Phillip Ihenacho

"Mr. Ihenacho is a founder and partner of Amaya Capital, a principal investment holding company that is an active investor in businesses in Africa. Amaya is the founding investor of Azura Power, an Africa-focused power generation business, and was an active investor in Seven Energy, a gas infrastructure business, where Phillip served as interim Chief Executive.

"Mr. Ihenacho was also founder of the London-based investment banking firm Afrinvest (UK) Limited, where he was involved in capital raising and acquisition advisory mandates in Ghana, Nigeria, and Cote d’Ivoire, on behalf of multinational and regional telecommunications companies, oil and gas companies, and financial institutions. Mr. Ihenacho left Afrinvest after its successful sale to United Bank for Africa PLC.

"Phillip has a very keen interest in African wilderness, and currently serves on the Africa Council of The Nature Conservancy, as well as the board of Trustees of the Tusk Trust.

"Prior to Afrinvest, Phillip worked for five years with the international consulting firm of McKinsey & Co. in New York, London, Stockholm and Johannesburg. While at McKinsey he worked primarily in corporate finance-related assignments, particularly in privatisation, capital markets and banking areas.

"Mr. Ihenacho served as the Chairman of the Investment Committee of the Aureos West Africa Fund, a private equity fund focused on Small to Medium Enterprises in West Africa. Mr. Ihenacho was born in Lagos and grew up in Jos, Nigeria. Mr. Ihenacho has a B.A. (Honours, 1987) from Yale University and a J.D. (Honours, 1990) from Harvard Law School."