StanChart cuts African private equity team

The head of Standard Chartered’s African fund, which has $800 million invested, is set to leave the bank as it trims its private equity team on the continent, its global head of private equity said yesterday.

Peter Baird, who was appointed in 2011 and has 20 years’ experience in private equity and investment banking, will be replaced by Ronald Tamale, a former Goldman Sachs analyst, CEO of Standard Chartered Private Equity Joe Stevens told Reuters.

 Baird declined to comment. It was not clear if he quit or was removed. African economies have struggled over the last year with lower commodity prices, rising government debt and weakening currencies.

Many of Standard Chartered’s investments are in Nigeria, where subdued oil prices have pushed Africa’s biggest economy to the brink of recession and banks have wrestled with acute foreign exchange shortages.

 Yemi Osindero, head of Standard Chartered’s West Africa private equity business, is also leaving the bank, along with his colleague Nana Dankwa, to start an independent African fund, a Standard Chartered private equity source told Reuters.  — Reuters