Development Partners International (DPI)

Press release

June 1, 2020

FinDev Canada invests in private company expansion across Africa with leading equity firm Development Partners International

Press Releases

FinDev Canada announced an investment of USD 20M in African Development Partners III (ADP III)...

Expected Development Impact

Market development

Supporting decent employment: ADP III's portfolio companies are projected to contribute directly to local market development by creating quality employment through full-time equivalent jobs across sectors, especially for women. Through its previous two funds with a similar thesis, DPI made a significant impact on the market by supporting over 34,000 full-time jobs, 29% of which are held by women. The new capital injection is expected to sustain and create local jobs, as the growth in local companies will require additional employees. DPI plans to actively monitor the job quality and improvement of labor and working conditions of ADP III portfolio companies.
GDP contribution through economic value-added: ADP III portfolio companies are expected to drive positive social and economic impact in the markets of operation. DPI's previous funds - ADP I and ADP II - have generated a significant economic value-added through their investees that in 2014-2019 alone have cumulatively paid US$764M in taxes.

Market Development

Through its previous two funds with a similar thesis, DPI made a significant impact on the market by supporting over 34,000 full-time jobs, 29% of which are held by women.

Women’s Economic Empowerment

Providing multiple opportunities for women: Co-founded by Runa Alam and Miles Morland, fund managers with decades of experience in Africa, and with equal female representation at the senior management level, DPI has been committed to gender balance, equality and diversity in its portfolio companies, as well as within its team. With ADP III, DPI strengthened its commitment by adopting an innovative and comprehensive gender0lens investing strategy which embeds the 2X Challenge criteria in its investment process evaluation and monitoring. ADP III will work with investees to increase women's access to entrepreneurship, leadership, quality employment, and products and services in their portfolio. It will target at least 30% of its capital into 2X eligible companies, i.e. those that are women-owned or led, that maintain a high level of female employment, or that design products that specifically benefit women.

Climate Action

Climate action: DPI is committed to supporting its investees to reduce their environmental footprint, with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards being a key part of the investment process: from origination to monitoring to exit. DPI implements a rigorous ESG & impact framework, which features climate action key performance indicators (KPIs). For each investment, DPI identifies the climate change impacts, as well as potential energy and water efficiency impacts, and includes them as part of a detailed ESG action plan designed to align investees with the IFC Environmental and Social Performance Standards. DPI is a signatory to the UN Principles for Impact Management. ADP III is expected to adhere to these high ESG practices, upgrading them as needed, within its investee companies.