Team

Alain is a Co-founder and Managing Partner of Enko, located in the London office. He is the CIO of Enko’s debt strategies and advises the private equity team on macro-related issues. Alain was previously a Managing Director for Global Macro Trading within the Proprietary Trading Group of Credit-Suisse in London, a group he joined in 2005 from JP Morgan, where he had held the same position since 2002. From 2001 until 2002, Alain was a Portfolio Manager at BlueCrest Capital Management, and prior to that, he spent twelve years with JP Morgan (Chemical Bank). Alain has traded fixed income, currencies, commodities and stock indices over his 30+ years of experience.

Alain is an adviser to Laurent-Perrier, a leading champagne company listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, having been a board member there from 1999 to 2009. Alain was previously the Chairman of the Board for Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), the largest bank in Africa by geographic footprint and the largest bank in Sub-Saharan Africa by assets. He holds an MSc in Electrical Engineering from Ecole Supérieure d’Electricité in Paris and an MSc from Ecole Supérieure de Commerce in Paris.

Cyrille is a Co-founder and Managing Partner of Enko. He spends his time in both the Johannesburg and Abidjan offices. He is responsible for deal origination and processing, fundraising, investor relations and portfolio management of Enko’s private equity strategy. Prior to starting the firm, Cyrille was Managing Director and Founder of LiquidAfrica Holdings Limited, a pan-African investment bank specializing in capital raising and trading in all African markets. Before starting LiquidAfrica in 2000, he was the head of Sub-Saharan research at Merrill Lynch & Co. in London, where he was ranked in the Financial Mail 1999 Analyst Survey as one of the best research analysts on the continent. Prior to joining Merrill Lynch, Cyrille was a manager at Accenture in Paris, specializing in financial markets.

Cyrille was nominated as Young Global Leader 2006 by the World Economic Forum. He holds a BA in Economics from Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Abdoulaye is a Partner, Senior Portfolio Manager of Enko’s absolute return Africa debt strategy, located in the London office. He is responsible for trading, product structuring, and risk analysis and management. Prior to joining Enko, Abdoulaye was the Head of Africa Trading at HSBC in London from 2018 to 2020, and before that he held the same role at Société Générale from 2014 to 2018. He also spent seven years trading local rates and FX at Standard Chartered Bank in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

Abdoulaye holds a MSc in Economics and Statistics from ENSEA.

Sidoine is a Partner and a Co-Head of Enko’s private debt strategy, located in the Abidjan office. Sidoine’s experience in the private debt space is extensive. Before joining Enko, he was based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with Barak Fund Management, from 2018 to 2021, originating structured trade and commodity finance deals in West Africa. Prior to that, from 2013 to 2018, Sidoine was the Head of Group Structured Trade and Commodity Finance for Ecobank Transnational Incorporated. From 2011 to 2013, Sidoine was a Director of Structured Trade Finance for BNP Paribas in Paris focusing on energy and commodity finance. Sidoine also held a number of roles at Marsh McLennan, Natixis and Group Fortis in Paris from 2001 to 2011.

Sidoine is a Non-executive director of SUNU Assurances Ghana. He holds an MSc in Business Management from the University of Toulouse, as well as a Masters in Banking and Financial Engineering from Toulouse Business School.

Saad Sheikh is a Partner and Co-Head of Enko’s private debt strategy, located in the London office. Prior to joining Enko, from 2014 to 2022, Saad was a Principal at TLG Capital, where he was responsible for deal origination, structuring, and execution for their emerging markets private debt fund. Saad focused on various industries in Africa, including healthcare, fintech and consumer goods. Prior to that, from 2012 to 2014, Saad was a Consultant at Accenture where he focused on M&A and transformation projects. From 2005 to 2012, Saad focused on infrastructure projects for Nokia. During his time with Nokia, he was based in both the UK and UAE. Saad holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Systems and Electronics from the GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Pakistan, and a Executive Masters in Business Administration from Imperial Business School, London.

Eric is Partner at Enko Capital, located in the Johannesburg office. He is responsible for portfolio management of Enko’s private equity strategy. Prior to Enko Capital, Eric was Senior Investment Officer at International Finance Corporation (IFC), where he was the Anchor for health and education across Sub-Saharan Africa. Prior to IFC, Eric worked in finance between 2005 and 2011 in London where he held roles in Consultancy and Transaction Advisory, Leveraged Finance and latterly Private Equity focusing on investing in UK and European companies in the IT, business services, healthcare, manufacturing, media and telecom sectors.

Eric is also an academic by background. He held a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the University of Nottingham where he was involved in academic research as well as undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research supervision. His area of expertise is Operations Research and Computer Science / Artificial Intelligence. Eric holds a PhD, MPhil and an MSc in Operations Research from the University of Nottingham, ENSIMAG and USTHB respectively.

Delphine is a senior portfolio manager of Enko’s absolute return Africa debt strategy, based in London. She is responsible for economic research and idea generation. Delphine started her career at BNP Paribas Asset Management as a fixed income research analyst and fund manager before focusing on emerging markets. She started covering African debt markets in 2008, as a rates, FX and sovereign credit strategist for Standard Chartered Bank successively based in Dubai, Hong Kong, and London. She remained involved in the region while managing global EM debt strategies for Columbia Threadneedle and Old Mutual/Merian Global Investors where she headed the EMD team.

Delphine holds a Master in Management from ESC Rouen and a MSc in International Affairs and Economics from Columbia University in New York.

Jaron is a Senior Portfolio Manager of Enko’s absolute return Africa debt strategy, located in the Johannesburg office. He is responsible for idea generation, trading, structuring, and risk management. With a background as an African FX and fixed income trader, Jaron has applied his expertise at both Absa and Rand Merchant Bank in Johannesburg prior to joining Enko.

Jaron is a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and holds a BSc (Hons) in Actuarial Science from the University of the Witwatersrand.

Alix is Partner at Enko Capital, located in the Johannesburg office. She is responsible for portfolio management of Enko’s private equity strategy.

Alix joined from BNP Paribas where she was the Head of Group Strategy. Alix brings 17 years of private equity and corporate development experience, including a decade in emerging markets. Alix spent more than 7 years with BNP sitting in their New York and Paris offices. Prior to BNP, from 2014-2016, Alix was a Senior Investment Officer for the Enko Africa Private Equity Fund I where she sat in Enko’s Johannesburg office and sourced investment opportunities across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Before Alix’s spell at Enko, she spent 4 years as an Investment Officer in the Private Equity Division of PROPARCO under the Groupe Agence Française de Développement (AFD Group). Prior to that Alix was an Analyst for AXA Assistance (AXA Group).

Alix holds a Master’s degree in Business Management from HEC Paris and a Bachelor’s in Law from the University of Paris XI. She is also a CFA Charterholder.

Rachel Cochran is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Enko Capital, located in the London office. Rachel leads strategic ESG and impact initiatives and their implementation across Enko’s private debt strategy and the firm. Prior to joining Enko, Rachel was a Director of ESG and Impact at The Rohatyn Group (TRG) in Johannesburg.  Before joining TRG, Rachel was the Head of ESG-Impact for Ethos Private Equity, which was acquired by TRG in April 2023. In her 4 years at Ethos, Rachel made significant strides in formalizing and professionalizing Ethos’ ESG-Impact strategy and reporting to investors.

Rachel’s experience pre-Ethos spans 16 years, with exposure and projects delivered across Europe, Asia, and Africa across multiple sectors, including infrastructure and renewables. In South Africa and Hong Kong, Rachel worked as a Principal Environmental Consultant and team leader where she supported asset managers, investors, and DFI’s in their investment decisions relating to environmental and social risks.

Rachel holds a Bachelor of Science from University College, London and a Masters in Science in Environmental Technology from Imperial College, London. Rachel is a Chartered Scientist and a Chartered Environmentalist through the Institute of Environmental Sciences, UK.

Solange Bamezon is the Head of Credit, located the Abidjan office. She leads the credit and risk management function for Enko’s private credit strategy.

Before joining Enko, Solange was Vice President and Senior Loan Officer at Pacific Western Bank in Maryland, U.S., where she managed a diverse Small Business Administration commercial real estate portfolio for 8 years. Prior to that, she was a Regional Risk Manager for Allianz North America, where she managed a portfolio of multinational credit insurance customers.

Solange holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Towson University and a Bachelor of Science in Financial Economics from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

Tineyi is a Senior Investment Officer for Enko’s private equity strategy, located in the Johannesburg office. He undertakes deal origination, processing and structuring, documentation and portfolio management. He is a Chartered Accountant and Private Equity professional with over 10 years of international experience. He started his career as an Associate with Deloitte LLP in London where he trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant before joining KPMG LLP’s London based Private Equity advisory team where he worked on mid-market, pan-European transactions across various industries and sectors.

Tineyi holds a BSc degree from Bristol University’s School of Medical Sciences, a MSc degree from Exeter University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Guillaume is a Private Equity Associate, based in the Johannesburg office. He is responsible for research, company valuations, the execution of investment opportunities, and monitoring the existing portfolio. Prior to joining Enko, Guillaume worked in Private Equity for Emerging Capital Partners in Paris focusing on francophone Africa. He also has experience in Investment Banking.

Guillaume holds a MSc in Strategy & Consulting from EDHEC Business School.

Pierre is a Private Equity Analyst, based in the Johannesburg office. He is responsible for research, company valuations, the execution of investment opportunities, and monitoring the existing portfolio. Prior to joining Enko, Pierre worked in Mergers & Acquisitions for Natixis Partners in Paris. He also has experience working as a financial and business analyst for Chargeurs in Hong Kong.

Pierre holds a MSc in Corporate Finance & Consulting from emlyon Business School.

Mohamed is an Assistant Portfolio Manager of Enko’s absolute return Africa debt strategy, located in the London office. He is responsible for idea generation, trading, structuring, and risk management.

Hafsa joined Enko Capital as an Investment Director in Mauritius in 2022. Prior to joining Enko, from 2018 to 2022, Hafsa was an analyst and later an assistant fund manager for MCB Capital Markets, where she worked closely with MCB Private Banking and Wealth Management to manage the portfolios of HNWIs. Before that, Hafsa spent time at as a research executive for a multinational marketing company, before working as a project associate in a pharmaceutical company. Hafsa holds an LLB from the University of London.

Elvis is an Investment Associate, located in the Kigali office. Elvis was previously an Investment Analyst at BK Capital from 2020 to 2023. In 2018 and 2019, He was a Sales Trader with African Alliance Rwanda.

Elvis holds an MSc in Financial Engineering from WorldQuant University and a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Rwanda. He is also a CFA Level 3 candidate.

Christopher is a Junior Portfolio Manager for Enko Capital West Africa (ECWA), located in the Abidjan office. He is in charge of finding investment opportunities, assessing securities, and implementing investments in accordance with regulatory principles. Prior to joining ECWA, Christopher was a Financial Analyst at SIKA FINANCE.

Christopher holds a Diploma of Engineering Degree in Actuarial Science from Institut National Polytechnique Houphouët Boigny (INP-HB) in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.

Craig is a Partner, Chief Operating Officer with over 23 years of experience, located in the London office. His responsibilities include operations, finance, legal, compliance, marketing/IR for the Enko Group (UK, Mauritius, South Africa, and Côte d’Ivoire). Prior to Enko from 2009-2017 Craig was Managing Director for Terra Partners Group, a global frontier equity manager based in Malta, with offices in Zimbabwe, Serbia, Argentina, and Bangladesh. Before Terra, he was a Director at SCM, a superannuation consultant and investment manager in Sydney, Australia, where he oversaw business development, funds management, operations, and the firm’s investment committee. From 2002 until 2007, Craig was a Regional Director at Allegiance Capital (since acquired by Macquarie) responsible for business development in the southeast U.S. and Latin America, as well as producing external-focused research.

Craig has a BA (magna cum laude) from New York University. Craig studied for a Masters in Japanese at the University of Colorado, Boulder (he is conversant in Japanese). Craig was awarded the CFA charter in 2005.

Stephane is Enko’s Chief Risk Officer, located in the London Office. His responsibilities include the global oversight of fund portfolio risk, as well as Enko’s compliance systems. Stephane was previously Head of Market Risks Analysis for Société Générale in Paris from 2010 until 2019 where he implemented risk frameworks to qualify and quantify the equity portfolio exposures. He also oversaw a number of investment banking regulatory implementations. From 2009 to 2010, he was a Short-Term Liquidity Analyst for Dexia Bank where he contributed to idea generation and implementation of short-term liquidity strategies.

Stephane holds an MSc in Industrial Engineering from Centrale School in Nantes, and an MSc in Financial Techniques from ESSEC Business School in Paris. He was awarded the CFA charter in 2017.

Holly is the Chief Compliance Officer for Enko, based in the London office. She is responsible for all compliance elements for the Enko Group, including the firm’s relationship with the FCA, regulatory changes and ongoing firm compliance.

Prior to joining Enko, from 2020-2021 Holly was responsible for UK compliance oversight for OTCex Group, a brokerage firm domiciled in France with significant UK operations. From 2016-2019 she was based in Australia as a Compliance Officer for brokerage firm Virtu ITG.

Holly has a BSc. from the University of Melbourne.

Aïda is responsible for administrative, financial, operational, and commercial tasks for Enko Capital West Africa (ECWA).

Prior to joining Enko, Aïda was the head of capital markets at Everest Finance in Dakar, Senegal. Aïda also spent time working in Paris, as an assistant trader at Exane Asset Management and as a Middle Office Manager at BNP Paribas Securities Services.

Aïda holds a Master’s degree in banking, finance, and risk management from the university “La Sorbonne” in Paris, France.

Zikora is a Risk Associate, located in the London office. She is responsible for risk management, operations, and compliance, for Enko’s absolute return Africa debt strategy.

Zikora holds a BEng in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Bristol and a MSc in Energy Engineer from the University of Sheffield.

Samenther is an Operations Analyst, located in the Johannesburg office. She is responsible for operational and risk management for Enko’s absolute return Africa debt strategy. Prior to joining Enko, she was a Middle Office Analyst at JP Morgan in Johannesburg.

Samenther holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Investment Management from Milpark Education and is in the process of completing a Bachelor of Commerce in Business Management from the University of South Africa.

Theo is a Financial Analyst for Enko’s debt strategies, located in the London office. Theo previously completed an internship at Tibra Capital and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Surrey.

Knowledge is Financial Manager for Enko’s private equity strategy, located in the Johannesburg office. He is responsible for preparing consolidated financial accounts, cashflow forecasts and investor reporting. Prior to joining Enko in 2018, Knowledge worked as an assistant analyst at Profectus Group specializing in Spend Optimization, Research and Accounts payable.

Knowledge holds a Financial Management Bachelor’s Degree and Accounting Diploma from the University of Johannesburg.

Gaelle is Enko’s Office Administrator in Johannesburg. She joined Enko in 2008 and handles the day-to-day office administrative duties. She assists in the development and implementation of firm policies and procedures; manages and oversees the administration of HR policies, programs and practices within the firm; maintains accounts payable, receivables and monthly billing.

Gaelle holds a B.Tech degree in Banking from the University of Johannesburg

Brahima is a Compliance Officer for Enko Capital West Africa (ECWA), located in the Abidjan office. He is responsible for implementing the investment policy in accordance with regulatory principles. Prior to joining ECWA, Brahima was an Assistant Analyst at the Autorité des Marchés Financiers de l’Union Monétaire Ouest Africaine (AMF-UMOA), the financial market regulatory body of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). He also worked at the BCEAO, the Central Bank of West African States, as an Assistant Financial Analyst.

Brahima holds a Diplome d’Etudes Supérieures Bancaires et Financières (DESBF) from the West African Center for training and banking studies (COFEB) located at the headquarters of BCEAO in Dakar, Senegal.

Nick is a Business Development & Marketing Associate for Enko’s debt strategies, located in the London office. His responsibilities include global business development, marketing, database management and investor relations. From 2017 to 2019, Nick was an Analyst for Murano Connect, where he advised hedge funds and private equity firms on their asset raising strategy in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

Nick has a BA in Political Science from The University of Birmingham.

Naleni is the MD of Enko Capital South Africa. She has over 19 years of experience in the asset management industry with a focus on the institutional market across asset consulting, multi-management and single-strategy investments in both public and private markets.

Naleni has held several executive positions in the South African asset management industry including Director & Head of Institutional at Ashburton Fund Managers and Executive Head: Institutional Business at M&G Investments.  In addition, Naleni is a member of the IRFA Investment Practices Committee in South Africa where she provides influential guidance and thought leadership to the retirement fund industry.

Naleni has a B Com (Economics & Finance) degree from the University of Natal and completed the Post Grad Leadership Acceleration Program at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in 2018. She also has a PGDip in Financial Planning and is a qualified CFP.

Eric is a Manager, Investor Relations for Enko Capital West Africa. Eric has 8 years of experience in the financial sector having begun his career as an account manager for bank insurance products at BNI asset management. In 2017, Eric became the Head of Corporations at BNI Gestion, where he managed the investor relations team. In 2020, Eric joined Sika Finance as a to work on marketing and investor relations before joining Enko in 2022.

Eric holds a master’s degree in finance.