Zimpapers Logo

Mr George Manyere

Business Reporter
A leading investment holding and advisory company, Brainworks Capital, will always be on the hunt for international partners to bring into Zimbabwe, leveraging on the opportunities in the various sectors of the economy.

Brainworks Capital focuses on Zimbabwe and select markets in Sub-Saharan Africa and sees Zimbabwe as a lucrative and exciting investment destination.

“We believe that the future is bright,” Brainworks Capital group chief executive officer Mr George Manyere recently said.

“Our model has always been to identify strong international operating partners, try and play our role in attracting them to come and invest in Zimbabwe.

“We want to convince them that it is a great place to invest,” said Mr Manyere.

Brainworks Capital’s model goes beyond luring international capital into the country but extends to monitor companies’ performance so that investors reap rewards.

The company has built a diversified portfolio of assets in the financial services, hospitality, real estate and energy logistics sectors in Zimbabwe.

It has a strong emphasis on payment of dividends to shareholders and targets paying up 25 percent of annual profits to investors.

“By doing that we need to also make sure that the follow through in terms of performance in the businesses that we partner with is successful. So we have applied this model through and through.

“In our early stages we got Ecobank into the country and we have been partners of Ecobank ever since. We have applied the same model in the hotel and real estate industry.

“This year we brought in the Legacy Group and IAG to work through the hotel properties of African Sun. We have applied the same model in our logistic business and right now it is the fastest growing petroleum logistics company,” said Mr Manyere.

But for local companies to attract investors, listed concerns should focus on performance, improving efficiency and pay dividends to shareholders, according to Mr Manyere.

“Shareholders do not invest on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange just for them to just watch and say I have stocks in these counters.

“That is why we feel very strongly that there is need for greater openness, transparency, commitment to dividend payment and return on shareholders not only on capital growth.

“We will always look at businesses that are listed not necessarily in terms of the share price but in terms of what are they delivering on the bottom line,” said Mr Manyere.

Brainworks investments include Getbucks, Getsure, FMO Trucks, African Sun, Dawn properties and Dawn Property Consultancy.