Overview
The Carlyle Africa team engages in buyouts and strategic minority investments in partnership with experienced management teams throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
Investment Approach
The Carlyle Africa team utilizes the conservative and disciplined approach common to all of the firm's funds focusing on attractive entry valuations, appropriate protections and the ability to exert influence. The team is based in Johannesburg and Lagos and comprises seasoned investment professionals with a wide range of previous experience within industry, consulting and banking.
The Carlyle Africa team conducts rigorous top-down analysis on sectors that benefit from Africa’s economic fundamentals and trends, exhibit high growth potential and have benefited from liberalization. CSSAF focuses on industries in which Carlyle has an established investment track record and in which the team has expertise. These include Financial Services, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods, Agribusiness, Transportation & Logistics and Energy. The Fund places a heavy emphasis on due diligence with a particular focus on the reputation and track record of management teams and local entrepreneurs.
The Carlyle Africa team’s approach to investing adheres to the following broad principles:
Maintain consistency and discipline: We focus on mature and high growth companies with positive EBITDA, tangible and sustainable competitive advantages and good management teams (incumbent or readily available for hiring)
Partner with reputable entrepreneurs and families: Carlyle’s local presence in Sub-Saharan Africa allows us to carefully select partners with solid track records and shared values. We have significant and proven expertise in helping family or entrepreneur-owned businesses resolve succession, liquidity and capital structure issues as well as strengthen and grow operations.
Industry specialization: Carlyle has adopted an industry-focused approach to investing in Sub-Saharan Africa, as it has in other geographies. We believe in-depth knowledge of specific industries improves our ability to source and create deals, conduct effective due diligence, add meaningful value to our portfolio companies, deliver superior returns and identify potential buyers as part of a coherent exit strategy.
Value added partner: The Carlyle Africa team devotes a significant amount of its time to working closely with portfolio companies. We will tap into Carlyle’s deep industry expertise and global networks to facilitate implementation of effective operational and marketing strategies by the portfolio companies.
One Carlyle Edge: We pursue investments only if we believe we have an edge over our competition in the form of deep industry knowledge, global expertise, positive relationships with management teams, the ability to move quickly to commit to transactions, and/or the opportunity to participate in strategic joint ventures with corporate partners or co-invest alongside other Carlyle funds.