South African bankers launch export, project finance advisory

Two export and project finance specialists have joined forces to launch a new financial advisory and consultancy firm focused on energy, infrastructure and natural resources projects in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Inal Henry and Khetha Rantao are the founding partners of ReagaInfra Capital, which offers advice on risk management, structured and export finance, ESG and sustainable finance and capital raising.

Henry was most recently head of structuring at Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) and was previously the South African lender’s head of export financing. Before joining RMB she worked in project and export finance for Absa Group.

Rantao left the Development Bank of Southern Africa as head of infrastructure finance in April last year. Before joining the lender she spent 11 years with RMB as a senior dealmaker in various sectors. She is also a non-executive member of credit committees for other firms.

Sub-Saharan Africa is a major recipient of export finance from commercial African, European and Asian lenders, frequently backed by export credit agencies or provided in conjunction with development banks.

“Infrastructure investment is the backbone of long-term economic development,” Rantao tells GTR. “Across the African context, we partner with clients to expedite the rollout of sustainable infrastructure projects.”

Henry says the firm “guides sponsors and developers through bringing development projects to life”.

“We work with our clients from day one, from conceptualisation to bankability, and beyond, providing full-scale project support services across the energy, infrastructure and extractives sectors.”