Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes

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Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes
Nigerian
EducationBSc Economics
Alma materUniversity of Bristol
OccupationInvestor
OrganizationAruwa Capital Management
Websitehttps://www.adesuwaorhodes.com

Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes is the Founder and CEO of Aruwa Capital Management.[1]

Early life and education

Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes was born on 16th February 1990 in Lagos State, Nigeria. She attended Chrisland Primary School in Opebi, Lagos, and completed one year of secondary school at Atlantic Hall Lagos. She moved to England at 11 years old and attended the boarding school-St. Lawrence College, Ramsgate. She developed an interest in finance and investments at a young age.[2]

She studied Economics at the University of Bristol which provided her with a strong foundation in financial theory and analysis. She started her career in Investment Banking at Lehman Brothers in 2008, before joining the M&A team at J.P. Morgan London in her final year of University.[3][4]

Career

Okunbo Rhodes has over 15 years of investment banking and private equity experience from global institutions.[5][6] She began her career in her first year at university at the global investment bank Lehman Brothers in 2008. After she graduated from University she then moved to J.P. Morgan in the Mergers & Acquisition team prior to joining the Leveraged Finance team. Whilst at J.P. Morgan, she worked on c.$6 billion of transactions across emerging and developed markets.[7][8][9]

Okunbo Rhodes has worked with numerous financial institutions and private equity firms such as TLG Capital Syntaxis Capital Africa in 2011 and Syntaxis Capital Africa in 2014.[10][11] She was the Co- Founder & Managing Partner of Syntaxis Capital Africa, a company that provides growth capital to Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.[5][12] She finally set up her own investment firm, Aruwa Capital Management in 2019 at 29 years old, an impact and gender lens investment company.[13][14]

Aruwa capital management

Aruwa Capital Management is a Lagos-based, female-founded and led, growth equity, impact and gender lens fund which was founded in 2019.[15] It is one of the few private equity funds owned and managed by an African woman in the entire continent of Africa. Aruwa is focused on investing in rapidly growing companies that either provide essential goods and services to the rapidly growing female economy or businesses that are founded or co-founded by women or have gender diverse teams. It aims to close the gender gap in investment and empower women-led or women focused businesses and believes in the financial potential of women-owned businesses, citing studies showcasing their outperformance.[16][17]

Aruwa Capital Management successfully raised an oversubscribed $20 million Fund I and has built a successful track record with a promising portfolio of 10 companies across essential sectors of the economy namely: healthcare, fintech, renewable energy/clean tech and essential goods and services. Aruwa Capital has secured the backing of global institutional investors like- Mastercard Foundation, FSD Africa and Visa Foundation.[18][19] Aruwa Capital won the award for Impact Investor of the Year in 2023: awarded by the Impact Investors Foundation (IIF) at the 6th Annual Convening on Impact Investing, being recognised for its contributions in closing gender gaps and fuelling economic growth in its markets.[20][21]

Personal life

Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes is the daughter of Late Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo. She is an entrepreneur, CEO, investor, and women’s empowerment advocate. She is married with two sons and enjoys travelling, tennis and cooking.[22]

List of awards

Here are some of Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes awards and recognition:

Awards

  • 2x Global Woman Fund Manager of the Year (2023)[23]
  • Black Women in Asset Management (BWAM) Top 40 award (2022)[24]

Recognition

  • 150 EKO Aspire Women IWD Award from the Executive Governor of Lagos State (2023)[23]
  • Choiseul 100 Africa 2023 Ranking[25]
  • Empower Africa 30 Catalysts for Change Feature (2023)[26]
  • Leading Ladies in Africa 100 Most Inspiring Women (2023)[27]
  • Leading Ladies in Africa 4 Most Inspiring Women in Finance (2023)[28]
  • Black YPO Group Youngest Female PE Fund Manager (2023)[29]
  • Empower Africa 50 Impactful Women driving business in Africa (2023)[30]
  • Tech PR 8 African Women Changing the Game in Venture Capital Feature (2023)[31]
  • Choiseul 100 Africa 2022 Ranking[32]
  • NBC Washington Top 35 Women Moving Africa Forward in 2020
  • Agent of Impact in 2019 (Impact Alpha)[33]

References

  1. ^ "Can Africa start-ups sustain trends in VC funding? - CNBC Africa". www.cnbcafrica.com. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  2. ^ Ajumobi, Kemi (2021-11-19). "Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes, changing the narrative for women, small businesses across Africa". Business Day. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  3. ^ "Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes, changing the narrative for women, small businesses across Africa". Business Day. 19 November 2021.
  4. ^ Kasali, Segun (2022-12-17). "How I became the first female solo GP to raise over $10m in Nigeria —Aruwa Capital boss, Adesuwa". Tribune Online. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  5. ^ a b "Adesuwa Okunbo-Rhodes: My Goal Is to Drive More Investment in Women". This Day. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  6. ^ "Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes Archives". How we made it in Africa. 2019-12-25. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  7. ^ "Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes closes a $20 million Fund as the youngest solo general practitioner". Tech In Africa. 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  8. ^ Oluwole, Victor (2022-02-16). "Backed by Y Combinator, Nigerian agency banking startup CrowdForce raises $3.6m pre-Series A round". Business Insider Africa. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  9. ^ BellaNaija.com (2022-10-10). "Adebola Williams, Bella Disu, Moses Babatope, Chinny Ogunro make Choiseul 100 Africa List for 2022". BellaNaija. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
  10. ^ "Aruwa Capital Founder Shines, Emerges 2X Global Woman Manager 2023". leadership.ng. 2023-12-10. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  11. ^ Nigeria, Guardian (2021-11-22). "Family eulogises late Captain Okunbo". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  12. ^ Imokhai-Bello, Ishioma (2022-03-22). "Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes is bridging West Africa's female funding gap with Aruwa Capital". Ventures Africa. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  13. ^ Ochoga, Patrick (2023-06-30). "Aruwa Capital Injects $2m Into Fastizers Women-led Business". Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  14. ^ "Adesuwa shortlisted as Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 - Vanguard News". Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  15. ^ "AVCA | Female founded and led Aruwa Capital Management achieves final close on Fund I". AVCA. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  16. ^ "Founder, Aruwa Capital, emerges 2X global woman manager 2023". Business Day. 2023-12-17. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  17. ^ Onoiribholo, Francis (2023-06-30). "Aruwa Capital Invests $2m Into Fastizers". Independent Newspaper Nigeria. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  18. ^ Ochoga, Patrick (2023-11-04). "Aruwa Capital Wins 2023 Impact Investor Award". Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  19. ^ Nigeria, Guardian (2022-12-04). "Female founded and led Aruwa Capital Management achieves final close on Fund I". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  20. ^ "Aruwa Capital invests $2 million in Fastizers to expand its product offerings in Nigeria". 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  21. ^ Doris, Natasha. "ALB - African Law and Business". ALB Legal and Business Issues from Africa. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  22. ^ Kasali, Segun (2022-12-17). "How I became the first female solo GP to raise over $10m in Nigeria —Aruwa Capital boss, Adesuwa". Tribune Online. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  23. ^ a b "Aruwa Capital Founder Shines, Emerges 2X Global Woman Manager 2023". leadership.ng. 2023-12-10. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  24. ^ "Adesuwa, entrepreneur, listed among 'Top 40 Black Women in Asset Management' globally". Business Day. 2022-05-15. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  25. ^ "Nigerian, Adesuwa Rhodes Wins Black Women In Asset Management Award". www.africahousingnews.com. 2022-10-19. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  26. ^ Infusion, Brand (2023-09-22). "Catalysts of Progress: Celebrating 30 VC Mavericks Pioneering African Tech Investment". Empower Africa. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  27. ^ "#IWD2023: Ibukun Awosika, Mary Njoku, Zuwaira Isah-Ikharo, Yewande Zaccheaus, Ada Osakwe, Tara Fela Durotoye, Samiah-Oyekan-Ahmed, Chioma Ikokwu, Lisa Folawiyo, and more! These are Nigeria's 100 Most Inspiring Women for 2023! – Leading Ladies Africa". Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  28. ^ Imokhai-Bello, Ishioma (2024-01-05). "Ventures Africa's 20 Women of Impact 2023". Ventures Africa. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  29. ^ Asheolge, Hannatu (2022-12-05). "Aruwa Capital Fund I secures large backing from institutional LPs". TechCabal. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  30. ^ Agada, Lois (2023-05-26). "5 Most Influential Female Investors in Africa". Business Elites Africa. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  31. ^ "These 8 Female VC Investors are Transforming Africa's Tech Ecosystem – TechprNG". techpr.com.ng. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  32. ^ BellaNaija.com (2022-10-10). "Adebola Williams, Bella Disu, Moses Babatope, Chinny Ogunro make Choiseul 100 Africa List for 2022". BellaNaija. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  33. ^ "Impact Awards Judge: Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes". Top Tier Impact. Retrieved 2024-02-03.


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