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
I am pleased to have been featured in the recent Value for Women Ltd. Series which was launched to mark its 10th year anniversary. I was featured in 4th issue of the series titled "Women Decision Makers" which centered on the need to intentionally channel more capital towards women decision-makers in emerging markets. I shared valuable insights, talking about the challenges women fund managers like me encounter in the investment field. I highlighted the systematic obstacles that exist, especially for first-time fund managers and also emphasized the importance of thinking outside the box when it comes to evaluating investments, instead of simply following the usual methods.
It was a pleasure to join John Coleman on the 156th Faith Driven Investor Podcast. The conversation was themed 'Investing in Women and Africa'. I shared my personal journey from investment banking to founding Aruwa Capital, our gender lens approach, and how we are empowering and inspiring women through our investments in female-owned and female-led businesses.
It was a pleasure to join Omolade Shonibare in an interview with Blackrock - the largest asset management company in the world with $9 trillion in assets under management. I discussed my career transition from investment banking to private equity and founding my own private equity firm - Aruwa Capital Management. We also discussed the challenges, risks, and opportunities associated with investing in Africa and how Aruwa Capital is changing the narrative and empowering women-owned and women-led businesses.
Following the week-long activities of the formal launch of the 100 Women in Finance Nigeria, we visited the Nigerian Exchange Group- NGX (formerly the Nigerian Stock Exchange) on Thursday 27th April. Amanda Pullinger, CEO, 100 Women in Finance alongside members of the 100WF Nigeria Committee met with key executives of the NGX to discuss their respective organisation’s missions and goals, as well as potential areas for collaboration. The highlight of the event was the striking of the closing gong by the 100WF team on the floor of the Nigerian Exchange to signify the end of stock trading for the day. We are thankful to all our hosts, sponsors, and partners for making our line-up of events a success. It is good to see great support from the media and organizations that are in alignment with the 100WF mission to promote the professional advancement of women in finance in Nigeria.
I had the pleasure of joining Saccoh Sidi and Esta Richard Etim on the 21st episode of The Pitch Room Africa as a guest speaker. The Pitch Room Africa is a Twitter space event that connects VCs, Angel Investors, Entrepreneurs, and Industry Experts together in meaningful and engaging conversations. I spoke on the topic- The Challenges of Gender Lens investing in Africa and shared practical tips on how female-led businesses can raise funds, and how Aruwa Capital is driving a change through our gender lens investment strategy.
I am pleased to have been a part of the formal launch of the 100 Women in Finance Nigeria location and also a member of the Founding Committee of 100WF Nigeria. Following the successful pre-launch events we organised last year; I am so proud that we were able to convince the global 100WF board to choose Nigeria as the 32nd location globally and 3rd African location. We held a celebratory dinner in Lagos to mark the launch, and it was graced by senior leaders within the Nigerian financial services sector. Amanda Pullinger, the Chief Executive Officer of 100 Women in Finance and Mrs Sola David-Borha, the former CEO, Africa Regions, Standard Bank Group gave the keynote addresses for the event. 100WF is set to deepen it’s reach to finance professionals across the banking, private equity, venture capital, and FinTech sectors, among others, in Africa. Their global network and programs will build a more diverse and gender-equitable finance industry in Nigeria by promoting diversity of thought, raising visibility, and empowering women to find their personal path to career success.
I had the pleasure of speaking at the second edition of the Open for Business Conference hosted by Ecclesia Hills. The conference was themed - Planting in the Land. I spoke on Entrepreneurship - how to raise capital and scale businesses. I shared practical tips on what investors look out for when businesses are raising capital, and discussed the importance of Faith and the possibility of building profitable businesses in Nigeria despite the harsh realities we face. It was great to be a part of an amazing line up of speakers - Dr Ola Brown, Founder Flying Doctors Healthcare, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Ease of doing Business and Pastor Ayo Otulayo CEO Prime Atlantic Group.
I had the honour of speaking at the Uncommon Woman Conference hosted by Jesus House themed - Abound: Living in His love. The event which held in London was the first In-person gathering post Covid-19 pandemic. I shared practical tips on women empowerment and also how my journey and achievements were centered around my faith in God. I also had an intimate session with the Young Esthers between the ages of 18-30 tagged - A letter to my young self which covered deep and meaningful conversations on relationship, career, and faith.
It was an honour to be celebrated by Empower Africa as one of the 50 impactful women who are driving change and advancing sustainable economic development throughout the continent.
It was an honour to be celebrated as one of the 8 remarkable Nigerian women who are making a difference and breaking barriers both locally and globally in their respective fields. I am also honoured to be recognized for paving the way for future generations of women to follow in their footsteps and are also showing the world the power and potential of Nigerian women.
"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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