Directors

Robin Vela

Chairman and Founder

Robin is the Founder and Chairman of Lonsa Group Limited (“Lonsa”), a Mauritius-incorporated principal impact investment holding entity in industrials (building solutions), energy, logistics, and affordable housing sectors in the SADC region. Robin is also the Chairman of the Catapult Group, an industrial manufacturing and distribution of construction material group with an 80-year+ history.

He is also the former Chairman of the National Social Security Authority of Zimbabwe (“NSSA”) and former Chairman of First Mutual Wealth (Private) Limited, institutions with over US$2.75 billion and US$375 million of assets under management respectively under his watch. He is a professionally qualified and experienced Investment Banker; and Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (“ICAEW”) and the UK Chartered Securities Institute. In 2016, he was appointed to the ICAEW Member’s Advisory Board for Africa. In 2017, Robin was named the Megafeast Business Leader of the Year in Zimbabwe.

Robin is also a member of the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa and the past Patron of the African Institute of Petroleum. Robin is also a former appointed consultant to the World Bank and IFC.

He has held numerous public listed and private company directorships including Create Ventures Limited, Create Partners Limited, NSSA, SacOil Holdings Limited, First Mutual Holdings Limited, First Mutual Wealth Limited, First Banking Corporation Holdings Limited, FBC Reinsurance Limited, Firstmile Properties Private Limited, and Lonsa Group Limited. Robin graduated with an honours degree in Economics and Accounting from Bristol University.

Mogens-Schmidt

Non-Executive Director

Mogens is a non-executive director of Lonsa Group Limited. He has more than 30 years of experience in investment banking, strategy consulting, interim management, and most recently private equity. Before joining Lonsa Group Limited, he co-founded Emerald Capital Management (“Emerald”), a London-based private equity sponsor targeting European small and mid-cap transformational growth equity transactions, and currently sits on the board of Verida Credit, a Romanian primary mortgage institution funded by the US International Development Finance Corporation in Washington DC (the former OPIC).

He is also a founding partner of the Argo Capital Partners Fund 1 targeting growth equity transactions in Africa, East Europe, and Central Europe. He executed US$150m of equity investments across 10 transactions as both investment and operating partner working intimately with portfolio companies beyond board roles navigating commercial and operational opportunities and challenges. His principal investment experience includes financial services, pharmaceuticals, IT Services, commercial real estate development, telecoms, agriculture, and aviation.

Gaudencia Matongo

Operations and Administration Executive

Gaudencia became the Operations and Administration Executive of Lonsa Group Limited at the inception of the company in 2004. She is in charge of the day-to-day operations, HR, and administration of the Group of Companies. Prior to joining Lonsa Group in 2004, she worked for 4 years for the African Management Services Company (AMSCO), a special purpose vehicle of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), IMF & World Bank.

Gaudencia worked as a Projects Associate to help improve the quality of Corporate Governance and Management in sub-Saharan African countries, particularly in the context of Private Sector Development. She also sat on the local internal UN Projects Approval Committee. Gaudencia brings over 20 years of dedicated experience in office admin, operations, and project management.

Executive Management

Simon Mutasa

Group Financial Manager

Simon is the Group Finance Manager of Lonsa Group. He is a qualified Accountant, with a successful career spanning over 20 years, 10 of those years spent in various senior roles in the real estate sector.

He is a former Finance Manager on various property portfolios with AFHCO, Broll and CBRE Excellerate that included Residential , Industrial and Retail properties including the financial management of a property portfolio consisting of more than 40 properties across Southern Africa , Middle East and North Africa regions. Simon’s experience brings a wealth of financial management experience with considerable experience specifically in the property sector.

Riaan Botha

Group Senior Accountant

Riaan is the Group Senior Accountant for Lonsa Group. His successful career in accounting spans more than 15 years.

Riaan is the results-oriented Group Senior accountant responsible for overseeing the reporting and financial accounting activities of multi-sector subsidiary companies within the corporate structure.

His years of experience and knowledge contribute to the success of the Lonsa Group.

Catherine Riba

Office Manager/PR/ Marketing and Media Officer

Catherine is the office manager and PR/ Media officer for Lonsa Group Limited. She has over a decade of office management experience in various industries including mining, construction, and executive search.

She is equipped with exceptional ability to facilitate all aspects of internal and external communications, and support the day-to-day administrative, financial, and operational functions by working collaboratively with executives and department heads.

The Team