COMMITTED | CONSISTENT | CATALYSTS
Risk comes from not knowing what you are doing.
- Warren Buffett
WHAT WE DO
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Calibre Capital is an independent long-term investment business.
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We invest our own permanent capital, enabling us to be consistent, patient and agile.
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We invest in both private and public companies across an array of industries and geographies that meet our investment principles.
OUR HISTORY
A passion to grow businesses, teams, and opportunities with like-minded partners led founders to create Calibre Capital in 2002.
Passion led us here.
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With a passion for growing businesses within South Africa, Calibre Capital was founded in 2002 by Theunis de Bruyn, Piet Viljoen and a third partner whom later emigrated.
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By 2003, only 1 year later, the founders created a fund management company namely - Regarding Capital Management (RECM).
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In 2009, Calibre Capital and RECM formed a joint venture called RECM And Calibre Limited (RAC).
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In June 2010, the non-cumulative redeemable participating preference shares of RAC were listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
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In 2013, Jan van Niekerk joined the group as a partner in RECM, RAC and Calibre Capital.
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In 2019, Benji Coetzee joined the team to accelerate investment value creation and deal sourcing.
OUR TEAM
Together, the core team of Calibre Capital share more than 80 years of accumulated proven experience in the field of investing and strategic value creation.
Theunis de Bruyn
Managing Director
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Theunis is the Founder and Managing director of Calibre Capital.
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A Chartered Accountant by trade, and a Harvard Business School alumni.
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After serving articles at Ernst & Young, Theunis joined Ford SA as Assistant Group Treasurer. He later joined Huysamer Stals stockbroking firm (thereafter sold to ABN AMRO). Here he led the research team developing a number of South Africa’s top analysts, in addition to being ranked the number 1 insurance analyst.
Piet Viljoen
Non-Executive Director
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Piet started out as a lecturer at the University of Pretoria and subsequently joined South African Reserve Bank (SARB) as an economic analyst.
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He joined Allan Gray Investment Counsel in 1991 as a portfolio manager and in 1995 Piet moved on to Investec Asset Management. Piet founded RECM in 2003.
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He is Executive Director of JSE listed RAC, Executive Director and Chairman of Counterpoint and a Non-Executive Director of Astoria.
Jan van Niekerk
Non-Executive Director
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Jan is an actuary by trade, with over 20 years of business and investment experience.
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Jan served as Chief Investment Officer of a large South African private client wealth manager and as the Chief Executive Officer of renowned Peregrine Holdings, a JSE-listed financial services firm.
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Jan is currently the Chief Executive Officer of JSE listed RAC and a Non-Executive Director of Astoria.
Venture Partner
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Benji acts as a Venture Investment Partner, working closely with founders and entrepreneurs scouting for diverse pipeline.
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She is an entrepreneur, author and impact evangelist; founder of Fintech SureCargo (exit '19 to Santova BV), EmptyTrips (exit '19 to Vector Logistics / RCL Foods), both bootstrapped by Seedpitch advisory.
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Benji has enjoyed a global and ambitious corporate career with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Singular Group, HSBC Africa, Hollard Insurance, VodafoneZiggo and KPN across South Africa, Switzerland, UAE and Netherlands. Read more
OUR EDGE
The combination of our investment philosophy, principles and process enable us to remain committed to our values of utmost trust and passion to grow businesses.
Leading woman, inspire, Benji Coetzee #benji #coetzee #entrepreneur #executive #woman #female #top
Digital Officer Chief Top leader Benji. Coetzee change
Our Philosophy
COMMITTED
CONSISTENT
CATALYSTS
CALIBRE
4 C'S
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We Commit Consistently to Catalyse high Calibre businesses.
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Our philosophy is to invest in, and, commit to proven passionate management teams, to consistently help them catalyse their growth potential.
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Steadfast partnerships, a patient long-term view paired with a value-creation mindset has solidified our edge and successful track record.
Our Principles
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We invest for the long term and rarely sell investments.
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We seek like-minded business owners and managers to partner with.
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We take influential positions including both minority and controlling interests.
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We favour businesses with proven, passionate management teams that are prepared to co-invest – we like to invest with management we trust and that trust us.
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We will consider investments in early-stage businesses where the business model has been proven.
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We see our role as partners that provide owners and management of quality businesses with the capital, tools, and support to catalyse the evolution from a good business to a great business.
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We do not involve ourselves in the day-to-day running of businesses, but we are there to provide insight and tools as needed.
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We are ALWAYS guided by mutual trust.
Our Process
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We are uncomplicated. However, if we appreciate your business and passion we will request a few items to conduct a review.
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We only invest in things we can understand, simplicity is key.
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We will require detailed input with regards to the operating environment, management team and the ambitions to formulate a recommendation as input to negotiation.
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All information is treated with utmost confidentiality.
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If we do invest, we are able to bring in-depth expertise for growth, optimisation and strategic direction to enhance value, alongside expansive networks with influence.
OUR PREFERENCES
We participate in an array of transaction types, across industries with blended criteria as required.
Transaction Types
We participate in an array of transaction types, but are open to those not listed:
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Company Exits
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Company Privatisations
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Replacement of Shareholders
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Management Buy-Outs
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Management Buy-Ins and Succession Planning
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Growth and Expansion
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Mergers and Acquisitions
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Balance Sheet Restructuring
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Off-Shore New Business Setup
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BBB-EE Restructuring
Criteria
We do not think in boxes, yet we have certain preferences.
We provide capital to companies with a proven track-record paired with promising business models and passionate management teams.
Ideally, these are profitable or near profitable businesses, i.e. revenue generating.
There are three critical criteria we consider which business must have:
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Passionate and experienced management team with a growth mindset.
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A sustainable business and revenue model.
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A vision and desire to grow and expand their footprint or offering.
*** Typically prefer post-revenue business.
Industries
Our ideal business has strong returns on capital that can be reinvested for organic or acquisitive growth. Our industry focus is broad given our focus on proven business models and management teams.
Past investments span across numerous industries of interest:
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Engineering
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Manufacturing
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Industrial supplies
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Mining & supplies
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Pharmaceuticals & health
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Beauty (incl. skincare & services)
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Consumer & Retail
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Financial services
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Insurance
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Information technology
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Salvage
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Black Economic Empowerment
Geographies
We are Africans.
We are committed to the development of the South African markets and local job creation; however, we do consider and have various interests globally.
We will follow and support our founders if they intend to expand into other geographies and the economics support this.
We will selectively consider off-shore investment opportunities.
OUR NETWORK
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Our work at Calibre Capital is grounded in the belief that people are interdependent, fundamentally good, and inherently capable.
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It’s with this notion that we make deliberate efforts to nurture and enhance each of our investees and associates into a steadfast network – as people, teams, companies and confidants.
ASSOCIATES
INVESTMENTS
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Via our network of associates, co-investing companies and strategic alliances we are able to consider a variety of investment types, as well as offer strategic niche support as required.
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Our investees span across industries and maturity yet are all available if needed for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
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A few examples of historic and current investments are shown below.
CALIBRE SCOUT NETWORK
Many know great businesses, or the bold individuals behind them. We would like to know them too!
Calibre Capital’s success is founded not only in our long term philosophy, but by the power of our network and reputation.
Many of our favorite deal successes have been achieved by virtue of our friends referring friends, who become our friends, and refer their friends.
We hope you join us in finding great businesses.
Are you a #calibrescout and want to submit a deal?
Reach out! Click on below and we will get back to you.
Have a business but not confident it will make the cut? Need some mentorship to pitch perfect? Reach out to Seedpitch, where we collaborate to enable and identify ventures at right maturity level for our appetite.
UNSURE IF YOUR BUSINESS WOULD BE OF INTEREST?
Contact us if you require:
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Guidance and capital in exiting all, or, part of your business.
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Require guidance and capital for succession planning.
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Capital to fund organic growth (enhanced capacity).
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Capital to fund a strategic acquisition or merger.
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Capital to expand your geographic footprint.
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Capital for a management buy-out or management buy-in.
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Funds to buy-out or replace a business partner.
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Funds to take your public company private.
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Mentorship and insights.