Zaheer Cassim

Founder & Managing Partner at Kholo Capital

Panellist

Zaheer is the Founder and Managing Partner at Kholo Capital, a R1,4bn South Africa based Mezzanine Fund. He is a seasoned investment banker with more than 26 years’ experience across mezzanine finance, leveraged finance, acquisition finance, private equity-related transactions and restructurings.

He was previously a Shareholder and Partner at Vantage Capital, where he originated, structured and managed mezzanine investments across South Africa, Mauritius, Tanzania, Zambia and Botswana. He led mezzanine transactions in excess of R600 million and was involved in fundraising for debt and renewable energy funds.

Prior to Vantage Capital, Zaheer spent eight years at Standard Bank, where he helped establish and later led the Equity and Leveraged Finance team, worked on more than 75 leveraged and BEE transactions, and later focused on acquisition finance for private equity sponsors.

Zaheer has served on several company boards and committees. He holds a BCom from the University of the Witwatersrand and an Honours degree in Investment Management from Rand Afrikaans University.