Rajay Ambekar

CEO, CIO - CA (SA) CFA

Rajay Ambekar, founder of Excelsia Capital, has more than 20 years’ financial services experience and 14 years’ investment experience with African Harvest, Cadiz, Prudential and Investec. He was a senior audit manager at KPMG prior to joining the investment industry as an equity analyst in 2003. His portfolio management experience from 2007 has ranged from relative value (Cadiz and Prudential) to deep value (Investec). At Investec he co-managed the Value franchise before leaving to establish Excelsia Capital. Rajay is a qualified CA(SA) and CFA charterholder.

Derek McDonald

COO, CFO - CA (SA)

Derek McDonald started at Coronation Asset Management in 1996 after completing his articles with Deloitte & Touche. Being a small business at the time, he quickly became involved with the financial, compliance, operational and company secretarial aspects of the business. In 2005 he joined Tantalum Capital – a startup hedge fund management company formed by senior ex-Coronation investment team members. He was responsible for the setup, control and ongoing maintenance of all non-investment related functions of the business in his capacity as CFO, COO and Compliance Officer. Derek is a qualified CA(SA).

William Moutloatse

Head of Business Development - BCom

William has over 22 years of financial market experience. He started at FNB as an Executive Trainee (1993) before transferring to the portfolio management division (1995) where he gained experience in trust and private client portfolios. He joined Stanlib as a portfolio manager (1996) then moved to Transnet Pension Fund Administrators (2000), where he was responsible for equities, bonds and alternative assets. He joined Novare as Head of Fund Consulting (2007) and became the CEO of Novare Actuaries and Consultants (2012). He left Novare to become CEO at Maru Asset Managers (2014). He has a BCom degree from the University of the Western Cape.

Richard Middleton

Portfolio Manager BEng MBA

Richard began in 1997 at RMB Asset Management as a Mining Analyst before joining Liberty Asset Management as an Industrial Analyst and assistant Portfolio Manager. In 2002 he headed up Stanlib Asset Management’s Growth franchise, managing segregated balanced funds, unit trusts and a market neutral hedge fund. In 2010 he joined Investec Asset Management, where he managed the Growth Equity strategy as well as Emerging Companies strategy and in 2015 transferred to Investec Wealth & Investments where he managed bespoke multi-asset portfolios as well as income generating and value orientated mandates. Richard has a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Metallurgical Engineering and an MBA from Wits University.

Mark Narramore

Analyst - CFA

Mark started his career in financial services in 2011 at JP Morgan before joining Novitas Capital as a Corporate Finance Executive in 2013. His role involved assisting both listed and private companies raising capital, concluding sale mandates, M&A and corporate restructuring across various industries. In 2015 he left to join Warwick Wealth as an Investment Analyst and Portfolio Manager. Mark holds a BCom (Investment Management) and is a CFA charterholder.

Trish Naidoo

Analyst - BSc

Trish Naidoo started her career in asset management at RECM where she trained as an Equity Analyst. She thereafter worked at Sanlam Investment Management and Efficient Select. She has over three years of experience within the investment field. Prior to that, Trish spent five years at the Forensic Science Laboratory as a DNA analyst. She holds a BSc (Genetics and Development), a BCom (Financial Management) as well as a Honours in Financial Analysis and Portfolio Management.