Strong Indigenous Businesses
What are we looking for?
A strong business
Clear evidence of a business in an attractive market sector that is supported by growing demand, strong cash flows, and significant revenues.
Talented management
We seek out excellence in all the people we work with.
Simplicity
A great business can be distilled to a simple proposition without losing its attractiveness. If it takes more than two sentences to explain the business, how can it be effectively communicated to customers, employees, and shareholders?
Scalable Opportunity
We are always looking for businesses in areas that have secular growth drivers. We then vet with a bias to those businesses that can grow operating margins while increasing revenues. These types of businesses are by definition scalable and are attractive as they offer the potential for earning high profits. In addition, there are specific opportunities in emerging markets with the potential to become a regional platform through either organic growth or acquisitions. We also describe these businesses as scalable.
Some related questions that we ask
- What business is the company in?
- What milestones must be met to ensure success?
- What is the likely exit strategy?
- What are its competitive advantages?
- How will the company be financed, in the intermediate term and through to self-sufficiency?
- How will the company be valued if it's successful?
- What is the most plausible worst case scenario?
- How does this business double its sales?
- Is that quantum of sales feasible in its current markets?
- What market share does it need to achieve that number?
- How much additional spend is required to achieve that number in terms of personnel, overhead, and other capex?
- What would be the next logical country to expand into?
- Who are the key competitors?
- Are those competitors merger or acquisition candidates?
- During expansion what cultural factors might come into play?
- Does the company have an overarching Policy (statement) defining the Environmental & Social (E&S) objectives and principles guiding the company’s E&S performance?
- Does the company have a system/procedure to screen, identify, analyze, and access the current and potential E&S risks and impacts related to its business activities/projects?
- Does the company have procedures in place to track, evaluate and report the E&S performance of its operations, including measurement of E&S impacts (overall E&S monitoring)?
- Does the company have documented transparent procedures to ensure that employment decisions – for hiring, promotion, and rewarding – are non-discriminatory and ensure equal opportunities?
- Has the company established and implemented occupational health and safety procedures in line with good international industry practices to prevent accidents, injury, and disease?
- Has your company any strategy/plan in place to reduce disaster/climate change risk
- Does your company have leadership commitment and support for gender equality and women's empowerment?
