AFRICA – Helios Investment Partners, an Africa-focused buyout firm, has appointed Phil Davis as director of environmental, social & governance (ESG) to help the firm expand its framework and policies in the area.
Phil Davis joins from Carlyle, where he was head of sustainability in the Emea region. Prior to this, Davis was an assistant director in PwC’s sustainability & climate change team for 11 years and a technical environmental consultant at engineering company Amec Foster Wheeler.
Davis is a leader in his field with over 14 years of experience, most recently as Head of Sustainability, EMEA at The Carlyle Group.
Davis joins the Portfolio Operations Group, contributing to value creation through the lifecycle of Helios investments, and supporting the firm in further advancing and expanding the scope of Helios’ ESG framework and policies.
“We are delighted that Phil has joined our team as part of our ongoing commitment to build high growth sustainable businesses across Africa,” Helios said in a statement.
Established in 2004, Helios Investment Partners is the leading Africa-focused private investment firm, led and managed by a predominantly African team and based in London, Paris, Lagos and Nairobi.
Helios manages around US$3.6 billion of assets, according to its website. Since it was founded in 2004, it has invested in nearly 33 African and Middle Eastern companies across sectors ranging from financial services to education and telecommunications.
Since the firm’s inception, Helios has integrated financial, governance, environmental and social considerations into our investment framework.
“We believe this is essential for creating value and mitigating risk and is particularly true in the developing markets in which we operate. Our pioneering approach on the continent and best-in-class operating practices enable us to transform African businesses, delivering both economic and societal benefits,” Helios said.
“Helios’ recent Certification B achievement further recognizes that the firm adheres to the highest standards of corporate governance, transparency, accountability, and social and environmental performance – including its investment strategy and activities.”
The firm is raising its fourth growth equity fund with a US$1.25 billion target. Launched in June 2019, the strategy is set to be larger than its predecessor, which closed five years ago at US$1.1 billion.
The fund will invest in and build market-leading companies across the continent, managed from Helios’ offices in Lagos and Nairobi as well from Europe. Each transaction will have an estimated ticket size of between US$30 million and US$200 million, according to a document from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank.
Last month, Helios secured US$100 million in commitments from the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor CDC Group.
Liked this article? Subscribe to DealStreet Africa News, our regular email newsletter with the latest news, deals and insights from Africa’s business, economy and more. SUBSCRIBE HERE
