About us
History
Horizon Equity Partners is one of South Africa’s longest-established private equity firms, with an investment track record dating back to 1996.
While we began life as a traditional private equity firm, providing capital to mid-market, established businesses, we have redesigned the traditional private equity model to enable investment into businesses with an enterprise value of less than R100-million.
We believe that these businesses are vital to South Africa’s economic growth and as they drive job creation, innovation and competitiveness.
Competitiveness drives productivity.
Productivity drives growth.
Growth delivers prosperity.
It is our mission to provide them with enhanced funding options and the tools they need to succeed and grow into larger, more competitive enterprises.
Combined experience
Our executives have collectively initiated and managed equity investments in more than 40 companies across a wide range of industry sectors, with an emphasis on technology, media and telecommunications.
Gregory Voigt
Greg Voigt has 25 years’ investment experience in venture capital, private equity and publicly listed vehicles. He has provided corporate finance and equity advisory services to government agencies, technology funds, large corporates and mid-market enterprises.
His experience includes mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and business turnarounds. Sectors he has worked in include financial services, leisure, media, telecommunications, software and services.
Previously he was a founding partner of Adlevo Capital, a $43-million private equity fund focusing on technology-enabled businesses operating in sub-Saharan Africa. He was also the chief investment officer and sponsoring director of M-FiTEC International Limited, a special purpose acquisition company that listed on the JSE.
Greg holds a BCom degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, and a BAcc degree from the University of South Africa, and is a Chartered Accountant.
Shelley Lotz
Shelley Lotz joined Horizon in 2011 and is responsible for operational execution and compliance, investment administration and reporting for the firm, as well as tracking all environmental, social and corporate governance aspects for portfolio companies. She is also responsible for investor relations, including valuations and reporting to investors.
Shelley has also assisted the CFOs of various portfolio companies with technical accounting and reporting issues to aid in improving overall financial controls and the quality of reporting at these companies.
Before joining Horizon Shelley worked for Royal Bank of Scotland, where her work included securitisation, transaction advisory and private equity. She was the primary finance contact for the launch of RBS’s first £1.1-billion private equity fund.
Shelley currently serves as the head of regulatory affairs at the Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, where she leads engagements with the industry’s key stakeholders and regulators, including the National Treasury, the South African Reserve Bank and the Financial Sector Conduct Authority.
Shelley, who holds a BCom BAcc (Hons) degree, is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and a category I key individual and representative.
Business model
The Horizon Equity Partners business model addresses the so-called “equity gap”, in which shareholder-managed enterprises that are wishing to grow cannot easily access investment funding. Traditional private equity investment models do not provide funding in the range of R5-million to R15-million to businesses in this segment.
Our business model is founded upon transparency, compliance, accountability and simplicity, and includes the following features:
We filter enquiries based on eligibility: the investee enterprise value is less than R100-million- We assess investability or investor readiness as a primary qualifying criterion
- We use standardised investment models, documents and agreements
- We specify investment terms and conditions, and contractually binding commitments, in clear language
- We create risk capital funding capacity at an attractive cost of capital
- We help build a better-run, better-governed and more sustainable business
- We are comprehensive and efficient
- Our investment product is minimally dilutive and attractive to investors