The Pemba team have a deep understanding of founders, the challenges they face, and the support they need to achieve their ambitions. Our Sherpas have a variety of backgrounds and skillsets. At the heart of this diversity is a shared passion for supporting businesses to grow.
Meet Your Sherpas.
Leadership
Magnus Hildingsson
Managing DirectorMagnus Hildingsson
Managing DirectorMagnus is a Managing Director at Pemba. Magnus has over twenty years private equity experience in originating, executing and managing investments.
Magnus joined Pemba from Cinven, a leading European private equity fund, where he was based in London and responsible for the Nordic region. At Cinven he completed investments in the business services, healthcare and industrials sectors.
Prior to Cinven, Magnus was at Intermediate Capital Group and Nomura, During this time Magnus completed transactions in a variety of sectors including consumer, healthcare, media and telecommunications.
Magnus has a Bachelor of Science (Economics) with Honours from the London School of Economics.
Mark Summerhayes
Managing DirectorMark Summerhayes
Managing DirectorMark is a Managing Director at Pemba. Mark has over 30 years of private equity, principal investing and middle market advisory experience.
Since joining Pemba in 2005 Mark has co-led the spin out of the captive fund from Pemba in 2009 , $650m fundraise in 2016 (backed by HarbourVest and a group of other global and local LPs) which established the firm as one of the leaders in its segment in Australia and NZ, followed by $400m fundraise in 2020.
Prior to joining Pemba, Mark was Managing Director of Smedvig Capital and one of the senior executives responsible for investing, managing and reporting on a diversified A$350m private equity portfolio. Before Smedvig capital, Mark co-founded SB Capital Partners, a private equity partnership, backed by Bain Capital where he spent several years advising corporates on a mix of strategy, M&A and operational improvements.
Mark has a Bachelor and Master of Arts (Economics) from Cambridge University.
Tom Matthews
Managing DirectorTom Matthews
Managing DirectorTom is a Managing Director at Pemba. Tom has over 20 years of experience in private equity, principal investment, investment banking and middle market advisory and valuations.
Tom has led several transactions across the platform investments of ReadyTech, Marque Group, Open Office, ONCALL, RxPx, Vets Central, Acis, Aurizn, the subsequent bolt on acquisitions and partnerships of many of these partner companies, and the exits of ReadyTech (IPO), Marque Group (trade sale) and Open Office (trade sale).
Tom joined Pemba from Sovereign Capital, the UK ‘Buy & Build’ specialist private equity fund, where he focused on investing in mid-market consolidators in the healthcare, education and business services sectors. Tom successfully completed over 50 buy and build transactions.
Before Sovereign Capital, Tom was with the Investment Banking Group at Macquarie Bank Limited, which focused on principal investment opportunities across a variety of sectors. Prior to Macquarie, Tom gained substantial transaction experience at Deloitte Corporate Finance both in Sydney and London.
Tom is a CFA charter holder, a member of the Sydney CFA Society, and also has a Masters of Applied Finance and Investment from FINSIA and a BSc (Honours) degree in Management Sciences from the London School of Economics.
Mark Bryan
PartnerMark Bryan
PartnerMark is a Partner at Pemba and leads the Accelerate team assisting partner companies with growth initiatives, assimilating buy-and-build strategies and exit preparation.
Mark recently led the public-to-private transaction of MSL Solutions which was merged with Bepoz to form the Oolio Group.
Mark has over 25 years experience of analysing and investing in the technology sector with specific expertise in SaaS-based platforms. He has a track record of successfully leading various ASX IPO’s including MYOB, ELMO, Whispir and Readytech, and has led private capital raises. Mark has expertise in equity valuation, IPO processes, strategic & financial planning, investor communication and fundraising.
Prior to Pemba, Mark was Head of Research at Wilsons, a wealth advisory business with a strong niche in small-to-mid caps. He was a Director at Bank of America Merrill Lynch leading the small-to-mid-cap research team, his gaming team was ranked No.1 in the All-Asia Institutional Investor survey. He was also a Director at Deutsche Bank in London where he led the European Technology Research team. Mark also worked with ABN AMRO as Head of European Software & IT Services research coverage.
Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) UEA in Economics, is a Fellow of CPA Australia and Graduate of the Institute of Company Directors in Australia.
Robert Haybittel
PartnerRobert Haybittel
PartnerRobert is a Partner at Pemba and leads the Transact team.
Robert has over 11 years of private equity and investment banking experience in mergers & acquisitions, restructuring and equity capital markets. Robert joined Pemba Capital Partners from global investment bank Morgan Stanley where he advised private equity and corporate clients on deal mandates across a broad range of sectors including general industrials, healthcare, infrastructure & utilities and natural resources.
Prior to Morgan Stanley Robert spent two years at stockbroking firm Baillieu Holst. Robert also spent several years competing on the professional tennis circuit.
Robert has a Bachelor of Commerce and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Originate
Thomas Barter
OriginateThomas Barter
OriginateTom joins the Originate team to lead efforts in Vertical Software.
Tom joins Pemba from J.P. Morgan where he was a Relationship Manager covering a portfolio of multinational clients. In this role, Tom delivered local and regional solutions across Foreign Exchange, Credit and Transactional Banking.
Tom holds a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Sydney.
Jack Hammett
OriginateJack Hammett
OriginateJack leads Pemba’s Originate efforts in Business Services, building our network in the sector and assessing new investment opportunities. Jack works closely with the Board and management teams at our partner companies, including Rennie and ConnellGriffin, focusing on M&A strategy and the successful identification and execution of bolt-on acquisitions.
With a decade of experience spanning investment banking (M&A), private equity and business development, Jack has worked extensively with ambitious businesses on M&A and growth initiatives. He brings local financial advisory expertise from roles at Houlihan Lokey and Luminis Partners, along with international experience at Moelis & Company in London.
Jack is a University of Oxford graduate, and holds a Masters from the School of Geography and the Environment.
Cailin McEntee
OriginateCailin McEntee
OriginateCailin is a member of the Originate Team. She is focused on building relationships with founders in the financial services sector.
Cailin has six years’ experience in executive search, focusing on C-Suite and Board level appointments. Most recently she was a Research Consultant with Derwent in the Industrial Practice, where she worked closely with senior leaders to understand the needs of the people within the organisation as well as broader objectives, providing market insights on matters relating to recruitment and succession planning.
Cailin has a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) and a Bachelor of Commerce (Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations) from Curtin University, Western Australia.
Elle Solferini
OriginateElle Solferini
OriginateElle leads Pemba’s Originate efforts in Healthcare and Education & Training.
Elle was formerly the Senior M&A Lead at Una Brands, APAC’s leading e-commerce aggregator headquartered in Singapore.
During this time, Elle led the origination, evaluation & negotiation of M&A transactions in the e-commerce and retail industry across ANZ, US & UK markets. Elle was also the Global Partnership Lead whereby she established and managed their global partnership function.
Prior, Elle was in the Executive Advisory & Leadership Consulting industry at Heidrick & Struggles International and Johnson Partners – with a focus on both Technology and Financial Services. Elle commenced her career with internships at global management consulting firm Q5.
Elle holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales.
Transact
Nic Badings
TransactNic Badings
TransactNic is an Investment Associate in Pemba’s Transact team, focusing on the Healthcare sector.
Before Pemba, Nic honed his skills at a global Prime Broker and distinguished himself as an analyst in the Sydney University Business School’s Managed Investment Fund. Specialising in IT and Telecommunication, he earned High Distinction honours for his adept portfolio management and stock selection.
Nic is a graduate of the University of Sydney, holding a Bachelor of Economics with majors in Finance and Economics.
Katrina Engelbert
TransactKatrina Engelbert
TransactKatrina is an Investment Manager in Pemba’s Transact team, focusing on the technology sector.
Prior to joining Pemba, Katrina spent two years with RBC Capital Markets in the Industrials and Technology Group providing support on mergers and acquisitions, capital raises and other financial advisory services.
Katrina holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Business (Finance) from the University of Technology Sydney and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Yvonne He
TransactYvonne He
TransactYvonne is an Investment Analyst in Pemba’s Transact team.
Prior to joining Pemba, Yvonne gained experience in investment banking and venture capital where most recently, she spent several years at Macquarie Capital advising on a number of notable public, private and cross-border transactions across the general industrials, financial sponsors and financial institutions space.
Yvonne holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce (majoring in Finance) from the University of New South Wales.
Jonathan Holding
TransactJonathan Holding
TransactJonathan is an Investment Director in Pemba’s Transact team, focusing on the Business Services sector.
Jonathan joined Pemba from Limerston Capital, a UK based mid-market private equity fund, where he was an Investment Director and spent 5 years investing across the business services, education and healthcare sectors. Before Limerston, Jonathan worked with UK Growth Equity investor Kennet Partners and PFM Cornerstone, a Sydney based healthcare focused venture capital firm. He started his career in the Mergers & Acquisitions team at Deutsche Bank in Sydney.
Jonathan holds a Master of Business Administration (Distinction) from London Business School, a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Information Systems from Melbourne University.
Rhys Jennings
TransactRhys Jennings
TransactRhys is an Investment Analyst in Pemba’s Transact team focusing on the technology sector.
Most recently, Rhys was with Moelis & Company in their Investment Banking Division in Sydney.
Rhys holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce (with Distinction) from the University of Sydney.
Jordan Kuhnemann
TransactJordan Kuhnemann
TransactJordan is an Investment Manager in Pemba’s Transact team, focusing on the Business Services sector.
Jordan has been involved in Pemba’s platform investments in Open Office (exited 2020), ONCALL, RxMx, Bepoz, and the take-private of MSL Solutions (and resulting merger with Bepoz). He also led the bolt-ons of Idealpos and Deliverit for Bepoz, and Pemba’s partnership with Canadian based Curatio (and resulting merger with RxMx to create RxPx).
Jordan holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from Bond University.
Mark Legh
TransactMark Legh
TransactMark has 10 years of experience across Private Equity, Venture Capital and Corporate Finance.
Prior to joining Pemba, Mark worked in London for a multi-family office where he was focussed on high-growth technology investments between late-seed to pre-IPO stage and at PwC Australia in the Mergers and Acquisitions team.
Mark holds an MBA from the University of Oxford (Distinction), Bachelor of Commerce & Bachelor of Economics from the University of Queensland and is a Chartered Accountant (CAANZ).
Jack Murphy
TransactJack Murphy
TransactJack is an Investment Associate in Pemba’s Transact team, focusing on business services and technology sectors.
Jack joined Pemba from Kester Capital, where his primary focus was on buyouts within the UK lower mid-market.
Before his tenure at Kester, Jack qualified as a chartered accountant at KPMG, subsequently spending two years in their corporate finance department.
He has a degree in Economics from the University of Durham.
Logan Wilson
TransactLogan Wilson
TransactLogan is an Investment Analyst in Pemba’s Transact Team focusing on the Business Services and Specialist IT Services sectors.
Logan began his time at Pemba as part of the quarterly internship program, where he was recruited based on his academic and co-curricular achievements. Logan was a scholarship recipient at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and represented UTS on the AMP Youth Advisory Committee.
Logan holds a Bachelor of Business (with Distinction) and an Honours Degree in Finance (Honours Class 2) from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
Philipa Wong
TransactPhilipa Wong
TransactPhilipa is an Investment Analyst in Pemba’s Transact team.
Prior to Pemba, Philipa spent two and half years with Luminis Partners (in affiliation with Evercore) advising public and private companies on a range of corporate transactions including mergers and acquisitions and strategic reviews across the industrial, consumer and service sectors. Before this, Philipa was a consultant within EY’s transaction financial due diligence team.
Philipa holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours in Finance) from the University of Western Australia.
Vlad Vukic
TransactVlad Vukic
TransactVlad is an Investment Manager in Pemba’s Transact team, focusing on the Financial Services sector.
Vlad’ s experience includes strategy consulting and investment banking most recently at Brookfield Asset Management in London and previously Strategy & Co (formerly Booz & Co) in Sydney.
Vlad holds a Bachelor of Commerce (with Distinction) and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours Class 1) from the University of New South Wales. He also holds an MBA from the London Business School.
Accelerate
Nick Burton
AccelerateNick Burton
AccelerateNick is a Director at Pemba and leads the Accelerate team, assisting Pemba’s partner companies to grow their business through organic growth initiatives and targeted strategic acquisitions.
Prior to Pemba, Nick spent three and a half years at Enero Group (ASX:EGG), a portfolio of marketing and adtech companies, where he led group strategy and corporate development. He also worked closely with Enero’s portfolio companies to develop and execute their strategic plans.
Previously, Nick was a Senior Manager at Bain & Company, where he worked on projects focused on corporate strategy, innovation strategy, sales and go-to-market strategy and new product development, as well as new operating models, organisational effectiveness and major cost reduction programmes. Nick also worked extensively with private equity funds, helping them to assess potential target companies and drive value creation post-acquisition. Nick spent his early career at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, selling transaction banking technology into Australia’s largest enterprise clients.
Nick holds an MBA from London Business School, and a Bachelor of Arts (Economics and Japanese) from the University of Sydney.
Max Connell
Chief Financial OfficerMax Connell
Chief Financial OfficerMax leads the finance function at Pemba and works with Pemba’s partner companies to implement financial reporting processes post-acquisition.
Max joined Pemba from VetPartners, a PE backed vet consolidator. Max led & scaled VetPartners’ M&A function, growing the business from 32 sites to the largest vet roll-up in ANZ with 250 sites, including leading the $310m EV public to private of competitor NVC. Prior to VetPartners, Max worked in Big 4 Chartered Accounting, advising private clients in a range of industries on tax, accounting, audit, and commercial matters, as well as within the Transaction Services team advising on a number of acquisitions in the $50-$200m EV range.
Max is a Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of New South Wales.
Ashleigh James
AccelerateAshleigh James
AccelerateAshleigh is a key member of the Accelerate team, where she supports partner companies in achieving their strategic goals through both organic and inorganic growth initiatives.
Prior to her current position, Ashleigh spent five years at PwC as a Manager within the Mergers & Acquisitions team. There, she provided support to a diverse clientele, including private equity firms and mid-market corporations, facilitating transformative transactions across various industry sectors. Additionally, she worked in PwC’s Corporate Value Advisory team, where she advised clients on measuring and realising value from acquisitions, restructuring and investments.
Bachelor of Science and Agribusiness (Division 1 Honours) from University of Sydney.
Josh Sharp
AccelerateJosh Sharp
AccelerateJosh is a key member of the Accelerate team and focuses on providing support to our partner companies with growth initiatives, assimilating buy-and-build strategies and exit preparations.
Josh has over 13 years’ experience in finance, working within high performing teams including national sports teams and 10 years’ experience working at PwC UK and Australia where he occupied many roles including Director across financial due diligence, corporate finance, SPA and strategy. During this tenure, Josh supported mid-market companies extract value throughout operations, data, succession and exit planning.
Josh is qualified chartered accountant and holds a Bachelor of Arts Hons (Business Accounting and Finance) University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Angus Ritchie
AccelerateAngus Ritchie
AccelerateAngus plays a key role within the Accelerate team, supporting partner companies with growth initiatives, implementing buy-and-build strategies, and exit preparations.
Having previously worked for a global pharmaceutical manufacturing business Angus brings a diverse skillset to the team.
Angus holds a Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours), a Graduate Certificate of Finance and Masters of Applied Finance (Candidate) from UTS and Macquarie Business School respectively.
Accelerate - Specialist Advisors
Brad Ackerman
Technology & SystemsBrad Ackerman
Technology & SystemsBrad thrives at the intersection of technology, innovation, and leadership, consistently driving advancements across various companies. With more than two decades in the industry, Brad has adeptly taken on diverse roles, advancing through the ranks with a clear vision and agile execution. His experience ranges from Chief Technology Officer at foundU and SuperConcepts to R&D Director at ASX-listed TechnologyOne (ASX:TNE), where he has been instrumental in fostering innovation and transformation.
In his current engagement, Brad has returned to SuperConcepts as Chief Operating Officer and Co-Investor, bringing a strategic technological edge to his leadership. Simultaneously, he leverages his extensive experience in a consultancy role with Pemba, engineering strategic technology frameworks to support business agility and robust growth trajectories.
Brad holds a Bachelor of Information Technology from the Queensland University of Technology.
Jo Hands
Integration & TransformationJo Hands
Integration & TransformationWith a transformational mindset and deep financial acumen, Jo’s diverse professional background has led her to create next-generation operating models, fostering faster growth and dramatic transformation in both domestic, and international capacities.
Jo loves leadership teams that embrace the idea of comprehensive change in business operations, herself having played an active role in the transformation journey across multiple business sectors and industries. With experience tackling all the factors that create value for an organisation, including top and bottom line expenditures, business model redesign and overall strategy, she reacts dynamically, and inputs meticulous milestones, with clear responsibilities that enable tight management to drive execution and progress.
Working to better define change and capture the full value in any scenario, Jo doesn’t just expect more, she redefines expectations. Understanding that effective leadership ultimately underpins everything, she champions new models of working, that epitomise speed and dexterity, anchoring transformation with bold and efficient decisions. Keeping high performing teams consistently engaged, Jo recognises the impact of inspiration and the importance of celebrating success, in teams great and small.
Jo’s highly sought after critical competencies are demonstrated by her willingness to stay in the fray, building a stronger organisation and cross functional relationships to drive businesses forward. Never missing an opportunity to enhance efficiency and productivity, Jo uses her extensive experience to create environments of continuous engagement, and better companies.
Rebecca Martin
Branding & MarketingRebecca Martin
Branding & MarketingRebecca is an award-winning brand, marketing and communications strategist with more than 20 years’ experience working with B2B and B2C brands.
Strategic, creative and highly versatile, Rebecca provides counsel and advice on brand, marketing, communications and PR.
Rebecca creates clarity around brand structure and purpose, and supports organisations to develop an integrated and high performing communications eco-systems.
Trusted by businesses for her strategic and pragmatic advice, her ability to collaborate and problem solve across complex and competing issues, Rebecca is laser focused on ensuring that brand communications activities successfully further the objectives of the business.
She has deep experience across a range of industries including technology, energy, infrastructure, government and the not for profit sector, and is well versed in advising organisations with complex stakeholder, regulatory and market considerations.
Pete Mycock
GrowthPete Mycock
GrowthPeter, as an executive leader building and driving accelerated growth in venture backed companies in global markets for the past few decades, has provided him with unique insights of how organisations can successfully scale their sales, customer success and marketing teams.
As a consultant or board observer, Peter has advised across a number of different sectors including SaaS, software services, ecommerce and AI. He has industry expertise in finance, telecoms, retail, travel and digital content.
Prior to his consulting business Peter was CRO for a global SaaS technology business where he was responsible for the strategy, operations, team building and revenue growth for APAC and USA.
David Nanfra
Leadership, Talent & CultureDavid Nanfra
Leadership, Talent & CultureDavid works as the team’s high-performance coach at Pemba Capital Partners. David has over 25 years’ experience in leadership, business, entrepreneurship and coaching, delivering impact through his tailored programs in Leadership Development, High Performing Teams and Career Transition and Development.
He is a values and strengths-based coach and believes that high growth in business is predicated on building teams that can effectively harness the collective intelligence of each individual through connection and trust.
David is dedicated to the team’s professional and personal development, and his practical organisational experience means he can confidently communicate with all types of leaders. He has a strong network of high performing clients across varying high growth businesses and industries.
Andrew Cox
Financial AdvisoryAndrew Cox
Financial AdvisoryAndrew is a specialist sell-side advisor, who is known for his innovative approach to distilling value. He brings a distinctive blend of strategic vision and creative finesse to position businesses with a compelling narrative. He leverages an ownership mindset and informed perception to design bespoke processes and deliver impressive results.
Andrew is the founder of Cardinal Mark, which brings an original perspective and inventive edge to traditional advice. He has been an investment banker for 30 years, including 10 years as a Managing Director at Bank of America. He has a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws (first class honours) from the University of Sydney.
Mark O'Hare
Cyber SecurityMark O'Hare
Cyber SecurityMark is a distinguished Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and IT professional, with over twenty-five years of experience in the field. For more than a decade, he served as the CISO for Mimecast, a global SaaS security company. Although his career began in the technical and engineering sectors of IT, Mark found his true calling in the management and executive tracks of cybersecurity. Here, he excelled in formulating and implementing cybersecurity strategies, overseeing cyber risk management, and fostering talent within his security teams.
As an Executive and Director of Mimecast Australia, Mark demonstrated his ability to plan and execute strategy, governance, and risk programs, effectively supporting the vision, mission, and objectives of rapidly expanding organisations.
Currently, Mark leverages his extensive experience as a cybersecurity consultant. His mission is to bolster the cyber-defences of organisations by working closely with them to assess their current cybersecurity maturity. He then crafts a tailored cybersecurity strategy and governance framework, ensuring the organisation’s resilience against cyber-attacks and fortifying their digital landscape.
Damian Parente
StrategyDamian Parente
StrategyDamian supports on value creation program delivery at Pemba. Prior to joining the team, Damian led creation program design and delivery at a leading healthcare focused investment firm, working alongside management to deliver large scale transformation and growth programs.
Damian has also spent time as a management consultant at Kearney, working across Australia and North America covering sectors including business services, healthcare, and technology.
Facilitate
Jacinta Georgiadis
FacilitateJacinta Georgiadis
FacilitateJacinta is a Marketing Associate on Pemba’s Facilitate Team, supporting all aspects of social media, presentation pitchbooks, events, branding, and communications.
Her marketing expertise spans diverse sectors, including engineering, design, construction, and financial services. Before joining Pemba, she worked as a Marketing Associate within the global the marketing team at Janus Henderson Investors Australia.
Jacinta holds a Bachelor of Design Studies (Visual Communication) from Western Sydney University.
Joseph Lee
FacilitateJoseph Lee
FacilitateJoseph is a Finance Analyst within our Facilitate team.
Joseph has worked for PwC in their Banking and Capital Markets division.
He is currently studying for a Bachelor of Laws/Commerce at the University of New South Wales.
Susi Murphy
FacilitateSusi Murphy
FacilitateSusi holds a multifaceted role overseeing compliance, HR, and financial management.
Susi has over 30 years of experience in various industries including investment banking, funds management, healthcare and venture capital. Earlier in her career Susi held operational and funds management roles at Macquarie Bank, The Boston Consulting Group, UBS Asset Management and Sydney Futures Exchange.
Susi holds a Cert IV Human Resources and a Diploma of Marketing.
Amy Phillips
FacilitateAmy Phillips
FacilitateAmy is Executive Assistant playing a pivotal role in executive support, event management and operational efficiency.
Previously, Amy garnered valuable experience in the healthcare and professional services industries. Most notably, she held diverse roles at Healius Limited, progressing from Marketing Coordinator to CPD & Event Manager, culminating in an Executive Assistant role to high-level executives.
Amy has a Bachelor of Communications (Public Relations).
Shannon Potts
FacilitateShannon Potts
FacilitateShannon is manager of Pemba’s Investor Relations, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives and marketing endeavours.
Shannon’s extensive experience includes managerial positions in project management, information technology and hospitality. Previous employers include ACP, KPMG and Australian Business Technologies.
Shannon holds a Graduate Certificate of Marketing from Deakin University and a Bachelor of Media Communications (Deans Award) from Charles Sturt University.