More Than 30 Years Across Strategy, Investment and Corporate Finance
Frencel Gillion
Founder – Primera Capital & Primera Business Coaching
Chartered Accountant (SA) | Corporate Finance Advisor | Executive Coach
Primera Capital is led by Frencel Gillion CA(SA), a corporate finance, investment and strategy professional with more than 30 years of experience spanning executive leadership, investment management, private equity, capital raising, mergers and acquisitions and business strategy.
His career has placed him on different sides of the capital and transaction landscape — as a senior executive, corporate finance advisor, private equity investor, investment executive and principal responsible for deploying and raising capital.
This breadth of experience provides the perspective that underpins Primera Capital today: understanding not only how to formulate strategy, but how to evaluate opportunities, allocate capital, structure transactions and execute.
His career has placed him on different sides of the capital and transaction landscape — as a senior executive, corporate finance advisor, private equity investor, investment executive and principal responsible for deploying and raising capital.
This breadth of experience provides the perspective that underpins Primera Capital today: understanding not only how to formulate strategy, but how to evaluate opportunities, allocate capital, structure transactions and execute.
I work at the intersection of:
- Capital
- Strategy
- Leadership
- Founder transition
growth → value → transferability
Selected Career Experience
Group Financial Director
As Group Financial Director of Kagiso Tiso Holdings, Frencel was involved in the strategic and financial development of one of South Africa's leading investment holding groups.
During his tenure, he:
During his tenure, he:
- Raised approximately R3 billion in capital
- Participated in significant acquisitions and corporate transactions
- Was involved in a major public-to-private transaction
- Worked alongside the investment and executive teams in evaluating and executing acquisitions
- Contributed to strategic, financial and capital allocation decisions across the group
The role combined executive financial leadership with capital raising, investment and transaction execution.
Head of Investments
At Sakumnoto Group, Frencel led the investment team within an investment holding company environment.
His responsibilities included evaluating investment opportunities and leading the execution of a number of buy-side transactions on behalf of the group.
The role included:
His responsibilities included evaluating investment opportunities and leading the execution of a number of buy-side transactions on behalf of the group.
The role included:
- Leadership of the investment team
- Investment strategy and opportunity assessment
- Evaluation and execution of acquisitions
- Financial and commercial analysis
- Transaction structuring
- Due diligence
- Negotiation and transaction execution
- Portfolio and investment oversight
Head of Corporate Finance
At the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Frencel held senior corporate finance and investment responsibilities, including responsibility for a private equity fund portfolio.
His experience included:
This experience provided direct exposure to the complete investment process — from identifying and evaluating opportunities through to executing transactions and managing investments from a shareholder perspective.
His experience included:
- Management and oversight of the private equity fund portfolio
- Evaluation of private equity and strategic investment opportunities
- Investment in a number of private equity-type transactions on behalf of the institution
- Financial analysis and valuation
- Due diligence
- Transaction structuring and execution
- Portfolio management
This experience provided direct exposure to the complete investment process — from identifying and evaluating opportunities through to executing transactions and managing investments from a shareholder perspective.
Experience Across the Capital Lifecycle
Strategy
Strategy
Assessing markets, business models, competitive positioning and growth opportunities.
Capital Allocation
Determining where capital should be deployed and evaluating the expected risk and return.
Capital Raising
Strategy
Assessing markets, business models, competitive positioning and growth opportunities.
Investment
Evaluating businesses from the perspective of an institutional and private equity investor.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Strategy
Assessing markets, business models, competitive positioning and growth opportunities.
Portfolio Management
Determining where capital should be deployed and evaluating the expected risk and return.
Executive Leadership
Understanding the practical realities of implementing strategy and managing businesses from inside the organisation.
This combination gives Primera Capital a perspective that extends beyond traditional consulting or transaction advisory.
We understand the business.
We understand the capital.
We understand the investor.
And we understand the transaction.
Selected Recent Experience
Strategic & Financial Advisory — Business Rescue
Advisory support on the South African Post Office business rescue, one of the largest business rescue assignments undertaken in South Africa.
Working alongside the Business Rescue Practitioners and executive management team, Frencel Gillion was responsible for developing the strategic plan and providing strategic input into the broader business rescue plan.
He also developed the financial modelling supporting the business rescue plan and subsequently worked with the executive team on implementation.
Scope of Work
Group Financial Director
As Group Financial Director of Kagiso Tiso Holdings, Frencel was involved in the strategic and financial development of one of South Africa's leading investment holding groups.
During his tenure, he:
During his tenure, he:
- Raised approximately R3 billion in capital
- Participated in significant acquisitions and corporate transactions
- Was involved in a major public-to-private transaction
- Worked alongside the investment and executive teams in evaluating and executing acquisitions
- Contributed to strategic, financial and capital allocation decisions across the group
The role combined executive financial leadership with capital raising, investment and transaction execution.
Fractional Chief Investment Officer
Frencel Gillion served as Fractional Chief Investment Officer to AfriFund, an investment company developing a diversified portfolio across infrastructure and other investment assets.
The role combines investment strategy with transaction execution, providing senior investment capability as AfriFund develops and implements its investment portfolio.
The role combines investment strategy with transaction execution, providing senior investment capability as AfriFund develops and implements its investment portfolio.
Scope of Work
- Development and refinement of investment strategy
- Evaluation of investment opportunities
- Financial and commercial assessment of prospective transactions
- Management of transaction processes
- Due diligence oversight and coordination
- Investment structuring
- Support in the preparation of investment and capital-raising materials
- Investor and stakeholder engagement
- Implementation and execution of selected transactions
The mandate reflects Primera Capital's ability to provide clients with senior strategic and investment capability on a flexible basis, combining investment judgement with hands-on transaction execution.
