Mark Richards

Experienced Financial services specialist, Former Private Equity Partner, and Banker. I enjoy building businesses around the world, and working with international teams to fulfil their potential, by using my experience, global network of friends and colleagues to « join up the world » through idea sharing, strategy best practice, good governance and innovation. Interalia, I confounded « unicorn » Singapore Life, as a start up and Emerging Markets Payment in Africa, ( African Private Equity Exit of the year). I organised the first private equity investment in XP investimentos, a Brazilian wealth manager, now a multi billion company quoted on Nasdaq. In Banking, I led Actis investment in CIB in Egypt, and helped transform the Bank to become one of the most respected Banks in Emerging Markets. Currently I am helping NLB Bank, based in Ljubjiana become the leading Bank of the Western Balkans, through a buy and build strategy that has transformed the Bank, and empowered a highly regarded management team. In the Uk, where I am based I Chair. Vencap international Plc, Fund of Fund investor in Venture Capital based in Oxford, we invest in the world top Venture Capital Funds. I am NED at BPL global ( a Lloyd’s Broker, world leader in its field of Political and Credit Risk insurance. ) I have recently taken on the Chairmanship of Enzagroup based Cairo and Capetown. ( African Payments group), working with many old friends from EMP to build a leading edge pan African payments business. Prior experience includes: CEO IPGL,(a major >$1bn Family Office), managing a portfolio of quoted companies, and controlled private Venture and alternative investments Partner,(11 years) and Global head of financial services at Actis - a leading Emerging market private equity investor, with interests in Africa, Asia and Latin America, but based in London. The Actis Fs team made investment in high quality fast growth FS groups. I coordinated more than $1bn of investments. Senior Exec at Barclays.( 18 years). Chairman of Exotix Plc, an international brokerage, Director, Gain Capital. (Wall Street listed)