Freetown | Monrovia | Abidjan | Accra
WE FOCUS ON THE LONG TERM
because we believe it will maximize our risk-adjusted financial and social returns.
At Solon, maximizing performance is about building resilient market champions that can ride out volatility and capture the opportunity of the extended growth horizon in Africa.
ABOUT
Solon Capital Partners is a West-Africa focused investment manager that is pioneering a new approach to economic development and poverty reduction in fragile and post-conflict states. Our core strategy seeks to maximize risk-adjusted returns for our investors by developing and acquiring high growth businesses that provide fundamental goods and services to underserved populations in overlooked markets.
Unlike most fund managers, we operate through a permanent capital structure which enables us to engage with our companies, investors and other stakeholders over the long-term. We seek commercial returns through businesses that operate to the highest ESG standards in the world and aim to be the most aggressive drivers of impact in their markets.
Founded in 2010, we currently have investments in or own and operate five businesses in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Uganda. Today, these companies have over 1,100 employees, directly impact the lives of many more and are growing rapidly.
APPROACH
Our approach to investing differs from that of a typical corporate private-equity fund, as many of the key success factors of traditional private equity do not apply to the small and fragile economies where we operate. Decades of experience operating businesses in West Africa has taught us as much.
To overcome the unique challenges of our markets, we've placed innovation at the core of our investment strategy and structure. Deploying our capital through a permanent capital, holding company vehicle, we benefit from a highly differentiated level of investment flexibility. We invest across the capital structure and at any stage of a business' life cycle. We may continue to hold our investments for as long as they contribute to portfolio value. We leverage shared resources across our portfolio of companies. And we generate regular liquidity events for our investors through both portfolio company exits and secondary offerings at the holding company level.
We are proudly headquartered in West Africa, making us uniquely close to our businesses, new investment opportunities, local stakeholders, and the new political and social developments in our markets.
Businesses in Sierra Leone face great challenges in raising the capital they need to grow. Solon’s management team has shown that it is possible to successfully grow businesses over the long-term using a different model from traditional private equity.”
- CDC Group PLC Press Release >
INVESTMENTS
We make commercial investments with a focus on generating financial returns for our investors.
Since inception we've generated a strong commercial track record despite dramatic macroeconomic shocks and market volatility, such as the outbreak of an Ebola epidemic and a global collapse in commodity prices.
We are very proud to hold investments in outstanding businesses operating in the following sectors.
CONSERVATION & CLIMATE FINANCE
The Africa Conservation Initiative focuses on community conservation partnerships to protect coastal ecosystems and diversify income sources.
West Africa Blue
TRANSPORTATION
A scalable vehicle rental, leasing and fleet management platform with operations in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire.
REAL ESTATE
Solon Property Partners
A real estate developer and manager operating office and residential assets in West Africa.
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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Terra Nova Solutions Ltd.
Human capital outsourcing and back office services for frontier markets.
Impact Is Built Into Our Business Model
Our theory of change is to create lasting and systemic social benefits through commercial businesses which are selected to be commercially profitable and managed to deliver Sustainable Development Goals.
Across our organization we measure our impact against our ability to progress the nine Sustainable Development Goals which our businesses are currently best positioned to deliver. We seek to be a market leader in impact measurement and management, working collaboratively with partner organisations to push forward the global impact investing industry while remaining primarily focused on the communities in which we operate. We are a member of the GIIN.
Today, Solon's businesses directly and measurably impact the lives of over 44,000 people through full time jobs, education, and skills training. We track how we make a difference in people's lives and put significant resources into understanding how we can continually improve.
Our goal is to increase our reach to 100,000 people by 2023.
SAVE UP TO
Watch to learn more about how Flash Vehicles operates to make a positive impact in its communities during times of crisis.
Solon has been operating continuously in the Sherbro River Estuary and surrounding areas since 2011 and spent the past 10 years delivering on developmental projects in the Turtle Islands. These interventions include the construction of schools and the provision of scholarships to local students to attend junior secondary school in Freetown, refurbishment of health clinics, the construction of latrines, support to women’s health programs, and – most recently – environmental conservation work, including the conservation and reforestation of mangroves.
PEOPLE
Our investment professionals, portfolio company leaders and senior advisors are deeply integrated and collaborate extensively across our organization. Our team brings a wealth of experience from the private sector, public sector, and decades of working in African markets.
CONTACT
FREETOWN
#85 Main Motor Road, Wilberforce Freetown,
Sierra Leone
MONROVIA
Sophie Junction, Tubman Boulevard, Congo Town, Monrovia,
Liberia
ABIDJAN
Cocody 2 Plateaux Vallon, Villa Lot 2033 ilot 185, 08 BP 2982 Abidjan 08. Abidjan, République de Côte d'Ivoire
© Copyright 2018 | Solon Capital Partners Limited | info@soloncapitalpartners.com