EM PE Week in London 2012 • Private Equity in Emerging Markets • Private Equity in Africa • EMPEA’s Fundraising Masterclass
Private Equity in Africa 2012
The 4th Annual Private Equity in Africa Leadership Summit, presented by EMPEA and This is Africa, gathered over 400 key industry players in London to discuss the way forward for private equity investment in Africa.
Hear what the industry’s leaders had to say about this year’s event….
Event Overview
Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, Founder and Chairman of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, set the tone for the summit with a call-to-action to the Private Equity in Africa delegates, declaring “you are the agent of change of Africa.” Propelled by this charge, the program continued with discussions of how private equity investment can drive Africa’s economic transformation. Panels throughout the day debated the value of a sector-specific strategy, as well as methods for overcoming transparency issues at both the government and corporate entity level.
Over 170 LPs attended, including representatives from…
- Barclays Pension Fund
- British Steel Pension Fund
- Eskom Pension and Provident Fund
- Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF)
- Paris Orleans (Rothschild)
- University of Texas Investment Management Company (UTIMCO)
- Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS)
- The Wellcome Trust
- And more!
The importance of engaging local investors in private equity investment across Africa was a topic of the discussion throughout the day and was highlighted in the program’s closing session looking to identify the “next generation of LPs” for Africa. In a final call-to-action, John Oliphant of the Government Employees Pension Fund charged all industry players to do more to encourage local investor engagement, by educating local pension funds and increasing transparency on valuations and reporting.
Africa is Rocking
While there is obviously much work left to be done, the day ended with a general optimism in the room about the many opportunities still presented by African private equity. As Ahmed Heikel of Citadel Capital told the summit, “Africa is rocking with opportunities for savvy private equity players.”
EMPEA Research Referenced at the Summit
- EMPEA Guidelines – The EMPEA Guidelines identify for policymakers and regulators the elements of legal and tax regimes most critical to the development of private equity.
- The Appeal of Africa: Maximizing Investment Opportunities While Mitigating Risk with Kroll Advisory Solutions – This EMPEA Professional Development Webcast explores some of the key issues that private equity firms face in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Anti-Corruption Policies: What Every EM PE Practitioner Should Know – This Webcast examines anti-corruption policies and best practices in emerging markets private equity.