ANACACIA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Senior Investment Analyst With
Aiden Rohde is a Senior Investment Analyst with Anacacia Capital. He is responsible for assessing investment opportunities, helping to research, contact, analyse and conduct due diligence on industries and new companies, and assisting with existing investments.
Prior to joining Anacacia, Aiden founded Safe7y, a data science non-profit, worked as an Investment Associate at Crescent Capital Partners, a mid-market PE fund, and worked as a Senior Business Analyst at Kearney, a global management consulting firm. Aiden has a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from UNSW in Sydney where he graduated with First Class Honours and was President of BLUEsat, an undergraduate space society.
Job Titles:
- Non - Executive Director
- Investment Director With
Bevan Elliott is an Investment Director with Anacacia Capital. Bevan is responsible for a range of activities including originating and assessing investment opportunities as well as supporting the growth of our investee companies.
Bevan brings over 20 years of investment, financial, operational and advisory experience. Bevan is a Non-Executive Director of Anacacia portfolio companies: ForceFire, and Mwave; and formerly LEDified, Catalyst Education and RISsafety. He was previously the Group CFO at Hollard Financial Services, a Director in ANZ's private equity business and worked with Deloitte for over a decade including as Director in the Australian corporate advisory business.
Bevan previously qualified as a Chartered Accountant following an honours degree and articles in South Africa before immigrating to Australia.
Cliff Rosenberg is a Member of the Anacacia Capital Business Advisory Council, Non-Executive Director of Opteon and an active investor, advisor and board member in the technology sector. Cliff is a Non-Executive Director on listed companies: Nearmap (ASX), TechnologyOne (ASX), A2B (ASX) and Bidcorp (JSE).
With a passion for the start-up space, Cliff was instrumental in helping start, and grow, Australia's leading online restaurant booking platform, Dimmi.com.au, which was sold to Tripadvisor in 2015; and was an early advisor to Afterpay, and on the board from IPO in 2016 to mid 2020.
In 2009 Cliff was the first employee for LinkedIn in the Asia Pacific region and was MD for Australia NZ and South East Asia from 2009 to 2017. He was also the MD of Yahoo! Australia NZ from 2003 to 2006. Cliff holds a bachelors and master's degree in business and information systems and is a member of the AICD.
David is the Non-Executive Chairman of Gale Pacific Limited. He was formerly a Non-Executive Director of Catalyst Education, Lomb Scientific, Muir Engineering, Direct Couriers and McPherson's Limited where he was formerly the Managing Director. Prior to joining McPherson's, David was Managing Director of Cascade Group Limited and he held senior positions with Elders IXL Limited and Castlemaine Tooheys Limited.
David holds a degree in engineering and prior to obtaining general management positions held managerial roles in production management, finance and marketing.
David Balkin A.M. is a Member of the Anacacia Capital Business Advisory Council, a Non-Executive Director of Acculec a distributor of electrical products and Root Partnerships a leading provider of professional services to the infrastructure sector. David was Non-Executive Chair of Anacacia former portfolio company, RIS Safety.
David retired in 2005 as a senior Director of McKinsey & Company where he worked since 1980 based in Sydney acting as a firm leader within the Asia Pacific region. David led McKinsey's relationships with Australian and New Zealand global leaders in mining, dairy, and pulp and paper to improve their profitability and growth. He was one of the McKinsey's leading energy and basic materials experts; the builder of the New Zealand practice; and one of the leaders of their firm's people development processes locally and globally.
David holds a Masters in Business Administration (High Distinction) from the Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (cum laude) from the University of the Witwatersrand. David received the honour of a Member (A.M.) in the General Division of the Order of Australia in 2012 for service to the community through leadership and board executive roles.
Dr Sarah Azzi - Chief Investment Officer
Job Titles:
- Investment Director
- Investment Director With
- Non - Executive Director of Duncan Technologies
Dr Sarah Azzi is an Investment Director with Anacacia Capital. Sarah is responsible for a range of activities including originating and assessing prospective investments, supporting portfolio companies and assisting with exit opportunities.
Sarah is a Non-Executive Director of Duncan Technologies the leading provider of parking, smart-city solutions. She was formerly a Non-Executive Director of Catalyst Education.
Prior to joining Anacacia, Sarah was a Principal in Mercer Investments' Private Markets Group where her role encompassed researching private markets products and assisting clients with the construction and monitoring of their private markets portfolios. Previously, Sarah was a Senior Investment Consultant at Sovereign Investment Research, a boutique alternatives investment advisory firm. Sarah was also a Research Analyst at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
Sarah holds a PhD in Banking and Finance from the Australian School of Business at the University of New South Wales and a Bachelor of Business (Honours) from UTS.
Job Titles:
- Senior Investment Analyst With
Eloise Ong is a Senior Investment Analyst with Anacacia Capital. She is responsible for a range of activities including assessing prospective investment opportunities, assisting with research, analysis and due diligence on industries and companies, and providing support for existing investments.
Prior to joining Anacacia, Eloise was a Manager in the Transaction Services team at PwC, specialising in due diligence and deal advisory across SME transactions.
Eloise has a Bachelor of Business (Distinction) from the University of Technology, Sydney and is a qualified Chartered Accountant.
Helen Zimmerman is a Member of the Anacacia Capital Business Advisory Council and former Non-Executive Director of Anacacia portfolio company, Catalyst Education. Helen was formerly a senior executive at Navitas, an Australian global education provider. Prior to joining Navitas she was Managing Director of ACL, Australia's largest private provider of English language education. At both ACL and Navitas Helen was a leading advocate for international and domestic education policy and regulatory issues across the English language, vocational and higher education sectors.
Helen is an experienced board member. She is the current Chair of the Australian Government's Tuition Protection Service, VSL Tuition Protection Fun and HELP Tuition Protection Fund Advisory Boards. She was appointed to the NSW Skills Board in December 2018. From 2015 to May 2019 Helen served on the Jobs for NSW Board. She was a director, and then Chair of the Australian Business and Community Network, a not-for-profit organisation that connects business with high need schools and learners through mentoring and partnership programs from 2011 to late 2017, and now is a member of the ABCN Foundation board.
Helen was a foundation board member of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) in 2004, and was President from 2012-2014, representing the peak body overseas and within Australia. In 2017 she was awarded the International Education Association of Australia's Distinguished Contribution Award for a colleague who has led ground breaking initiatives to improve international education in Australia.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Anacacia Business Advisory Council
- Non - Executive Director of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group
Ilana Atlas AO is a member of the Anacacia Business Advisory Council. Ilana is a non-executive director of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, Scentre Group, Origin Energy, Paul Ramsay Foundation and Jawun and a Panel Member of Adara Partners. She's the former Chair of Coca-Cola Amatil and Bell Shakespeare Company, former director of Westfield, Suncorp, Treasury Corp of NSW, ANU Pro Chancellor and Sydney University Senate Fellow and was a Managing Partner at Mallesons and a senior executive at Westpac including Chair of the Westpac Foundation.
Ilana holds a bachelor of law degree from the University of Western Australia and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Sydney and has received the honour of an Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the financial and manufacturing sectors, to education and to the arts.
Jade has more than 15 years accounting and funds management operations experience. Prior to joining Anacacia, Jade was a Business Analyst and Fund Accounting Manager at Link Fund Solutions (and its predecessor firm White Outsourcing).
Jade holds a Bachelor of Business with majors in Accounting from the University of Western Sydney, and is an Associate Member of CPA Australia.
Jade has 10 years accounting and funds management operations experience. Prior to joining Anacacia, Jade was a Business Analyst and Senior Fund Accountant at Link Fund Solutions (and its predecessor firm White Outsourcing) and Equities Administrator (Corporate Actions) at Macquarie Bank.
Jade holds a Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Science with majors in Finance and Applied Physics and a Graduate Conversion Course in Accounting from the University of Technology and Graduate Diploma of Chartered Accounting from Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Jeremy A. Samuel is the founder and Managing Director of Anacacia Capital. He is responsible for the overall management of the firm and chairs the investment committees. Jeremy is a Non-Executive Director of Anacacia portfolio companies: Duncan Technologies, Sureway and Opteon. He was also the former lead director for Anacacia's investments including: Appen, Big River, Direct Couriers, Home Appliances, Lomb Scientific, Rafferty's Garden and Yumi's Quality Foods.
Jeremy has led investments into small-medium enterprises (SMEs) across a range of industries including in consumer, services and industrial businesses. He is the former Chair of ANZ's private equity management committee and was previously a strategy consultant with Booz Allen (now PwC Strategy&).
Jeremy holds an MBA from Yale University School of Management and combined Arts/Law degrees from the University of New South Wales.
Malcolm Jackman is a Member of the Anacacia Capital Business Advisory Council, Non-Executive Chair of Big River, a leading manufacturer and distributor of timber and building products in Australia and Non-Executive Chair of Force Fire the leading Australian mid-market fire protection businesses. Malcolm acts as Strategic Advisor and Mentor to the Shareholders, Board and Executives of SuperGuardian, Kelly Tillage and Harrold & Kyte.
Malcolm is an experienced CEO being the former Managing Director of SAFECOM (South Australian Fire & Emergency Services Commission), Defence SA, Elders Limited, Coates Hire Limited and Manpower Australia and New Zealand. He was formerly a Non-Executive Director of Rubicor Group Limited.
Malcolm spent his early career as an officer in the Royal New Zealand Navy and holds degrees in accounting and mathematics. He is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Directors and a recipient of the Centenary of Federation Medal
Job Titles:
- Non - Executive Director
- Investment Director With
Martin Kaplan is an Investment Director with Anacacia Capital. Martin is responsible for a range of activities including assessing investment opportunities as well as supporting and serving on boards of investee companies.
Martin is a Non-Executive Director of Anacacia portfolio companies Big River Industries, a leading manufacturer and distributor of timber and building products in Australia; and Direct Couriers, an asset light B2B logistics provider. Martin is a former Non-Executive Director of: K Care Healthcare Equipment, NW Group and an alternate NED of Muir Engineering. Martin brings over 30 years of international business experience.
Prior to joining Anacacia, Martin led the private business corporate advisory team within Deloitte, focusing on SME's facing a transitional event involving succession, growth or divestment options. Previously, Martin worked with Investec in London providing transitional event funding for entrepreneurs and privately held corporations. Martin also led a private equity and corporate advisory company whilst in South Africa. Martin spent his early career as a Partner of Arthur Andersen heading up their business consulting practice that included working with mid-market SMEs.
Martin has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Cape Town and previously qualified as a Chartered Accountant (South Africa & Canada).
Michael Braham is a Member of the Anacacia Capital Business Advisory Council. Michael is former Non-Executive Director of Anacacia's portfolio companies: K-Care Healthcare Equipment, Home Appliances and Planet Services.
Michael is also Chairman of GPV Property and D&D Technologies Group. Past directorships include: Sydney Ports Corporation, Galileo Shopping America Trust, Fisher & Paykel Australia Holdings Ltd, Accord Pacific Group Ltd, Moly Mines and Neptune Orient Lines Australia. He has held positions on the compliance committees of the responsible entities for the funds of Westfield Trust and Westfield America Trust, Macquarie Goodman Industrial Trust, Commonwealth Bank and Colonial First State, and ANZ/ING Managed Funds.
Michael was previously the Regional Commissioner in New South Wales for the Australian Securities Commission, an Executive Director of Schroders Australia and a New Zealand Partner of Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young). Honorary activities have included being President of Glaucoma Australia, Vice Chairman of the State Ophthalmology Service and a Member of the Risk & Audit Committee of the National Trust (NSW).
Job Titles:
- Equity Analyst at Cooper Investors
- Senior Investment Analyst at Anacacia 's Wattle Fund
Shashank Gupta is a Senior Investment Analyst at Anacacia's Wattle Fund where he works with the portfolio manager to research and analyse new and existing investment opportunities. He is also responsible for conducting due diligence, assessing management teams and building financial models to assist in investment decisions.
Shashank has worked as an equity analyst at Cooper Investors and KIS Capital Partners prior to joining Anacacia. He began his career with KPMG India where he spent close to 5 years.
Shashank holds a Bachelors in Commerce from Delhi University and is an Indian Chartered Accountant. He has completed NYU's Advanced Valuation Program and has also passed all three levels of the CFA Program.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Manager for the Anacacia Global Fund
Shehan Goonesekera is the Portfolio Manager for the Anacacia Global Fund. He is responsible for assessing listed investment opportunities, researching, analysing, conducting due diligence on these and supporting investee companies.
He worked for Anacacia in the Wattle Fund team for five years, from 2015 to 2020. After two years working in New York, including for a global small-caps manager, he returned to Anacacia as the Global Fund's Portfolio Manager in 2022.
Shehan previously worked for Lonergan Edwards, Centre Lane Partners and Asset Management One.
Shehan has a Masters of Finance, International Finance from UNSW and a Bachelor of Commerce (Actuarial Studies) / Bachelor of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and is a CFA charterholder.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Manager of the Anacacia Wattle Fund
Tom Granger is the Portfolio Manager of the Anacacia Wattle Fund. He is responsible for a range of activities including assessing listed investment opportunities and helping to research, analyse and conduct due diligence and then supporting investee companies.
Tom previously worked at NAOS Asset Management for 7 years as an Associate Portfolio Manager and Investment Analyst.
Tom has a Master of Applied Finance from Kaplan Professional.