Who we are
We can see Africa’s future, because we’re helping to create it.
Bella Thaler Investments is a newly organized special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) driven by a group of passionate, experienced and successful investors, entrepreneurs, mavens and CEOs.
We intend to leverage our deep financial and investing experience, extensive deal flow and large contact networks in order to pursue exceptional opportunities with high-quality growth companies in our focus sectors within the African TMT (tech, media, telco) space, worth billions of Dollars and growing exponentially.
Our focus is on targeting entities with transaction enterprise values between $800 million and $1.2 billion.
Our team of executives and non-execs represent the very best in the sector on the continent.
We understand this space, we love this space, and most importantly we know how to grow real value inside it.
BENEFITS
The Bella Thaler Opportunity
Visionary Exec Team
An eclectic team of industry pioneers, visionary investors, serial entrepreneurs and experienced operators who have successfully navigated the challenging but immensely lucrative and fast-growing African continent
Strong Partners
A non-executive force of established and well-respected partners with immense track records in asset management, banking, governance & ESG, deal sourcing, value creation and successful exits
Value Creation
The team has exemplified an ability to not only identify superlative targets but more importantly to enhance significant shareholder value that has shaped the African TMT landscape
TMT Focus
Significant yet under-appreciated SPAC target environment across TMT in Africa, underscored by concentration of public equity value creation, regulatory and activist pressure on incumbents and COVID-19 effect which are creating new opportunities for ‘forced’ exponential growth
Active Sourcing
With decades of successful entrepreneurial deal-making, value-added investing and deep relationships in the business and government sectors on the African continent, Bella Thaler Investments is well positioned with a proprietary deal sourcing network that spans UHNWI, family offices, PE, public and private TMT companies
Emerging Market SPAC
SPACS have become a global asset class phenomenon that have created unique opportunities for companies to go public - the next frontier for SPACS is in the emerging market
Team
Our Management Team
Mcebisi H Jonas
NON-EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
BA History & Sociology (Vista University), HDip Education (Rhodes University)
Former Deputy Finance Minister of the Government of South Africa.
Currently non-executive Chairman of the MTN Group, one of Africa’s largest telecoms companies.
Also serving as one of four independent Presidential Investment Envoys appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to attract investors to South Africa.
Gil Oved
CO-CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Bachelor of Commerce Degree – Cum Laude (UNISA), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
Former CEO of The Creative Counsel Group, one of Africa’s largest sales, marketing and advertising agencies sold to Publicis Groupe in a record-breaking exit.
Non-executive director of one of South Africa’s largest venture capital tech funds, Kalon Venture Partners. Invested in many businesses through his association with South Africa’s Dragons’ Den and Shark Tank hit T.V. shows.
Past winner of many business achievement awards including the Ernst and Young (EY) ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ and the ’CNBC All Africa Business Leader Awards’.
Romeo Kumalo
CO-CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Masters Degree in Commerce (UNISA), AMP (HARVARD), MTS ( INSEAD)
Former CEO of Vodacom International (Vodafone’s African subsidiary) overseeing billions of Dollars of growth and acquisition investment in multiple African markets. A prolific investor in the TMT and media space.
Empowerment partner and shareholder of Publicis Groupe in Africa. Non-executive Chairman and seed funder of Kalon Venture Partners, a successful venture capital technology fund.
Well known, highly networked figure on the continent, an entrepreneur with sought after opinions on entrepreneurship, telecoms, broadband infrastructure, media and regulation.
Mervin Muller
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
CA (SA), BComm Hons CTA and LLB degree
Former Executive Head of Private Equity and Structured Investment Products (“SIPs”) of the PIC, responsible for investment execution and management of the Private Equity and SIPs portfolio, responsible for approximately USD15 billion of assets under management.
Co-founded Chase & Willow Capital and took on the executive role of Managing Director. Non-executive director of Bayport Management Ltd.
Lufuno Makhari
CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
B.Bus.Sci (UCT) – Finance (Hons)
Formerly of Nedbank Capital and Phembani Group’s investment team, focused on deal origination post investment transaction management.
Co-founded RELA Alternative Investments. Co-founded Chase & Willow Capital as Managing Director. Non-executive director of Independent Alternatives, a specialist asset manager with offerings in domestic hedge funds and long-only funds.