Website www.act.is Total assets 7.6 billion USD Number of employees 200 | Headquarters London, United Kingdom Founded 2004 Predecessor CDC Group | |
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Industry Private equity, Emerging markets Type of business Limited liability partnership Profiles | ||
Actis (commonly known as Actis) is a multi asset emerging market investor. It has a growing portfolio of investments across Asia, Africa and Latin America and US$7.6bn funds under management. Applying developed market disciplines to emerging markets, an established team of c. 100 investment professionals in ten countries identify investment opportunities in private equity, energy and real estate. Actis is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI), an investor initiative developed by the UNEP FI and the UN Global Compact. Actis targets consistent superior returns across asset classes over the long-term, bringing financial and social benefits to investors, consumers and communities. It is focused on investments in emerging markets in Africa, China, India, Latin America, and South East Asia. Actis has over 100 investment professionals located in nine countries around the emerging markets.
Actis was formed in July 2004, as a spinout of CDC Group plc (formerly the Commonwealth Development Corporation), an organization established by the UK Government in 1948 to invest in developing economies in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. The Actis management team acquired majority ownership of CDC's emerging markets investment platform.
History
Actis was created in 2004 as a spinout from CDC Group and a 60% stake was sold to CDC managers and staff for a total consideration of £373,000. The new company was given a five-year 'umbrella' guarantee that it would continue to manage all CDC's existing overseas investments totalling $900 million in CDC funds. According to the UK's Department for International Development, the price was agreed after a valuation by financial advisers KPMG. Under the 2004 deal that created Actis, if the company was to be sold on the open market within 10 years, 80% of the profits and proceeds would go back to the government.
In 2007, UK prime minister Gordon Brown came under attack over the sell-off of Actis after it became apparent that the formerly government-owned business had made millions of pounds for its former employees.
On 1 May 2012 the Secretary of State for International Development, Andrew Mitchell, announced that the state's remaining 40% stake had been sold to the Actis management for an initial £8m. The deal also included a share of future profits that could be worth over £62m to the UK Government.
In August 2013, Actis acquired the South African firm Transaction Capital’s payment services unit, Paycorp, for $95 million.
In October 2013, the firm announced it had invested $48 million in the Indian pharmaceuticals company Symbiotec Pharmalab for a "significant stake".