Graham Thomas

Cape Town. I was born there and lived there until I was 24. My parents and sisters and their families live there still, as well as my oldest friends, so it has a real place in my heart. On top of that, it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world – sea, beaches, mountains, rivers, amazing walks, world class food and wine. And great opportunities to play and watch sport – sitting at Newlands cricket ground with a cold beer, watching a test match in the shadow of Table Mountain is tough to beat.

Time limits all the things I would like to do, but if I had to keep only one hobby it would be fly fishing. I’ve been lucky enough to fish all over the world, and standing in a stream casting a small fly for a wild trout is extremely good for the soul.

I think the big investment opportunity in Growth Markets is consumer related – and in many ways Financial Services are the ultimate consumer good. The ability to store value and have liquidity when required is essential to basic economic activity, and what every consumer needs. The “reverse innovation” concept is key here – in the same way that mobile telephony leap frogged legacy and often absent fixed line technologies, I believe Financial Services in Growth Markets are creating a whole new paradigm.

An energetic and driven team, intellectually curious and with a real sense of mission.