Our mission is to help great ideas become bankable – we are particularly passionate about sustainable solutions for the low income and renewable energy sectors.
PEOPLE
Our solutions are built on the innovative thinking of our people.
Finnovators is led by its’ CEO Kevin Wiles. Francois Coetzee has taken up a board position in place of his father Johan Coetzee.
Amo Hlahla is our most recent addition. The team leverages their business network to include additional skills appropriate to each project.
Kevin Wiles
Kevin qualified as a CA with Arthur Andersen, and went on to head the Tax Division and was appointed deputy Managing Partner for Arthur Andersen South Africa. In 1997 Kevin joined Rand Merchant Bank, becoming the head of the Structured Finance Team, as well as sitting on the RMB Structuring Committee which reviews all complex deals for the bank.
Together with Johan Coetzee, he developed RMB’s funding framework for social housing projects. In 2009, Kevin co-founded Finnovators, a network of experienced financial experts.
Amo Hlahla
Amo completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting, from Wits University, in 2015. Throughout his studies he plied his trade in the media industry having worked in several different roles at Classic FM Radio; including writing bulletins on the news desk. He spent his last year with the station as the content and logistics producer for the Classic Business Show. Amo has been part of the Finnovators team since May 2017.
Johan Coetzee sadly passed away in July 2019. We are fortunate to be able to access his legacy of detailed financial modelling and financial instrument structuring which form the basis of our funding advisory solutions. His son – Francois – has offered support to the company and has been appointed to the Board of Directors.
IDEAS
Our innovation stems from our ability to craft funding solutions that create added value for key stakeholders. We have a fresh perspective of advising from the borrowers point of view while not being constrained to any one lender.
Our funding solutions are grounded in many years of banking experience and expertise in:
- Preliminary project Due Diligence & Bankability Studies
- Advanced project funding models (incl. cash flows, funding mix requirements etc.)
- Tailor-made, off-balance sheet project funding solutions
- Arranging, structuring & implementation of project funding
- Structuring and sourcing of acquisition finance
- Syndication of project debt (for mature projects)
- Transaction advisory services
– Valuation
– Negotiation
– Structuring
– Transaction management
– Buy-side and Sell-side return enhancement strategies
- Negotiations with all relevant project stakeholders – funders, project principals, professionals & government (local, provincial & national)
- Development of key terms and conditions of necessary funding agreements & other project-related legal contracts
Special features incorporated into our financial solutions include:
- Mix of mezzanine and senior funding at a blended rate for the project.
- Accommodation of multiple funders with different participation rights.
- Legal structure that accommodates sharing of collateral among funders.
- Fixed Rand commitments for foreign funding.
- Incorporation of fixed rate funding as required by project sponsors.
VALUE
We identify Value in projects.
We offer Value in our services.
We deliver Value through our solutions.
Finnovators’ solutions have brought extended benefits and greater value to projects in the following sectors:
Infrastructure
finance
Renewable
energy
Trade & Commodity finance
and
more
Residential
(affordable housing, student accommodation)
Freight Rail
Gold
Oil
Chrome
Coal
Fish farming
Small-scale agriculture
Mining Equipment & Services
Financial Services & Products for the lower income market
Job Creation & Training
Afri-Solar Smart Grid
The Company “Afri-Solar SmartGrid” will focus on supplying a Renewable Energy solution but working in the most efficient manner with a combination of Grid connection, Battery Storage and Generator back-up if required.
The Renewable Energy solution will be Solar PV. Battery Storage will be based on Lithium Ion technology.
TECHNOLOGY
World leading Storage Management is to be supplied by Qinous. Further information at www.qinous.de
Main holding company in Germany is Rolls-Royce Power systems who are ideally placed to provide the generator backup solutions through their MTU subsidiary.
Further information at www.rrpowersystems.com
TARGET CUSTOMERS
Our first customer is planned to use the Afri-Smart Grid solution for the crops planted at the end of 2020 as part of the Vaalharts Agricultural Scheme
This scheme involves the cultivation of 36 000ha comprising 1 000 farms owned by 340 separate farmers.
The objective is to provide full off-grid power solutions for load shedding and peak shaving thereby ensuring no crop losses and cost-effective power costs (based on more economical Solar PV). Major indirect Value will be created through Food Security and preserving Labour Wages.
CONTACT US
Want to meet us, learn more about our services or discuss a specific project? Here are our contact details.
+27 (0)87 808 7022
87a 20th Street
Parkhurst
2193
Johannesburg
South Africa
