Craig Batsi Bandason 2019 Speaker

Portfolio Manager

Imara Asset Management, Africa (exSA)

Biography

Shareholder in Imara Asset Management. Co-portfolio manager for the full range of Imara mutual funds and segregated portfolios specialising in consumer and agricultural companies. Last 13 years travelled Africa extensively, researching companies and engaging management, government and regulators, initially as an investment analyst, then as part of the first pan African sell side research team and most recently as a portfolio manager, launching a pan Africa equity fund in 2009.

Co-founded Kura Capital in 2009, launching and co-managing a range of mutual funds and segregated portfolios, including the flagship Kura Africa Fund in 2009, with total firm AuM reaching USD130 million. Developed a robust institutional investment process, including an in-house proprietary stock research system enabling the investment team to efficiently and repeatedly select and allocate to those companies which best fit our investment philosophy.

Hired by Peregrine Capital in 2008, together with Rainer Orth and Tony Schroenn (Imara’s co-portfolio managers), to launch Peregrine’s first pan African equity fund which was ultimately shelved following the Global Financial Crisis, but the intellectual capital gained through this process was critical when launching Kura Capital.

Head hunted by Tony Schroenn in 2006 to join African Alliance as a sell side analyst covering consumer and agricultural companies and assisting with building out the first pan African sell side equity research platform, recruiting and training analysts to research exchanges and companies across the continent. Previously an investment analyst with Imara stockbrokers Zimbabwe covering Zimbabwean equities.

A CFA charter holder and member of the CFA society in South Africa as well as Mauritius. 13 years of professional experience all Africa ex SA equity research.