(SOUTHBRIDGE) - SouthBridge, the pan-African investment bank led by Donald Kaberuka and Lionel Zinsou, is pleased to announce the cooptation of Emeryc Kpenou as Partner. Beninese, French and British, drawing on a rich international background, Emeryc now wishes to bring his experience to projects that directly involve the future of the African continent.

A graduate of Sciences Po Paris, Emeryc started his career in the options department of Société Générale. He then joined Credit Suisse First Boston in London. In 1999, he moved to ING Bank where he oversaw derivatives activities (interest rates and foreign exchange rates) and responsible for hedging operations related to structured finance: real estate, infrastructure, renewable energy. Over the last twenty years, he has been involved in the financing of numerous emblematic projects around the world: real estate, airports, railroads, highways, wind and solar farms, etc.

Overtime, Emeryc has also developed a keen interest in green finance, the implementation of innovative solutions in carbon credit management, renewable energy as well as financing related to sustainable development goals.

In addition to bringing his unique experience in capital markets and structured finance, Emeryc will actively participate in the development of SouthBridge's green finance operations.

For Africa, a continent of more than 1.2 billion people that is truly on the front line, the energy transition and fight against the effects of global warming are crucial issues. Sustainable development must be integrated to the imperatives of growth and the fight against poverty. Forests in particular represent both a challenge and an opportunity in terms of preservation, development and the emission of carbon certificates.

SouthBridge and its investment arm, SouthBridge Investments (SBI), intend to play a pioneering and innovative role in this sector that is essential for the future of the continent. With the field experience, expertise, network of talents and professionals, SouthBridge brings a unique proposition, with solutions that cover asset management solutions for green investing and the entire value chain of energy transition, decarbonization, sustainable development.

Emeryc will operate from London, opening a new geographical base for SouthBridge, with Kigali, Abidjan, Casablanca, Mauritius, Lagos and Paris, in one of the key cities of global finance.