Alun Thomas

Group Financial Director

Alun Thomas

Group Financial Director

12 years Imara, 21 years industry experience | CA (Z), CA, ACA
+44 7771 638 923     Alun.Thomas@imara.com

After graduating from the University of Kent, Alun qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte in Harare. He is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. After several years in senior finance roles in Zimbabwe, Alun headed up Imara Africa Securities in Botswana as CEO from its inception in 2007 until 2011. Alun re-joined Imara initially as Head of Operations for the Group’s UK asset management subsidiary in 2015 and then as Group Financial Director in 2020.

Anthony Schroenn

Portfolio Manager Imara Asset Management

Anthony Schroenn

Portfolio Manager Imara Asset Management

15 years Imara/Kura, 27 years industry experience | CA(SA)
+351 910 946 488     Tony.Schroenn@imara.com

Shareholder in Imara Asset Management and Co-portfolio manager for the full range of Imara’s mutual funds and segregated portfolios specialising in telco and industrial companies. Last 20 years travelled Africa extensively, researching companies and engaging management, governments, and regulators.  Co-founded Kura Capital in 2009 launching and co-managing a range of mutual funds and segregated portfolios, including the flagship Kura Africa Fund. Kura merged with Imara Asset Management in 2017 and Tony was instrumental in negotiating the merger and then assuming management of the merged business and the full range of products. Prior to that joined African Alliance and travelled Africa extensively as part of the first pan African sell side research team. He played a leading role in building out the sell side equity research platform, recruiting and training analysts to research exchanges and companies across the continent. Also held positions at Bear Stearns in London (telco analyst in EU and Latam) and Global Telesystems. Qualified and registered with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Charles Mate

Founder and Executive Stockbrokers Zambia

Charles Mate

Founder and Executive Stockbrokers Zambia

20 years Stockbrokers Zambia, 30 years industry experience | BSc (Chem Eng.), MBA
+260 211 232 456     cmate@sbz.com.zm

Charles has been with SBZ from its inception in 2004 and served as Managing Director until 2014 when he took a break to accept a Presidential appointment to serve as an Executive Director of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) for its operationalisation and returned at the end of 2016. Earlier, Charles was the Project Manager in the start-up of the LuSE in 1994 and served as its first General Manager. He has been intimately involved in the promotion and development of the Zambian capital market He currently provides advisory support to SBZ.

Goitseone Kgaodi

Non-Executive Director Imara Holdings

Goitseone Kgaodi

Non-Executive Director Imara Holdings

6 years Imara, 22 years industry experience | CIMA

Goitse possesses a portfolio of professional and academic achievements as well as finance industry and board experience. She served on the Main Committee of the Botswana Stock Exchange for a total of 5 years until June 2017. Goitse has held senior positions at, KFC, Tsodilo Resources and was the Finance Director at Imara Capital Securities until August 2011 when she joined Bank of Gaborone as their financial account. Goitse’s accomplishments include Non-Executive Director of Imara Capital Securities Pty Ltd, Vice-chairperson the Botswana Stock Exchange Board, Chairperson of Imara Capital Securities Audit sub-Committee and Chairperson of Botswana Stock Exchange Audit sub-Committee

Gregory Matsake

Chief Executive Officer Imara Capital Securities

Gregory Matsake

Chief Executive Officer Imara Capital Securities

22 years Imara Capital Securities, 25 years industry experience | MSc, ABIB, RPE, ICMQ
+267 318 8886     Gregory.Matsake@imara.com

Gregory is a licensed stockbroker, a Member of the Botswana Stock Exchange and a Registered Person under SAIFM. He has been involved in the financial industry for more than 20 years – having started as banker with Barclays Bank of Botswana where he worked for 11 years. Having joined then Capital Securities as settlements manager, Gregory has progressed over the years to the position of Chief Executive Officer, a position he has held since 2006.He is in charge of the overall operations and strategy of Imara Capital Securities, a member firm of the Botswana Stock Exchange and a part of the Imara Group of companies.Gregory was part of the team involved in the listing of several of the companies currently quoted on the bourse.

Harry Wulfsohn

Founder FWA & Co-Group Chief Executive Officer

Harry Wulfsohn

Founder FWA & Co-Group Chief Executive Officer

8 years Imara, 25 years industry experience | BSc (Hons), ACA
+44 7951 160 158     Harry.Wulfsohn@imara.com

Harry has over 25 years financial services experience in Africa, the Middle East, the UK and the EU. Co-Founded Fleming Wulfsohn Africa in 2012, completing multiple transactions, including acquisitions, mergers, MBOs and de-listings as well as driving the strategy and growth of the Imara Group since joining the Board in 2015 and becoming co-CEO in 2017. Former Director of The Stenham Group, for 15 years. Led the transformation of Stenham from a multi-family office into an institutional fund manager. Held roles in London as COO and Head of Business Development of the Asset Management division and in Johannesburg being responsible for the trade finance division. Involved with the Wulfsohn family interests in numerous businesses across Central and Southern Africa over many years. Qualified as a Chartered Accountant and worked at Arthur Andersen, London, in the Corporate Financial Services and Turnaround division; Holds the Investment Management Certificate of the Institute of Investment Management and Research, London and a BSc (Hons) from Manchester University.

Hector Fleming

Founder FWA & Co-Group Chief Executive Officer

Hector Fleming

Founder FWA & Co-Group Chief Executive Officer

8 years Imara, 15 years industry experience | BA (Hons)
+44 7769 780 608     Hector.Fleming@imara.com

Hector is a founder of Fleming Wulfsohn Africa and has over 10 years of private equity experience across Africa and other emerging markets. He is a Director of The Johannesburg Land Company Limited, Clover Alloys SA Limited, GoldMoney Networks Limited and Netagio Holdings Limited. Mr Fleming is a former director of Standard Chartered Bank’s private equity coverage team out of London with a central focus on Sub-Saharan Africa and was previously in the banks’ private equity group, investing growth capital from the bank’s balance sheet and 3rd party funds into private equity opportunities in the emerging Asian economies. He holds a BA (Hons) from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Jack Kanyanga

Managing Director, Stockbrokers Zambia

Jack Kanyanga

Managing Director, Stockbrokers Zambia

14 years Imara, 15 years industry experience | CFA
+260 211 232456     jkanyanga@sbz.com.zm

Jack is currently the Managing Director of Stockbrokers Zambia where he oversees corporate finance, investment advisory activities and the stockbroking operations of one of the market leaders in Zambia, where he has held this position since June this year.

From 2008 to 2014 he was a Portfolio Manager at African Life Financial Services (Aflife) an Asset Management company managing a diversified pool of pension assets with an AUM in excess of USD 300m. During his stint as portfolio manager Jack participated in the evaluation of a number of key market transactions from a buy side perspective. Transactions undertaken included deals in equity and debt issuances as well as corporate restructuring and real estate investments.

After leaving Aflife, Jack undertook a number of investment advisory mandates, the most prominent being the determination of the take on value of 14 state owned enterprises which were ceded to the Industrial Development Corporation by the Republic of Zambia in 2005.

Jayne Backhouse

Consultant Imara Corporate Finance

Jayne Backhouse

Consultant Imara Corporate Finance

15 years Imara, 19 years industry experience | B.Bus.Sci
+27 74 558 8704     Jayne.Backhouse@imara.com

Jayne has over 10 years’ experience advising on corporate finance transactions in the Sub-Saharan region. She first joined Imara Corporate Finance Zimbabwe in 2003 where she worked for two years before moving to London. In London, she furthered her career in corporate finance working for over three years for two firms, Bridgewell and Altium Capital. Jayne rejoined Imara Corporate Finance in 2009 and over the last nine years has worked on a number of transactions within the region. Her clients include large international firms with a focus on Africa as well as local corporates and entrepreneurs. She has experience in both mergers and acquisitions and equity capital markets, across a range of sectors.

Jon Schwartz

Chairman Imara African Opportunities Fund

Jon Schwartz

Chairman Imara African Opportunities Fund

2 years Imara, 40 years industry experience
+39 348 650 0490     jon.schwartz@imara.com

Jon began his career at Deloitte’s, becoming Partner in 1985, then joined AMP, the US$200b Australian insurance and investment firm and has since held multiple Director and Strategic roles in investment firms, to list a few:

• LEO Capital Growth - Chairman
• Duet Funds Group Managed Futures Fund - Board Member
• Duet Emerging Europe Fund - Board Member
• Alquity Investment Management - Board Member-
• AMP- Corporate Development Director
• Virgin Money - Vice Chairman
• Aetna, Cigna, Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States - Partner Deloitte Consulting

Lipalesa Makepe

Non-Executive Director Imara Capital Securities

Lipalesa Makepe

Non-Executive Director Imara Capital Securities

20 years industry experience

Lipalesa is Chief Financial Officer of the Okavango Diamond Company which she joined in April 2018 from Barclays Bank of Botswana. Lipalesa is a Fellow of the institute of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) and a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) with the institute of Chartered Accountants of Botswana (BICA). She has over 20 years’ experience in auditing, finance, commercial analytics and risk management gained across financial services in Botswana and South Africa. Prior to joining the Okavango Diamond Company, she held several senior roles with Barclays Bank, including Financial Director and Director Shared Services. Lipalesa has served on several Boards including the Botswana Stock Exchange, Barclays Bank of Botswana, Sechaba Breweries Holding and Southview (Pty) Limited to name a few.

Mabua Mabua

Non-Executive Director Imara Holdings

Mabua Mabua

Non-Executive Director Imara Holdings

6 years Imara, 22 years industry experience

Mr. Mabua Lesego Mabua is currently Managing Director of MabWise Consulting having previously been the Chief Executive Officer of Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet) for 10 years from August 2013 until August 2023. BOFINET is a wholesale telecommunications infrastructure services operator that provides services to licensed telecommunications operators nationally and regionally as a carrier of carriers. Prior to this he worked at the Ministry of Transport and Communications which he joined in 2005. He rose through the ranks of the Ministry as the Deputy Permanent Secretary of ICT before being elevated to the position of Permanent Secretary. Two years later, he was appointed to the position of National Coordinator of the Information Communications Technology (ICT) industry. Mabua is a telecommunications engineering graduate of University of Essex from the United Kingdom. He started his career as a graduate engineer at Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) and left BTC at senior management level as a Chief Engineer after 12 years of employment. Mabua is experienced, knowledgeable, and exposed to the ICT industry. He has led the formulation and implementation of several ICT initiatives in the country at different levels. Some of the examples include National e-Government strategy, the rural and national connectivity as well as international connectivity strategies.

Nicholas Ackerman

Non-Executive Director FWA Financial

Nicholas Ackerman

Non-Executive Director FWA Financial

6 years Imara, 15 years industry experience

Nicholas has been involved in the founding and building of several consumer businesses. He previously worked for Unilever, within the strategy and market development teams. Before moving to Unilever, he worked as a management consultant with Bain and Co, advising on several private and public businesses predominantly within the consumer goods space. Nicholas holds degrees from both the University of Stellenbosch and the University of Oxford.

Noel Kadzakumanja

Chief Executive Officer Stockbrokers Malawi

Noel Kadzakumanja

Chief Executive Officer Stockbrokers Malawi

9 years Imara, 18 years industry experience | BBA, ACCA
+265 1 822 792     Noel@smlmw.com

Noel graduated from the University of Malawi with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Degree and is a qualified member of Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in London, United Kingdom. After completing his university education, Noel joined the National Bank of Malawi as a graduate trainee in 2006 and went on to work in various positions before joining the Stockbrokers Malawi Limited (SML) in 2015 as Chief Executive Officer.

Preetam Prayag

Founder & Chief Executive Officer Imara Trust

Preetam Prayag

Founder & Chief Executive Officer Imara Trust

17 years Imara, 29 years industry experience | BSc
+230 466 9171     Preetam@imara.mu

Preetam holds a BSc in Business Administration from the University of Buckingham (U.K) and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Leicester (U.K). From June 1994 to April 1999 he was the Manager of Mauritius Offshore Business Activities Authority (MOBAA), the regulatory and supervisory Authority of the global business sector. He initially worked in the licensing and supervision unit before being given the responsibility of the Marketing Unit where his main responsibility was to promote the global business sector internationally. From May 1999 to December 2000, he was appointed as General Manager of SIC Management Services, a subsidiary of the State Investment Corporation, the investment arm of the Government of Mauritius. From January 2001 to June 2015 he worked as Manager of the Financial Services Promotion Agency, a parastatal body set up under the Financial Services Act whose purpose was to promote the financial services sector. Thereafter he was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Trust Company (Mauritius) Limited, a licensed Management Company before joining BTCS in 2006. For the past 10 years, Preetam has had hands on experience in company and trust administration and has successfully been running the operations of Imara Trust Company (Mauritius) Limited. Preetam is a member of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Rainer Orth

Portfolio Manager Imara Asset Management

Rainer Orth

Portfolio Manager Imara Asset Management

15 years Imara/Kura, 21 years industry experience | MA, CFA
+27 83 633 7052     Rainer.Orth@imara.com

Shareholder in Imara Asset Management. Fintech advisory from 2020, advising a large fintech company in the MENA region- building out its merchant SuperApp focused on bill payments, mobile money and FX remittances. Co-portfolio manager, from 2017, for the full range of Imara’s mutual funds and segregated portfolios, specialising in financial services companies, covering the top 40 financial institutions in Africa. Co-founded Kura Capital launching and co-managing a range of mutual funds and segregated portfolios, including the flagship Kura Africa Fund. Kura merged with Imara Asset Management in 2017. Prior to that joined African Alliance and travelled Africa extensively, researching companies and engaging management, governments, and regulators, as part of the first pan African sell side research team. Previously held positions at Afrifocus (financial services analyst in South Africa) and Sage Unit Trusts, South Africa. A CFA charter holder and member of the CFA society in South Africa as well as Mauritius and holds a Master’s degree in Finance.

Ravi Kureemun

Deputy Chief Executive Officer Imara Trust

Ravi Kureemun

Deputy Chief Executive Officer Imara Trust

15 years Imara, 18 years industry experience | FCCA, MSc Fin & Tax, Dip IFR
+230 466 9171     ravi@imara.mu

Chief Financial Officer and MLRO of Imara Trust Company (Mauritius) Limited. Joined Imara in 2008. Area of specialisation taxation. Previously spent three years as the Fund Accountant in a Management Company and also four years with the Mauritius Revenue Authority with whom he maintains close ties. Represents our clients with relevant Authorities in terms of VAT and other tax related issues and assist clients on tax assessment both in the local and global business sectors. A member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA, U.K) and the Mauritius Institute of Professional Accountants (MIPA). Also holds an MSc. Financial Management & Taxation from the Open University of Mauritius; a diploma in International Financial Reporting from ACCA and is a STEP Member.

Seilaneng Godisang

Non-Executive Director Imara Capital Securities

Seilaneng Godisang

Non-Executive Director Imara Capital Securities

12 years industry experience

Seilaneng has over 12 years’ experience practising law.  She is a former associate in a large firm where she worked in the dispute resolution department and later in the commercial department. She advised on transactions across various sectors including listing of note programmes on the Botswana Stock Exchange and major mergers and acquisition transactions. She has also worked as an inhouse counsel for financial institutions where she advised on some of the substantial lending and securitisation transactions as well as working on lending documentation across various jurisdictions. Seilaneng has advised clients ranging from parastatals, corporates and international clients. She has contributed chapters for some leading legal guides.

Tom Gaffney

Non-Executive Director FWA Financial

Tom Gaffney

Non-Executive Director FWA Financial

8 years Imara, 35 years industry experience | BA (Hons), MBA
+44 7900 492 905     Tom.Gaffney@imara.com

Tom is a Managing Partner of Fleming Wulfsohn Africa and has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. He founded Ambrian in 2001 and was CEO until 2011. He successfully built and grew Ambrian into London’s leading investment bank in the mid and small cap natural resources sector with a particular focus on financing projects throughout Africa. Ambrian was a member firm of the London Stock Exchange and during Tom’s leadership raised over US$ 1.8 billion for 90 growth companies. Ambrian was also active in asset management, principal investment and physical commodities. Prior to founding Ambrian, Tom was a Director in the Corporate Finance Department of Robert Fleming/ JP Morgan Chase. Tom holds an MBA from the Manchester Business School and a BA (Hons) from the University of Sussex.

Victor Zirebwa

Head of Dealing, Imara Capital Securities

Victor Zirebwa

Head of Dealing, Imara Capital Securities

15 years Imara/Capital Securities, 17 years industry experience | BCom (Hons)
+267 318 8886     Victor.Zirebwa@imara.com

Victor is a qualified Stockbroker and a registered member of the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE). He began his career at Techfin Research (Pty) Ltd in Zimbabwe as an economic research assistant after graduating from Midlands State University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Hons) in Economics. He joined then Capital Securities (Pty) Ltd in 2008 as a private client’s broker, and later acquired a BSE trading license in October 2009, after completing the Registered Persons Exams (RPEs) for the Equities market with the South African Institute of Financial Markets. He has participated in the preparation of listing documents for various venture capital companies and currently heads the Dealing division.

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