Mergence Investment Managers appoints new Managing Director

Sholto Dolamo

The asset manager also supports a new women-owned private markets entity

Mr Sholto Dolamo has been appointed as Managing Director of Mergence Investment Managers from 1 July 2022. He has more than 15 years’ experience in the financial services industry with a focus on strategic leadership, product innovation, and research across all asset classes in public and private markets.

Dolamo joins Mergence Investment Managers from the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) where he worked in a number of senior roles since 2015, including Acting Chief Investment Officer; Executive Head of Research: Project Development & Funds of Funds; and Acting General Manager: Listed Equities.

Before joining the PIC, Dolamo worked at Stanlib Asset Management and later at RMB Asset Management as a Resources Equity Analyst and Fund Manager. In 2014, in his role as a Fund Manager in the Resources Sector at Stanlib, Dolamo was an ABSIP finalist for Fund Manager of the Year.

Before entering the financial services sector, he pursued a specialised career in Resources and Precious Metals, working as an engineer and scientist in the industry. He has an MSc in Engineering from Wits (2002) and an MBA from GIBS (2006).

Mergence Founder and Executive Chairman, Mr Masimo Magerman, said: “I have dealt with Sholto over many years and have a high regard for his business acumen and leadership. He was one of the few senior people who “held things together” during a very tough time for the PIC and helped to forge its future vision.”

Dolamo said: “I felt the time was right to move back into the private sector and Mergence attracted me because of its reputation as an innovative institutional fund manager with a strong 18-year track record across both public and private markets, a high client retention; and its pioneering role in responsible investing and environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing. They have also had diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) at the heart of their business since inception in 2004.”

Women-led private markets boutique

Ms Yoza Jekwa, the former CEO of Mergence Investment Managers, has established Thrive Capital Partners, a woman-owned and -led investment firm focussed on impact and infrastructure investing in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Jekwa said: “Our firm’s investment philosophy is rooted in the conviction that investment capital is the most powerful tool to sustainably transform Sub-Saharan African economies.”

This transformative venture is supported by Mergence by way of an Enterprise Development Agreement in terms of which Mergence has made certain contributions to assist Thrive in its journey toward success.

To this, Magerman said: “We strongly believe that a critical part of the journey of transformation of the financial services industry is to create opportunities for women-owned and -led asset managers in South Africa.”