve both, new and existing clients, while further expanding Redwood’s cross-border reach and expertise.”
Rob Hersov, Founder and Chairman of Invest Africa said, “When charting Africa’s rise through the ages, connectivity was expressed in the form of trade – labour, goods and minerals. Now that same concept has taken a new form and is being expressed digitally. Invest Africa has the local know-how and network, Redwood has unrivalled sector credibility and knowledge. Together we hope to create a unique market offering, encouraging foreign firms to participate in the TMT-led Africa growth story.”
IA and Redwood have produced a piece of collaborative research titled “TMT Activity in Sub-Saharan Africa.” The document provides headline information on the African TMT opportunity, analysing the key markets and corporate success stories. Included in the report is the launch of the proprietary Redwood | Invest Africa TMT Index, which covers Technology, Media and Telecom companies operating in Sub-Saharan Africa. A copy of the research can be found at http://redcapgroup.com/The-Firm/Sector-Focus.
About Invest Africa
Invest Africa is a global private members club with a multi-service platform for access and investment into Africa. The group is composed of a wide variety of business leaders, PE Firms, Family Offices and HNWIs.
For more information, please visit www.investafrica.com.
African Capital Investments
African Capital Investments is a boutique merchant bank focused on providing structured access to African markets. ACI was established to capitalize and contribute to the emergence of the African middle class driven by strong economic growth, demographic trends, and urbanization. ACI is involved in four main business activities: deal origination, corporate advisory, fundraising and direct investments.