INVESTING IN THE GROWTH OF AFRICA

We invest in growing African businesses through partnerships with local entrepreneurs

Exclusively Focused on Sub-Saharan Africa with operations in 16 countries

Lonrho provides long term patient capital building on over 100 years of African expertise

We pride ourselves on operating at the highest global standards of governance

Lonrho management and support functions operate from offices based in Johannesburg, Mauritius and London

IN NUMBERS

16
COUNTRIES
1000+
EMPLOYEES
100+
YEARS HISTORY

The enormous economic and social development that Africa has achieved over the last decade is forecast to continue for the foreseebale future, with six of the ten fastest growing economies in the world being in Africa.

By 2025, almost one-fifth of the world's population will be living in Africa which when coupled with rapid urbanisation and rising income will lead to consumer spending expected to reach $2 trillion, a vast accessible market.

OUR VISION

Our vision is to become a leading investment company able to capitalise on the growth of Sub-Saharan Africa.

“Lonrho is a privately-owned company with patient capital focussed on investing in the growth of Africa.

The company has extensive geographic presence in sub-Saharan markets with over 100 years’ capital investment history.“
Christopher M. Chambers
Executive Chairman

INVESTMENT STRATEGY AND CURRENT PORTFOLIO

Lonrho is exclusively focused on the opportunities that exist in the rapidly developing and growing continent of Africa.

Key Focus Sectors

Lonrho is a diversified investor, with experience and investments in multiple sectors.
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We apply capital solely in Sub-Saharan Africa, seeking interesting opportunities across industry groups, but with priority focus on the following:

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  • Food/beverage processing
  • Machinery and Capital goods distribution
  • Financial services (asset/trade finance platforms)

Typical Transaction Profile

  • Primary capital deal (injecting capital for expansion, bolt-on acquisitions or deleveraging)
  • Founder led and owned company
  • Outside of a competitive auction
  • Controlling equity positions or likely to have a clear route to control
  • Opportunity for Lonrho to effect value-enhancing change through our network, group functions, portfolio companies and our governance experience

Key Investment Criteria

  • Profitable and cash generative
  • Requiring equity investment between $5m-$20m
  • No start-up / greenfield investments
  • High quality management team
  • Either a market leader or potential to be

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Should you be seeking investment and fulfil the above criteria, please contact us to discuss further.

Complete Enterprise Solutions is an Information Technology solutions company operating in South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia. The company specialises in IT infrastructure, communication and security.

Lonrho holds a substantial shareholding in Atlantis Food Holdings, South Africa’s largest independent fully integrated Seafood importer, trader and processor.

The Luba Freeport is a Lonrho held (63% share ownership) and managed deep-water port on the island of Bioko.

Brands ConsumerGroup is a distributor of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (‘FMCG’) for both international and local principals in Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Malawi, with logistics capabilities based out of South Africa.

LonAgro is the official dealer and service agent for several international machinery brands in Mozambique, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Malawi together with a joint venture in Ethiopia.

For over 50 years, Lonrho Logistics has offered clients a comprehensive import/export, freight forwarding and logistical management solutions to importers and exporters around South Africa.

Big Bottling Company holds exclusive rights to bottle and distribute the beverage products developed by AJE, one of the largest multinational beverage companies.

From its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya – with associated offices in Tanzania, Uganda, the USA and Canada, AFEX provides cost effective solutions to remote site project support needs

Complete Enterprise Solutions is an Information Technology solutions company operating in South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia. The company specialises in IT infrastructure, communication and security.

Lonrho holds a substantial shareholding in Atlantis Food Holdings, South Africa’s largest independent fully integrated Seafood importer, trader and processor.

The Luba Freeport is a Lonrho held (63% share ownership) and managed deep-water port on the island of Bioko.

Brands ConsumerGroup is a distributor of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (‘FMCG’) for bothinternational and local principals in Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Malawi,with logistics capabilities based out of South Africa.

LonAgro is the official dealer and service agent for several international machinery brands in Mozambique, Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Malawi together with a joint venture in Ethiopia.

For over 50 years, Lonrho Logistics has offered clients a comprehensive import/export, freight forwarding and logistical management solutions to importers and exporters around South Africa.

AJEAST Nigeria Limited holds exclusive rights to bottle and distribute the beverage products developed by AJE, one of the largest multinational beverage companies.

View Portfolio Details

CORPORATE
VALUES

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

integrity

accountability

passion

performance

OUR PEOPLE

Bruno Sidler

Johannesburg
Group COO

Nick Taylor

Johannesburg
Chief Investment Officer

Ashleigh Woolf

London
Chief Legal Officer

Christopher M. Chambers

London
Executive Chairman

Rainer-Marc Frey

Zurich
Vice Chairman

Dr Johannes Fritz

Frankfurt
Non-Executive Director

Bruno Sidler

Johannesburg
Group COO

Nick Taylor

Johannesburg
Chief Investment Officer

Ashleigh Woolf

London
Chief Legal Officer

Christopher M. Chambers

London
Executive Chairman

Rainer-Marc Frey

Zurich
Vice Chairman

Dr Johannes Fritz

Frankfurt
Non-Executive Director
No items found.
View Team

OUR HISTORY

1909 - 1960

Incorporation and Lonrho's early days

  • Lonrho was incorporated in the United Kingdom in 1909 as the London and Rhodesian Mining and Land Company and began operating in Africa.
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  • The business initially focused on Zimbabwe (then known as Rhodesia), primarily with mining and agricultural activities.

The 1960's

Roland ‘Tiny’ Rowland joins

  • Tiny Rowland took Lonrho’s helm in 1961 with a strategy to transform the company into a worldwide conglomerate with a primary focus of operations in Africa

The 1960's

Lonrho starts it’s acquisitive journey

  • Lonrho lists on the London Stock Exchange.
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  • During this period Lonrho acquired a number of businesses including the sole franchise for Mercedes-Benz in Rhodesia, and Consolidated Holdings, a wholesaler and retail distributor of motor vehicle spare parts.

The 1960's

Lonrho starts it’s acquisitive journey

  • Lonrho invested in Mashaba Gold Mines, Kanyemba Gold Mines and A.O.P of Rhodesia.
  • Lonrho makes a bid for Ashanti, the world’s largest Goldmine at the time in Ghana.

The 1970’s and 1980s

A period of explosive growth

  • 1974 – Lonrho acquires Kenana Sugar in Sudan; the largest sugar estate in the world at the time.

The 1970’s and 1980s

A period of explosive growth

  • 1979 – Lonrho takes control of Nyaschere Copper Mine in Zambia.
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  • 1981 –Lonrho acquires the Observer, one of Britain’s largest Sunday newspapers

The 1970’s and 1980s

A period of explosive growth

  • November 1986 – Lonrho signs an oil pipeline pact with Uganda from the Kenyan border to Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Unfortunately, the construction of the pipeline is never realised.

The 1970’s and 1980s

A period of explosive growth

  • 1989 – Lonrho acquires the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi as part of Signet Hotels which became Lonrho Hotels Kenya.

The 1970’s and 1980s

A period of explosive growth

  • September 1989- Lonrho announces a major investment package for Kenya which includes; cement and sugar projects, a new shopping complex at Nairobi International Airport, expansion of the Norfolk Hotel and the development of a luxury Safari Club inside the Masai Mara.

The 1990's

Lonrho scale of operations reaches a peak

  • 1990 – By the 1990s, Lonrho was one of the world’s largest automotive distributors, selling Rolls Royce, Volkswagen, Audi and French, Japanese and American vehicles in Britain, Europe and Africa.
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  • Lonrho was also ranked as the largest single producer of food in Africa, owning 1.5million acres of land.

The 1990's

Lonrho disposes of many assets returning cash to shareholders.

  • 1993 – German financier, Dieter Bock becomes Lonrho’s largest shareholder.

The 1990's

Lonrho disposes of many assets returning cash to shareholders.

  • December 1994 – Tiny Rowland ends his tenure as Chief Executive on 31 December 1994.

The 1990's

Lonrho disposes of many assets returning cash to shareholders.

  • 1998 – Lonrho’s mining activities are split off into Lonmin
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  • The majority of the trophy Lonrho assets are disposed of and cash returned to shareholders

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • May 2006 – Lonrho acquires a majority stake in Luba Freeport Limited in Equatorial Guinea.

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • April 2010 – Lonrho acquires Trak-Auto, the Mozambican dealer for John Deere. Trak-Auto was re-branded as LonAgro in 2015.

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • Feb 2011 -  Lonrho purchases Kenyan based secure accommodation specialist AFEX Group. The company’s flagship camp; River Camp Juba (est. in 2006) is recognised as one of the safest and most comfortable accommodation facilities in South Sudan.

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • June 2011 – Lonrho acquires a majority equity interest in Cape Town based seafood wholesaler Fish On Line.

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • July 2011- Lonrho purchases Grindrod Logistics Perishable Division from Grindrod South Africa PTY Ltd, rebranding it Lonrho Logistics.

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • July 2011 Lonrho opens LonAgro Angola, taking over franchise rights from another distributor.

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • 2012 – Lonrho becomes a member of the United Nation Global Compact (UNGC), a global network for sustainable and responsible businesses.

2000 Onwards

Lonrho focuses on building non-mining African activities

  • January 2012 – Lonrho establishes LonAgro Tanzania and LonAgro South Sudan, becoming the sole tractor distributor in the country.

2013

Privatisation of Lonrho and a New Start

  • 19th July 2013 – 52 years after first listing on the London Stock Exchange, Lonrho returned to being a private company, following its acquisition by two leading Swiss businessmen – Rainer-Marc Frey and Thomas Schmidheiny.
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  • Lonrho commences a period of strategic rationalisation, involving exiting legacy assets, relocating the head office to Johannesburg from London and re-defining Lonrho’s sector and geographic focus to better align with the African opportunity.

2013 Onwards

A New Chapter Begins

  • August 2014 – Lonrho MES (Market Expansion Services) Ltd. is incorporated in Mauritius.

2013 Onwards

A New Chapter Begins

  • 2015 – AFEX Group opens its first camp since its acquisition by Lonrho; Kapese Village in Turkana. The camp can accommodate 468 guests and is leased in its entirety to Tullow Oil

2013 Onwards

A New Chapter Begins

  • December 2015 – Lonrho restructures their Seafood businesses, disposing of Oceanfresh and Fish-On-Line for a shareholding in Atlantis Foods (known as Supapackers at the time)

2013 Onwards

A New Chapter Begins

  • January 2016 - Lonrho Management commits to the UN’s Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs).

2013 Onwards

A New Chapter Begins

  • January 2016 – Lonrho establishes LonAgro Malawi and LonAgro Rwanda.
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  • March 2016 - LonAgro enters a joint partnership with Gedeb Engineering, the distributor for John Deere in Ethiopia.

2013 Onwards

A New Chapter Begins

  • August 2017 – LonAgro Mozambique and LonAgro Malawi are appointed exclusive dealers for Bell Equipment in their respective countries.

2013 Onwards

A New Chapter Begins

  • October 2017 - Atlantis Foods acquires Breco Seafoods, a leading seafood trading and distribution business in South Africa.

2013 Onwards

A New Chapter Begins

  • July 2018 – Lonrho invests in AJEAST Nigeria, the Nigerian arm of AJE’s bottling and distribution business.
  • After a long period of ownership, Lonrho successfully disposes of its shareholding in the AFEX business, operational in Kenya and South Sudan
  • August 2019 – Lonrho invests into Brands Consumer Group, a FMCG distributor in Zambia, Namibia and Malawi and simultaneously acquires Safari Distributors in Botswana with the objective of merging both businesses.
1909
2000
2019
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