Atlas Capital Launches Private Equity Unit, Names Khaoula Ramdi as Head
Doha – Atlas Capital Group has appointed Khaoula Ramdi as the managing partner of its newly established private equity division, Atlas Capital Private Equity (ACPE), marking a strategic entry into Morocco's expanding private equity market.
The new unit, currently awaiting regulatory approval from the Moroccan Capital Market Authority (AMMC) for collective investment fund management, aims to raise at least MAD 1 billion ($100 million) in its inaugural fundraising campaign through Atlas Capital Fund I (AC Fund I).
The launch comes as Morocco continues to strengthen its position as a key private equity player in Africa. Atlas Capital, an investment bank wholly owned by its management, is broadening its offerings under the leadership of Rachid Marrakchi, who joined as board chairman in June 2023 after serving 24 years as an executive board member and CEO of BMCI.
Ramdi brings over two decades of private equity expertise to her new role. Prior to joining Atlas Capital, she served as managing director at Upline Investments, where she structured two collective investment funds totaling MAD 2 billion ($200 million).
Her track record includes managing funds with sizable assets under management: €85 million at Upline Group, €210 million at Investisseurs & Partenaires, and involvement with Sarona Asset Management's $329 million portfolio.
The new division will focus on providing investors with diversification opportunities through Collective Capital Investment Funds (FPCC). This investment mechanism allows for direct capital participation in unlisted companies, particularly targeting growing businesses, companies undergoing restructuring, as well as innovative ventures.
Ramdi's extensive experience spans multiple markets and includes positions at prominent firms. She worked as an investment director at Investisseurs & Partenaires in Paris, focusing on Sub-Saharan African SMEs, and as a senior investment officer at Sarona Asset Management in Toronto.
Earlier in her career, she managed the Massinissa fund at Almamed, which invested €50 million in Moroccan SMEs, and worked at Capital Invest, overseeing three funds with €160 million in assets.
Ramdi holds degrees from Paris-Dauphine University and ISCAE Casablanca, along with a French Certified Public Accountant qualification. She began her career at Arthur Andersen/Ernst & Young Paris, where she worked in audit and transaction services.
The launch of ACPE and the pending launch of its first fund represent Atlas Capital's strategic move to capitalize on Morocco's fast-evolving private equity market, particularly focusing on supporting SMEs and startups, which are considered integral to the national economy.
Read also: Hassan Laaziri Elected President of Morocco's Capital Investors Association AMIC Tags: private equity firm in morocco
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