CIRCLE CAPITAL DEVELOPMENTS (CCD) - Key Persons
Before joining CCG, Abe Damon was the manager of a R500 million investment fund in New Zealand. He also spent 15 years in various senior positions responsible for financial accounting, treasury, corporate services and strategic procurement which included a stint as a senior manager in Standard Bank South Africa. There he established company protocol for diversity purchasing (Black Economic Empowerment) and increased the procurement spend with qualifying suppliers more than tenfold. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Accounting) and has post graduate training in strategic management, business science and general management.
Job Titles:
- Founder of Circle Capital
Blessing Rugara is the founder of Circle Capital Group. Mr Rugara has structured and advised on over $2 billion in transactions on four different continents. He has advised some of the largest corporations , financial institutions, heads of state and government on a wide range of matters ranging from finance and corporate law to strategy and governance. Mr Rugara was previously a partner in the corporate finance department of a large US based law firm where he represented clients in a variety of industries and advised on transactions in multiple jurisdictions. He has worked with several Fortune 500 companies and many corporate entities. The majority of his work was in the area of private issuances of debt and equity, municipal bonds, corporate law and board governance. Mr Rugara received his BA Psychology from the University of Manitoba where he served as student union president. He holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Minnesota Law School, which he attended on a Royal Stone scholarship. Mr Rugara served on the audit committee of the Board of Regents.
Prior to joining Circle Capital, Clive Rugara was a top-ranking business and marketing strategist for the largest window and door manufacturer globally. Most recently, he led and managed a $1 billion business unit. Having begun his career in corporate finance and working in audit, mergers and acquisitions and financial analysis, he has a broad business experience in multiple disciplines. Clive switched paths to sales and marketing, leading regional sales and marketing functions in the fastest growing sales region with $250 million in sales. He holds a BSC (Accounting) from the University of Minnesota and holds the (US) CPA designation.
Prior to joining CCD, Harold Rugara was CEO of a diversified industrial company specialising in manufacturing, housing and engineering. His experience includes serving as CEO of the largest pharmaceutical company in Zambia and as CEO of Red River Developments, a multi-million rand light gauge steel manufacturing and construction company with over 2 000 employees. Prior to that he worked for one on the largest industrial companies in Southern Africa as group electrical engineer and as the manufacturing manager with GS Developments and was a senior consultant with PriceWaterhouseCoopers. He holds a Bachelor of Technology in Electrical & Electronic Engineering.
Hlumelo Biko, as CEO of Circle Capital Ventures, has maintained an extensive network of business relationships providing him with necessary information and contacts when assisting clients in successful transactions. As owner of a private equity company, he has raised more than R400m worth of equity capital. He has played a leading role in negotiating deals, allowing companies to expand their business or to sell operations in different industries, with a special focus on the banking sectors.
Mendi Msimang served as Treasurer-General of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1997 to 2008 and has served on the National Executive Committee of the ANC since 1991. Prior to serving as first High Commissioner for a democratic South Africa posted to the Court of St. James' in the UK, he had been a member of the first democratic parliament during which he was elected to chair the ANC caucus. In the course of serving his Articles of Clerkship at the law firm of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, he went underground when the ANC was declared an illegal organisation by the then Apartheid regime. Later, he was directed by the underground leadership to join Mr. Tambo in the ANC Mission in London. He enjoys a wealth of information and international contacts. In 1999 Mr Msimang was awarded South Africa's Order for Meritorious Service by President Nelson Mandela.
Prior to joining Circle Capital as sales coordinator, Ms Fihla worked at various banking institutions for over 17 years where she gained extensive sales and banking knowledge. She was also acknowledged as top sales person and experienced banker. Her experience includes working for top niche banks with a portfolio that included executives in the top 100 South African companies, where she achieved and exceeded annual budgets of R100 million. She hold a B.Com (Honors) degree from the University of South Africa.
Job Titles:
- Government Liaison Head for the Circle Capital
Sifiso Ntuli is the Government Liaison Head for the Circle Capital Global Group of Companies. Before joining CCD, he was extensively involved in exclusive security (ANC MK) and he played a leading role in political and international relations during the liberation struggle. In the corporate world Mr Ntuli has vast experience in governmental issues. He has held he position of government liaison in several companies such as Georgiou Group, 1Source, SPG, AfricaVision (HK) and ONYX-Group UAE. He gained experience and sheltered deals globally in petroleum, power generation, infrastructure, housing and mergers in excess of 20 billion dollars. He holds an Engineer Mechanics and Design Degree from University of Philadelphia.
Mr Masimerembwa previously he held the positions of Information Communication Technology Director and Information Systems Demonstrator at Rhodes University as well as Business Process Engineer at Mobil and Systems Engineer, International Computers Ltd UK. He also worked as operations director for Red River Developments (Zimbabwe), a light-gauge steel manufacturing, construction and management company. He holds a Bachelor of Technology Electrical Engineering degree.
Mr Mudyiwa has extensive supply chain management experience. He served at supply chain manager at Circle Pharmaceuticals (Zambia) as well as Red River Developments (Botswana), prior to which he was supply chain trainee with Red River Developments (Zimbabwe). He holds a BSC (Honors) degree in Animal Science.
Job Titles:
- Building Services Manager
Mr Geiger worked for nearly twenty years with Sierra Plastering, a California (USA) based lath, plaster, drywall, metal stud framing company where he rose from project foreman to project manager, a position he held for five years immediately prior to joining CCD. He was also project manager with GDS (Zimbabwe). He is a qualified plumber journeyman, roof specialist, drywall/lather apprentice, certified welder as well as heavy equipment operator. He has professional affiliations to Lathers Local Union 9083.
Job Titles:
- Head: Corporate Finance & Structured Trade Finance
Mr Edziwa has vast experience covering project finance, structured finance, trade finance, infrastructure and asset management in several African countries including Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Previously he was the Senior Advisor: Corporate Finance at Pivot Capital Partners (South Africa), General Manager: Corporate Finance at Trust Bank Corporation and an investments manager with a leading southern African insurance company. He was also a tertiary lecturer in corporate finance. Mr Edziwa holds an MBA and an MDE (coursework) from Dalhousie University in Canada and a BBS (Hons) from the University of Zimbabwe.