University of Cape Town

St Stithians College

Commercial Outcomes for Conservation Investment

Peace Parks Foundation engages in and promotes biodiversity conservation, regional stability and
socio-economic development by facilitating the establishment and development of transfrontier conservation areas in southern Africa.

I seek to create commercial outcomes for conservation investment.

Peace Parks Foundation

Chief Investment Officer

I led the investment activities at Lancaster Capital, which in included management of the J&J portfolio as well as principal investments off the Lancaster Capital balance sheet. 

I oversaw the M&A activity for the group, including LBO's, MBO's, portfolio disposal's, financial valuation, tax structuring, due diligence and in-house advisory work.

Lancaster Capital

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is a conservation and hospitality focussed game reserve in the Northern Cape of South Africa owned by the Oppenheimer Family, with the stated goal of returning the Kalahari to itself. I took this role in order to advance my exposure to Impact Investing in general, and Conservation specifically.

Tswalu Kalahari Reserve

Acting Head of Finance

I led the investment activities at the J&J Group. This includes management of the existing portfolio assets, which range across the transport, infrastructure, power, renewable energy, financial services, consulting, IT, pharmaceutical and EPC sectors. 

I oversaw the M&A activity for the group, including LBO's, MBO's, portfolio disposal's, financial valuation, tax structuring, due diligence and in-house advisory work.

The J&J Group seeks to generate significant returns for investors through both acquisitive and organic growth, and, following a track record of 15 years successful investing, has positioned itself as a leading majority black owned South African investor.

J&J Group

Mergers and Acquisitions, including company valuations, financial modelling and acquisition and sale negotiations.

Preparation of loan agreements, subscription agreements and equity conversion agreements, tax structuring, BEE certification, competition commission compliance, Companies Act compliance and valuation and modelling. 

Investor relations, including provision of management account information and underlying valuation reports, preference share repayments and covenant provision calculations.

General and financial management including: payroll, human resources, financial reporting, taxation, BEE compliance.

Head of Finance

Mergers and Acquisitions, including company valuations, financial modelling and acquisition and sale negotiations.

Deal support relating to preparation of loan agreements, subscription agreements and equity conversion agreements, tax structuring, BEE certification, competition commission compliance, Companies Act compliance and valuation and modelling. 

Investor relations, including provision of management account information and underlying valuation reports, preference share repayments and covenant provision calculations.

General and financial management including: payroll, human resources, financial reporting, taxation, BEE compliance.

Finance Manager/Investment Analyst

Management of the African reporting subsidiaries of Rand Merchant Bank. This included, amongst others, system implementation, process efficiency management and financial reporting and consolidation. I performed due dilligence and business case preparation on subsidiary acquisitions, and was required to travel extensively across the Southern African region.

Rand Merchant Bank

Africa Finance Manager

This role included the financial management of the Hard Commodities trading are, including statutory and management reporting, economic capital calculation, financial performance measurement, forecasting and budgeting. In addition, I performed technical accounting guidance to clients of Rand Merchant Bank, including financial hedging and First-to-Market treatment of physical gold merchanting to India.

Treasury Accountant: Hard Commodities

Statutory audit of various financial institutions and global corporates, including Private Equity, Structured Finance, Property Finance, Banking and Insurance clients. I was seconded to Luxembourg to complete the audit of the Oppenheimer group companies headquartered there, including De Beers, Anglo American and Ernest Oppenheimer and Son. I was further seconded to Sydney, Australia and audited a securitized mortgage lender. Skills developed included team leadership, analytical skills and relationship management.

Colin Porteous