Ashenafi Alemu
It all started in 2000 when co-founders Ashenafi Alemu and Jacop B. Rentschler met in a cafe in Denmark while Ashenafi was a foreign exchange student. Ashenafi and Jacop became good friends and remained close over the years as they graduated and worked professionally in finance and infrastructure investing across Europe.
It was when Ashenafi returned to Ethiopia to start a management consulting firm that he saw the high growth potential of local small and medium-sized enterprises across East Africa. As a result, Ashenafi and Jacop founded Zoscales Partners with offices in Switzerland and Ethiopia to give investors access to these rapidly growing economies. Frederick (Fredd) Kambo later joined the team to help the firm expand its footprint into Kenya and across East Africa, and Zoscales’ third office was established in Kenya in 2019.
Co-Founder and Managing Partner Ashenafi Alemu brings more than 16 years of experience in management consulting and private equity. As Managing Partner, Ashenafi provides the overall strategic leadership, investment origination, structuring and value creation for investee companies and serves on the board of three portfolio companies of Zoscales Fund I: Ethio-Asian Industries, Ahadukes Food Products and Premier Hospital. He also sits on the Investment Committee of Zoscales Partners. Ashenafi completed his MSc in Economics from Aarhus University (Denmark) and his BSc in International Business from Addis Aarhus School of Business (Denmark) and Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia). Before founding Zoscales, he held a senior consulting role at E-Bridge in Germany and Energinet – the largest infrastructure company in Denmark.
Jacop B. Rentschler
Jacop is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Zoscales Partners and sits on the Investment Committee of the firm. Before establishing Zoscales, Jacop held senior portfolio management roles at Rothschild Bank, UBS and Nordea Asset Management, where he managed private equity and multi-asset class investment portfolios for international investors. Using his 20 years of investing experience, Jacop provides strategic leadership for Zoscales through investment origination, structuring and value creation for investee companies. Jacop currently sits on the boards of CGF Crown Cork, Africa Jobs Network and Pioneer Diagnostic Center, portfolio companies of Zoscales Fund I, as well as the board of the African Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (AVCA). Jacop holds a CEMS Master’s in International Management from HEC Paris (France), a MSc in Applied Economics and Finance from Copenhagen Business School (Denmark) and a BSc in International Business from Aarhus School of Business (Denmark).
Frederick Kambo
Fredd is a Partner at Zoscales Partners and focuses on deal origination, execution and portfolio company value creation. He also sits on the Investment Committee of Zoscales Partners and serves on the boards of Pioneer Diagnostic Center and Premier Hospital, portfolio companies of Zoscales Fund I. Before Zoscales, Fredd was the East Africa Director for The Abraaj Group’s USD 1bn healthcare fund and was responsible for origination, execution and management of investments across Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda. Fredd also led the deployment of USD 130m into leading regional healthcare assets, while serving on their boards in various capacities. Before his time at The Abraaj Group, Fredd was a Principal at 46 Parallels, a pan-African private investment fund, and he began his career in London where he worked in M&A for Royal Dutch Shell and J.P. Morgan. Fredd holds an LLB (Law, Honours) from the University of Nottingham (UK) and an MSc in International Business from Nottingham University Business School (UK).
Zoscales Fund I is a $75m fund launched in 2017 and backed by a mix of commercial investors and development financial institutions. Via Fund I, Zoscales Partners has undertaken six investments across Ethiopia and Kenya within healthcare, FMCG and materials sectors. Fundraising is now underway for Zoscales Fund II, with a $200m target size and continued focus on core industries.
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