RiA Podcast Ep21: Scaling Financial Modelling and Inclusive Financial Solutions Across Africa with Ruben Mooneesawmy

In June 2024, I had the pleasure of attending the Africa Energy Forum in Barcelona. Amidst the buzz and excitement, I finally had the opportunity to meet someone I had only known virtually for nearly five years – Ruben Mooneesawmy. Ruben and I had interacted online countless times, exchanging ideas, collaborating on projects, and discussing our shared passion for Africa’s financial and energy sectors. However, meeting him in person at the conference felt like the missing piece of the puzzle had finally clicked into place.

The moment we met, I knew I couldn’t miss the chance to sit down with him and record a podcast interview. As the CEO and Founder of Numeris and Axcel Insights, Ruben is a true visionary and leader in the field of financial modelling, valuations, and corporate finance across Africa and beyond. Our conversation that day was both enlightening and inspiring, offering deep insights into the future of financial innovation and how it's shaping the African continent.

Let me share some key takeaways from my conversation with Ruben.

Building Numeris: Financial Innovation Across Africa

During our conversation, Ruben explained his journey as the leader of Numeris, a forward-thinking financial modelling and valuation platform. What makes Numeris stand out is its diverse, pan-African team that brings together expertise from across the continent. Ruben shared how important it is to build solutions that cater to Africa’s unique financial needs while creating a team that mirrors the diversity of the continent.

Numeris goes beyond numbers; it’s a platform built with the vision of empowering businesses across Africa to tap into global financial solutions that work for their specific challenges. Whether it’s through financial modelling or offering valuation services, the platform serves as a critical resource for businesses looking to scale and attract investors. Ruben emphasized the need for such platforms in Africa, where local markets have historically been underserved by global financial tools.

Axcel Insights: Capital Raising and Strategic Advisory

Ruben’s journey doesn’t stop with Numeris. He is also the founder of Axcel Insights, a licensed advisory firm that specialises in capital raises, mergers, acquisitions, and debt restructuring in Africa. In our discussion, Ruben highlighted Axcel Insights’ role in driving significant financial transactions in some of Africa’s most competitive sectors, including energy.

What sets Axcel Insights apart is its ability to provide nuanced, locally-relevant advice while operating at a global standard. As Ruben shared, many African businesses often find themselves overshadowed by the presence of larger, global firms, especially the Big 4. However, Axcel Insights offers a unique competitive edge by providing financial services tailored to Africa’s markets with the expertise of a global firm but the attention to detail of a local player.

Championing African Startups and the Power Sector

One thing that stood out in my conversation with Ruben was his deep passion for championing African startups. Through Numeris and Axcel Insights, Ruben has been instrumental in preparing startups for investment readiness, providing them with inclusive financial solutions that help them scale and attract funding.

Ruben also shared his strong focus on Africa’s power sector, particularly on renewable energy. He believes that Africa is on the cusp of a renewable energy revolution, and financial innovation has a key role to play in unlocking its potential. His team works closely with developers and investors alike, ensuring that the financial modelling behind renewable projects is sound, attractive, and investor-ready.

Driving Financial Innovation with Diversity

Diversity is a central theme in Ruben’s work. Both Numeris and Axcel Insights prioritize diversity, not just within their teams but in their approach to tackling financial challenges across borders. Ruben explained how a diversity of perspectives and experiences leads to more creative financial solutions and stronger partnerships across countries and industries.

His focus on driving innovation in Africa’s financial landscape is truly inspiring, and it’s clear that his work is contributing to the continent's growth story.

Join Us for the Webinar on 25 September

As our conversation wrapped up, it became clear to me just how crucial financial innovation is for Africa’s future, especially in sectors like energy. Ruben’s wealth of knowledge is something every developer and investor in Africa should tap into.

That’s why I’m excited to invite you all to join us on 25 September for a special webinar where Ruben Mooneesawmy will be sharing his insights on "Navigating the Path to Investor Readiness: Key Strategies for Developers."

Don’t miss the chance to learn from one of the brightest minds in the field! Here’s the registration link: https://webinar.numeris.mu/.

I’ll see you there…

?LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE TOO

Tony Tiyou?is the founder and CEO of?Renewables in Africa (RiA)?is a Clean Energy Company raising Awareness about Renewable Energy in Africa and across the globe.

Also, when you are ready, here are three ways that we can help you:

1-Listen to “Renewables in Action” Podcast. Every forthnight, there is a new conversation about clean energy challenges, opportunities or interview. Just listen here.

2- RiA Awareness Programme. Through our flagship solution, we support businesses by providing them with a fully comprehensive and data-driven approach to attract more visibility from their targeted audience and reduce by more than 50% your customer acquisition’s time. Interesting right? Book a meeting here.

3- Participate into I-RECs Market. Do you own or manage a renewable energy asset in a qualifying country and you want to generate additional revenues from renewable energy certificates trade? We can certainly help do that in as little as 48 hours and NO UPFRONT COST. Do make sure to reach out NOW.