Empowerment Advisory Service launched

Investors interested in putting their money into the relatively new broad-based investments sector now have access to a full range of advisory services.

Drawing on their hard-learned experience concluding many broad-based empowerment deals, respected broad-based empowerment company, Ditikeni Investment Company Ltd, has launched a new division, offering their expertise and experience to third party investors.

Ditikeni Empowerment Advisors is a corporate advisory boutique with specialised expertise in broad-based empowerment, compliance with the BEE Codes, and a successful and tested proprietary BEE transaction and financing model.

"Our executive team has a long and successful record of enabling effective empowerment, where necessary introducing innovative solutions to the mutual benefit of all parties," said Gordon Young, investment advisor for Ditikeni.

Ditikeni Empowerment Advisory services include the full range of empowerment services including the development of client's empowerment strategies, the selection process for a client's empowerment investors, the design of the transaction structure, advice on financing arrangements and capital raising, and application of the best practice for the BEE Codes.

DEA will advise companies of any size above R20 million turnover, empowerment holding companies, broad-based entities and multinational corporations.

Gordon Young has been Ditikeni Investment Company's investment advisor since 2005. He pioneered early empowerment ventures such as the Community Growth Fund, the Johnnic transaction, African Harvest and employee share ownership.

Thembekile Sikenqe recently joined Ditikeni as Manager: BEE Transactions. He has experience in retail and corporate banking, consulting and business development in the US, Europe and the Emirates and played a pivotal, strategic role in the incorporation of South African Airways into the Star Alliance airline network.

Ditikeni Investment Company Limited, a 100% broad-based empowerment company, has 22 shareholders which are all not-for-profit developmental organisations.

Theseshareholders work with over 2 million black people in 200 localities nationwide. Ditikeni owns 16 investments and pays an annual dividend to shareholders. Some of the larger investments include Chevron SA (1%), Kelly Group (5%), J and J Group (1%) and Sphere Holdings (4.5%).