FUNDING AND TREASURY
EFFICIENT ENERGY
SMART TECHNOLOGY
LEGAL ADVISORY
OUTDOOR ADVERTISING
WATER MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS
Johnny Wates
B.Bus.Sci (Fin Honours), MSc Financial Analysis and Fund Management, CFA
Johnny started his career in investment banking and corporate finance in 2005 after completing his Honours degree at the University of Cape Town. Following a year’s postgraduate study at the University of Exeter in the UK and having completed his master’s degree in financial Analysis and Fund Management, Johnny returned to South Africa and joined Nodus Capital in 2008.
Johnny was involved in several structured debt and equity transactions at Nodus Capital and was instrumental in the first placement and origination by a non-banking entity of a corporate bond (R500m) and commercial paper note (R300m) for Omnia Holdings Ltd. Johnny went on to complete his CFA in June 2009, whilst at Nodus Capital.
Johnny joined Nexus Asset Management in 2010 and was involved in the management and execution of the Genometry futures hedge fund, currency hedging for corporate clients and assisted with financial modelling for the specialised debt fund.
In 2012, Johnny joined the Sectional Title Solutions Group as a partner and is currently responsible for managing a range of businesses within the group. Over the past 10 years, Johnny has been instrumental in several advancements and transactions for the group, including structuring a performance guarantee with Hollard which was later restructured as a trade credit insurance policy and is still active on the Community Scheme loan funding today.
In 2016, Johnny, together with Justin, formulated the concept of Sectional Title Solutions, the entity focused on providing various value add solutions to the Community Scheme industry. The concept of diversification took hold, and the group entered the Fibre Network space, teaming up with SA Digital Villages to deliver Fibre network infrastructure to gated estates. Our success with SA Digital Villages later led to a new relationship with VOX Telecom and Frogfoot, which yielded further reach nationally.
In 2017, Johnny was instrumental in conceptualising and structuring the solar and efficient energy business within the group and together with Justin and two other partners, Bright Light Solar VCC Ltd was formed as a S12J investment entity. To date, Bright Light has raised in excess of R340m and has fully deployed these funds into efficient energy projects predominantly for Community Schemes.
Johnny has also spearheaded several other initiatives including the establishment of the outdoor advertising solution, a Community Scheme treasury solution, in partnership with Anchor Capital, and the Community Scheme management platform, in partnership with Glovent.
In 2021, Johnny led the transaction where BC Funding Solutions listed a Note on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, under the Redink Rentals Ltd Programme Memorandum. This was a maiden issue of a listed Note and the first investment by institutional investors into the Community Scheme lending space.
