INVESTING IN GLOBAL PRIVATE MARKETS

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Our mission is to go deep into industries, often unloved ones – but for sure ones which the world needs, and insert capital in a smart way that shifts the trajectory of these supply chains and industries towards sustainable sector growth. 

Therein lies a big opportunity to unlock climate and financial alpha.

- Johnny Brom, CIO & Founder
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Latest Insights & Opinion Pieces

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Opinion Pieces

Biodiversity: A Sassy Sales Pitch

Biodiversity is a beautiful but complex concept. We explore how biodiversity value-add can be made more accessible for an investor audience, and how the financial sector can deploy capital in a biodiversity positive way.

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Insights

Annual Letter 2023

6 years ago in March, SAIL was founded in Amsterdam. Opportunistically, in many ways, but it didn’t necessarily feel like that for me as I’d been thinking about how to come to this point for some time…

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Welcome to our new website.

SAIL Ventures has been renamed SAIL Investments to reflect our focus: investing through private credit and similar strategies to drive long-term value.  

 This is simply a name change. SAIL’s focus, governance and legal structure remains unaltered. Prior communication channels remain active.   

The SAIL Investments team is looking forward to continuing our work with you.

Sara Senouci

Sara Senouci recently joined SAIL Investments as a Sustainability Analyst, boasting a background in financial services and ESG risk assessment. Prior to joining SAIL, she served as a research analyst at Sustainalytics-Morningstar, focusing on companies within the packaged foods, agriculture, and retail apparel sectors. Sara’s academic credentials include an MA in African Studies from Leiden University and a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Al Akhawayn University in Morocco. Additionally, she possesses a certificate in ESG investing from the CFA Institute.

When she is not working, Sara enjoys traveling, literature and good food.

Lucian Peppelenbos

Lucian Peppelenbos is an external and independent member of SAIL’s Investment Committee, bringing in over 25 years of experience as a sustainability professional. He works for Robeco as Climate and Biodiversity Strategist. Robeco is an international asset manager with over EUR 180 billion in assets under management; and Lucian overseeing the integration of Climate and Biodiversity in the company’s investment processes. Lucian previously worked as responsible investment specialist at APG Asset Management. Before that he helped to set up IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative, a public-private partnership that co-invests with corporates in sustainable commodity supply chains. He earned a PhD in social-economic sciences at Wageningen University.

 

In his free time, Lucian loves cooking and spending time in nature.

David Smart

David Smart serves as a Senior Adviser to SAIL and is a member of the SAIL investment Committee. He has 42 years experience as an investor with a particular focus on fixed income and emerging markets. He has however covered a wide array of asset classes including private equity, debt and venture capital and, in the last 8 years, impact. David spent most of his career at Fiduciary Trust and Franklin Templeton where he enjoyed a 28 year year global advisory relationship with the United Nations Pension Fund and worked with many of the top Sovereign Funds and Central Banks. He now has multiple non executive and advisory roles and chairs the Investment Committee for the Health Foundation endowment fund, having spent 9 years in a similar role for the National Trust, Europe’s largest conservation charity, where he oversaw the introduction of an allocation to an impact portfolio aligned with the Trust’s main environmental objectives. He received an MA in Classics from Cambridge University. 

David greatly enjoys playing the piano, antiquarian books, tennis, cricket and rugby.

Istvan Fritsche

Istvan Fritsche is the Head of Business Development at SAIL Investments. He brings 24 years of expertise in asset management and banking across public and private markets that covered various asset classes. Istvan`s career includes roles at Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan AM, BlueBay AM, ING IM, IKB (AM), and RiverRock ECP. Transitioning from investment banking to the buy-side in 2004, and later to private markets in 2013 where Istvan found his enduring passion. Istvan’s academic background is diverse, with studies in Politics (International Relations), Economics, Philosophy, and Art History at Frankfurt University. Istvan is a CAIA Charterholder.

Outside the office, Istvan leads an active lifestyle as a runner, swimmer, squash and tennis player, and sailor.

O'Neil Thiart

O’Neil Thiart is an Investment Analyst with the Investment team at SAIL Investments. His background includes a role as a listed equity analyst for a buy-side investment manager in South Africa, where he analyzed a wide array of equities on the JSE. O’Neil holds a BCom Hons in Financial Analysis from the University of Stellenbosch, graduating Cum Laude in 2021. He has also completed all three levels of the CFA program, positioning him to become a CFA charterholder once he meets the experience requirements.

O’Neil loves to swap his desk chair for a bike saddle, though his physique hints he’s more of an enthusiast than Tour de France contender.

Martyna Walkiewicz-Killard

Martyna Walkiewicz-Killard is a Senior Associate in the SAIL Investments Operations Team. She contributes through a decade of specialized legal and compliance expertise, particularly in investments, corporate law, criminal law, and M&A. Her career includes key roles at TMF, overseeing legal and compliance, and as a Legal Manager at Finch Capital in Amsterdam where she managed all legal affairs. She started her career at Beauchamps LLP in Ireland, managing the investment portfolio for Enterprise Ireland. Martyna earned a MSc in Criminology and Forensic Psychology and a BA with Honours in Criminology from Middlesex University in London.

Away from work, Martyna pursues painting, poetry, and philosophy. She enjoys working out and cooking.

Marthe Tollenaar

Marthe Tollenaar is the Associate Director in the Sustainability team at SAIL Investments, with more than 14 years of experience in managing sustainable forestry and agriculture investments in emerging markets. She led the sustainable strategy for Southeast Asia at New Forests in Singapore, and later managed international projects in The Netherlands for a carbon finance organization and began her career managing sustainable forestry in Africa. She holds an MSc in Ecology and Natural Resource Management and a BSc in Biology.

Marthe is an avid runner and yoga enthusiast, and the team’s dedicated supplier of home-baked banana bread.

Michael Schlup

Michael Schlup is the Chief Sustainability Officer of SAIL Investments, and a member of SAIL’s investment committee. He is a sustainability professional with over 25 years of experience, having previously worked for Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of chocolate and cocoa products including managing the Cocoa Horizons Foundation. As global agribusiness and food company Bunge, he oversaw Africa for their asset management and environmental markets team. He was the founding CEO of the Gold Standard Foundation, an NGO that established quantification and impact maximisation standards. Michael’s career began by advancing sustainable energy financing at the United Nations and working as a management consultant. Michael is a trained scientist and holds a M.Sc. in Geography from the University of Basel, Switzerland, and a M.Sc. in Industrial Environmental Economics from Lund University, Sweden.

A keen sailor and cyclist, Michael balances these exhausting activities by making his own beer, bread, and sausages.

Andrea Salmon

Andrea Salmon is the Business Manager at SAIL Investments. She oversees office management, HR, and projects that draw on over 11 years of operational and administrative experience in small to corporate-sized businesses. Andrea’s career began in Dubai, and she has since gained international experience in Hamburg, Cape Town, and currently in The Hague. She graduated from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, with a BA in Social Dynamics and a Postgraduate degree in Marketing.

Outside of work, Andrea enjoys hiking and cycling in the great outdoors, as well as traveling and practicing yoga.

Laura Rodriguez

Laura Rodriguez is an Associate in Business Development at SAIL. Specializing in Investor Relations, she has a focus on corporate sustainability and sustainable finance. Bringing over four years of experience to her role, Laura transitioned to SAIL from Sustainalytics, where she played a key role in aiding corporates and investors integrate strategic ESG considerations into their operations. Her background also includes involvement in sustainable initiatives at Ahold Delhaize and BAM International. Laura’s career started in architecture, where she spent over three years designing residential projects in Colombia. She holds a Master’s in Sustainable Business and Innovation from the University of Utrecht and a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Los Andes in Colombia.

In her leisure time, Laura bakes delicious cakes and keeps active playing tennis.

Erik Peek

Erik Peek is an Investment Director directing origination, deal structuring, and management. Erik’s 30 years of deep experience in financial markets, particularly in Latin America where he is also certified by Brazil’s CVM, has helped him play a pivotal role since Sail’s inception. As the former CEO of Rabobank Brazil, Erik bolstered the agricultural sector by managing assets of $10 billion and his leadership extended to serving on boards like Banco Regional and the Forest Stewardship Council, and credit committees. Erik holds an MSc from Karlsruhe University and an MBA from IMD.

Off the clock, Erik is married and takes pride that his independent children are now making their own societal contributions.

Natalia Pasishnyk

Natalia Pasishnyk is the Sustainability Director at SAIL Investments with 18 years of sustainability experience. She has worked in Brazil as a consultant, supporting major corporations across a wide range of sectors including agriculture, forestry, mining, renewable energy, finance, and governmental bodies build responsible low carbon strategies and supply chains. Her sustainability focus began with climate mitigation projects in the Brazilian Amazon. Natalia, a trained scientist, earned her M.Sc. in Sustainable Forestry from the University of Freiburg, Germany.

Beyond work, Natalia enjoys travelling off-the-beaten-path, discovering cultures through cuisine and customs, and has a keen interest in artificial intelligence.

Elea Papaemmanuel

Elea Papaemmanuel is an Associate Director on the SAIL Investments Sustainability Team. Her specialization in sustainability is supported by a decade of supply chain management and sustainability risk expertise across agri-commodity and extractive sectors. Elea has also collaborated with diverse stakeholders, including NGOs and corporates, to foster the adoption of sustainability standards. In her previous role at IDH, she focused on sustainable practices in the cotton, cocoa, and tin mining industries. Elea earned an M.Sc in Public Policy and Management from the London School of Economics and a B.Sc in Economics from the University of Essex.

Elea loves to bring people together through her culinary talents, hosting meals seasoned by her French and Greek roots.

Gustavo Oubinha

Gustavo Oubinha is the Brazil Investment Director at SAIL Investments. Gustavo leads origination, deal structuring, and portfolio management, leveraging 25 years of financial market expertise. Certified by Brazil’s CVM, he previously enhanced Rabobank Brazil’s strategic initiatives as Managing Director, focusing on credit structuring and M&A, and has experience in complex investment transactions through his work at Banco InterAtlântico and Machado Meyer Advogados. Gustavo holds an LL.M. from the University of East Anglia as a Chevening Scholar. His further education in economics law from Fundação Getúlio Vargas is complemented by programs at Harvard, INSEAD, and Chicago Booth.

Off duty, Gustavo values family time, enjoying moments with his wife and two children.

Brett Mallen

Brett Mallen is the Chief Operating Officer at SAIL Investments and spearheads its financial, legal, and compliance capabilities. With over 20 years in investment management, he notably led as COO, and acting CEO, at Sanlam Africa Investments, focusing on private market funds and board leadership. Previously, he worked in Sanlam’s Private Equity team. Brett is admitted as an attorney in South Africa, holding an LL.M (Cum Laude) from Leiden University and a CFA Charter.

Brett prioritises family and fitness outside of the office. He spends his spare time on active holidays with his wife and two children (skiing being a firm favourite). Brett has recently discovered the 70.3 Ironman events and has competed in one event per year.

Adrian Lain

Adrian Lain is a Senior Sustainability Associate at SAIL Investments specialising in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). He brings with him 11 years of international experience in research, certifications, and geospatial analysis in public and private environments, which builds on his career start as a research technician in the Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute.

During off-hours, Adrian explores the world through music and aviation.

Joachim Kotze

Joachim Kotze is an Associate Director and a member of the Investment Team at SAIL Investments. His role is backed by 12 years of experience in the investment field with career positions at Denker Capital and Rootstock Investments, and respected asset managers in South Africa. At these firms, Joachim spurred research on internationally publicly listed companies, focusing on diverse industries such as agriculture and food value chains. His tenure at Rootstock was marked by his contribution to formalizing the investment process and his active role on the investment committee.

Before SAIL Investments, Joachim was engaged in equity research at Morningstar covering the global Aerospace and Defense sectors. Joachim earned a B.Comm in Financial Management and is a CFA charterholder.

Beyond professional pursuits, Joachim can be found outdoors mountain biking and taking bracing cold water swims. He also loves to cook.

Vidya Iyer

Vidya Iyer is an Associate Director in the Investment team. She is responsible for investment research and analysis, transaction structuring and execution, leveraging her 11 years of experience in venture capital investments, corporate finance and equities investment valuation. Vidya started her career with Goldman Sachs as an analyst and spent time with J.P.Morgan. She has a Bachelor’s of Commerce from the University of Madras, is a Chartered Accountant from India and holds a M.Sc. in International Finance from the University of Amsterdam.

In her leisure time, Vidya enjoys exploring the Dutch landscape on her bike or in running shoes.

Johnny Brom

Johnny Brom is founder and Chief Investment Officer of SAIL Investments, where he also leads the Investment Committee. Johnny has a diverse background in business development and investment strategy for companies across South Africa, North America, and Europe. He started his career at JP Morgan Securities and held a role at a Cape Town-based boutique asset manager, accumulating over 17 years of investment experience in developed, emerging, and frontier markets. Prior to SAIL, Johnny initiated an innovative financing unit at the Dutch agency, IDH, pioneering early blended finance transactions in global supply chains. Johnny holds a Master’s in Finance from SOAS University of London, a PE specialisation from London Business School, and a Business Science degree from the University of Cape Town.

Johnny is known for his love of whiteboards, and sketching in his journal.