Forbes Africa Magazine has profiled 2013 Fellow Danladi Veheijen and Eric Idiahi who was selected for the Tutu Fellowship Class of 2020 in their cover story of the October/ November 2020 Special Edition on Private Equity in Africa.  Danladi and Eric are co-founders of Verod Capital Management Limited. They founded the company at the apex of the global financial crisis in 2008, and it was one of the first indigenous venture capitalist firms in Nigeria.

Verod is a $300 million Africa-focused private equity firm which invests in high growth, medium sized companies across several sectors, including consumer products, manufacturing, technology/media and real estate.

Post-investment, Verod operates with a significant hands-on approach to drive value in their portfolio companies.  Danladi was previously the Vice President at Citibank Nigeria, where he led corporate finance and investment banking transactions. Eric is a financier and has been a venture-builder of numerous African companies.

The cover piece profiles these two world-class financiers, their entrepreneurial objectives, and the rise of Verod Capital not only in Nigeria but across the continent. The author of the story writes, “In a way, the story of Verod Capital’s Eric Idiahi and Danladi Verheijen is a story of the growth of private equity in Africa. The two entrepreneurs ventured into this world at the height of the global financial crisis. Today, their hands-on approach has seen businesses scale great heights, and together, they have closed some of the most impact-driven deals on the continent.”

The two met while working on a deal for their respective organisations. “The deal did not close, but we became great friends; we spoke a lot about our dreams and aspirations to invest in Nigeria and in Africa and to set up a world-class investment institution run by Nigerians and Africans, finding the best opportunities on the continent, delivering great returns and also having a significant amount of impact in everything that we do,” says Verheijen. Verod was the outcome.

The cover picture above is from the lead in to their story, which can be read at Forbes Africa.

Hide comment form

2000 Characters left


 

About AFLI

 

AFLIICONCROPPED

 

The African Leadership Institute (AFLI) focuses on building the capacity and capability of visionary and strategic leadership across the continent. Developing exceptional leaders representing all spheres of society, the Institute’s flagship programme is the prestigious Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellowship. Offering a multifaceted learning experience and run in partnership with Oxford University, it is awarded annually to 20-25 carefully chosen candidates, nominated from across Africa. Alumni of the African Leadership Institute form a dynamic network of Fellows passionately committed to the continent’s transformation, bridging the divide between nations and ensuring that Africa is set centre-stage in global affairs.