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Phatisa
Phatisa is a leading sub-Saharan African private equity fund manager. Established in 2005, the firm focusses on investments across the African food value...
Phatisa
Phatisa is a leading sub-Saharan African private equity fund manager. Established in 2005, the firm focusses on investments across the African food value chain, plus affordable housing; whilst balancing commercial returns with impact objectives. Phatisa has three funds under management, totalling more than US$ 400 million, managed by a team of over 35 dedicated staff with a proven track record of managing private equity funds and commercial businesses throughout the continent. We speak ~30 languages and represent 11 nationalities. Phatisa is committed to the principle of 'and' – as opposed to 'or'. Meaning, the firm focusses on delivering impact & returns. Planet & profits. Growth & responsibility. As a core tenet, the firm believes that financial performance and impact are mutually exclusive – rather, mutually beneficial. And is driven by a passion to positively impact the lives & livelihoods of African people. Phatisa achieves this ambition by investing into the food value chain and affordable housing - to create inclusive businesses that maintain their commercial focus while addressing societal & environmental challenges.
General information
Firm type
Generalist
Year founded
2005
Location
Region
Africa
Country
South Africa
City
Johannesburg
Corporate office
Johannesburg, South Africa
Principals
Valentine Chitalu
Group & IC Chairman
Stuart Bradley
Managing Partner
Eugene Stals
Chief Investment Officer
Martin Kromat
Senior Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
How does Phatisa source proprietary deal flow?
Phatisa relies on a fully resident sub-Saharan African investment and operating team, not a hub-and-spoke model with European headquarters. The firm’s principals — several of whom held prior emerging-markets roles at CDC Group and Aureos Capital — draw on long-standing local management networks across the agriculture, food-processing and real-estate sectors. This on-the-ground structure helps the firm access founder- and family-owned businesses that rarely appear in broad auction processes.
How is Phatisa structured relative to its development-finance roots?
Stuart Bradley, the Managing Partner, began his private equity career at CDC Group and later Aureos Capital, two institutions central to development-focused SME investing in emerging markets. Phatisa adopted those institutions’ discipline around fund-level impact reporting — measuring food-security indicators and housing units — but operates as a private, for-profit fund manager, not a DFI affiliate.
What investment stages does Phatisa typically target?
The firm focuses on growth and expansion capital, often including buyout and management-buy-in transactions. Portfolio companies such as Java House Africa and Goldenlay represent established operating businesses being scaled across multiple countries, rather than early-stage venture or pre-revenue startups.
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