A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence
Adesuwa Rhodes is changing the face of investing and entrepreneurship in Africa one investment at a time
Adesuwa is a leading investment professional and CEO with over 14 years of experience in investment banking and private equity in developed and emerging markets across a number of sectors including healthcare, financial services, technology and consumer goods. Adesuwa is an entrepreneur, CEO, mother, investor and women’s empowerment advocate. She is one of the youngest female private equity fund managers running her own fund in Africa, having launched her fund at 29 years old. She is the Founder and Managing Partner of Aruwa Capital Management, one of the few women owned and led private equity funds in Africa investing into untapped investment opportunities in West Africa in the small to lower mid-market. Adesuwa is focused on using Aruwa Capital Management’s investments as a case study to make the business case to invest in women as fund managers, entrepreneurs, consumers and stakeholders in society. Adesuwa is a mission driven pioneer on a mission to unlock the power of private capital as a catalyst for change in her environment.
Learn More"I am on a mission to unlock the untapped potential of women as capital allocators, consumers, founders, board members, suppliers and across all levels of society, to unlock enhanced financial returns and positive social impact."
~ Adesuwa Rhodes
It was a pleasure to host and moderate an insightful webinar in conjunction with one of our largest institutional investors- Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund titled "Advancing Growth: Enabling Gender Equity & Inclusive Investment in Africa." The discussion centred on the reality of our impact report through the lens of our portfolio companies. The panelists—Timi Oke, MD/Co-Founder of Agroeknor; Natalie Casey, Chief Commercial Officer of Koolboks; and Priya Amarnani, Founding Team Member and Head of Product at OmniRetail—shared valuable insights on the impact of Aruwa across their companies and the entire value chain of their businesses.
It was a pleasure to join one of the panels at the Choiseul Africa Summit in Geneva. The panel discussed a crucial topic- "Strengthening Local Value Chains: Reconciling Sustainable and Social Impact”. I shared Aruwa Capital's focus on supporting businesses at pivotal points in their growth and scale journey, and also highlighted our commitment to sustainable investments that drive social impact, aligning with our vision to create lasting value across local economies.
An incredibly proud moment for me as Aruwa Capital releases its inaugural impact report to mark our fifth-year anniversary. As I reflect on the last five years, I am filled with nothing but gratitude as to how far we have come as a firm in a short space of time. It’s been five years of making impactful and meaningful investments that are driving positive change and reshaping the investment landscape in Africa.
It was a pleasure to join one of the panels on the insightful webinar hosted by MiDA Advisors and Standard Bank Group to discuss a critical topic, “Invest in Africa- The time is now” where I discussed Aruwa’s gender lens investment strategy and its trickle-down effect on gender diversity across the value chain of businesses we invest in. I also emphasized our focus on investments in proven businesses that are at a pivotal point of their growth and how Aruwa is providing the much-needed growth capital to help them scale up. The panel expertly moderated by Thembi Matabiswana, Senior Consultant at Riscurra, included other trailblazing fund managers across the continent- Jesmane Boggenpoel, Co-founder & Managing Partner- AIH Capital, and Sheila Kyarisiima, Partner - NISK Capital.
Thrilled to have represented Aruwa Capital at the Power Africa Nigeria Power Sector Program Investor Matchmaking event hosted by USAID. The event aimed to bridge the gap between investors and developers in the on-grid and off-grid space. It was an honour to present Aruwa Capital’s investment strategy as well as our criteria for investing in the renewable energy sector.
Thrilled to have joined one of the panels at the recent Kreston Pedabo breakfast seminar. The event was themed 'Unlocking Financial Potential: Funding Opportunities for Nigerian Businesses,' a topic that resonates deeply with me. My panel was tagged- Capitalizing Growth: Navigating the Financial Landscape for Business Success in Nigeria. It was an enriching experience to exchange ideas alongside industry leaders such as Albert Folorunsho, Managing Consultant at Kreston Pedabo, Gbadebo Adenrele, MD Investment Banking at United Capital Plc, Abolore Solebo, Executive Director at Fidelity Bank PLC.
I had the pleasure of joining a webinar hosted by the Tuck School of Business in Dartmouth as a panelist. The webinar was tagged- Doing Business in Africa, and my panel discussed a significant topic- Making profit sustainable and sustainability profitable. The panel was moderated by Oruare Ovbiagele, a Centre for Business, Government and Society Fellow at Tuck. It was an insightful panel which had notable speakers in attendance, and we shared unique perspectives on reshaping the narrative of doing business in Africa.
Excited to announce my new role as a Board of Trustee member at United Way Greater Nigeria, affiliated with United Way the world’s largest non-profit organisation with a network of over 1,800 affiliates globally. United Way Greater Nigeria (UWGN) is dedicated to addressing critical societal challenges in education, youth productivity, women's empowerment, and food security. Our collaborative efforts aim to enhance UWGN's capacity to make a tangible difference in the lives and communities of Nigeria.
I am honoured to have been recognized at the 2024 Eloy Awards as one of the 50 power people who embody resilience, leadership & advocate for women’s empowerment and inclusion in Africa. The list was put together in collaboration with Eloy Foundation, Africa Women CEOs network and powered by Exquisite Magazine.
It was a pleasure to join the Mentor Intro Africa IWD webinar hosted by Fola Niyi- Duale, Founder/CEO Mentor Intro Africa with the theme- She breaks barriers: Empowering Women through Mentorship. I joined two other amazing women- Adaku Ijara, MD/CEO Emerging Africa Asset Management Limited and Hauwa Shakir, CEO of Kulu Abuja. I discussed the transformative power of mentorship using insights from my personal and professional journey.
"I believe the way to effectively provide women with more seats at the table is for us to create our own tables. More women succeeding as capital allocators means more women getting funded, more mentors, more torch-bearers, and more examples to follow. Investing in or with funds like Aruwa Capital Management is a practical way to narrow the gender funding gap and making money while you do so."
- Adesuwa Rhodes
Adesuwa is the Founder & Managing Partner of Aruwa Capital Management an early stage private equity fund investing in rapidly growing businesses in West Africa. With Aruwa Capital and her own personal investments, Adesuwa is focused on uncovering untapped investment opportunities that are typically overlooked and underserved. Adesuwa is passionate about showcasing the natural competitive advantage women allocating capital have when investing in businesses for women and by women. Through a gender lens investment strategy, Adesuwa is focused on generating enhanced financial returns whilst delivering positive social impact with a multiplier effect across societies and economies.
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Jul 2024
Apr 2024
Jun 2022
