Scott Needham is an alternative investment specialist at AlphaWealth, a multi-family office boutique advisory and wealth management firm. He heads up the Alternative Investment division with cross-geographical global mandates that cover private equity, venture capital, mezzanine debt and direct property. The division currently manages over R2 billion in investments.
Scott is also the fund manager of Panglossian Capital, a multimillion-rand special opportunities debt-lending fund which structures unique credit solutions throughout South Africa. In the 12 months of operations ending February 2020, the fund realised a net return of 19,74%, making it one of the best-performing debt funds in the country. He also manages Concurrence Capital, a private pool of funding dedicated to early-stage businesses and funds based predominantly in the United Kingdom, Canada and the USA, with a look-through exposure to more than 300 companies. He manages several other special purpose structures in the group spread across RSA, Mauritius, BVI and the UK with distinctive investment allocations.
Scott is a non-executive board member and the only African representative of the Global Corporate Finance Society, an international non-profit organisation that promotes accessible online financial education. He also manages the philanthropic arm of AlphaWealth, Alpha Foundation, which is committed to the development and upliftment of disadvantaged communities in South Africa. In recent months, under Scott’s guidance the foundation has successfully facilitated infrastructure development, relief package distribution and community access to free Wi-Fi, as well as core sponsorship.
Scott is also a registered and appointed SANParks honorary ranger, volunteering in the Kruger National Park on various conservation initiatives and fund-raising activities, including anti-rhino-poaching fundraising, maintenance of the K9 Unit and multi-day snare-removal bush treks.
Scott is a sports enthusiast who plays competitive hockey while enjoying social golf, squash, trail running and football. He is passionate about impactful investing that does not give up on the fundamentals, developing next-generation ideas, continuous improvement and giving generously, all the while striving to set an example as a business leader.
By providing not only credibility but, more importantly, ability Scott believes the CA(SA) brand has been the foundation on which he has been able to forge his career.
