Mark Taylor, CEO, Cala Capital

Mark is a former maritime lawyer, ran an Investec Bank property finance team, and managed a trust and family office business in Amsterdam. Mark joined the chairman of a large industrial conglomerate and global luxury goods business as his executive assistant before leading new investment evaluations at VenFin, then Africa’s largest listed tech PE investor, and turning around a JSE-listed technology company as CEO. Intrigued by entrepreneurship, Mark established a corporate finance, private equity and strategy consultancy, eventually developing the first aquarium in Turkey which he sold to the largest aquarium owner in the world, and helping list an entertainment business on AIM in the UK. Mark is independent investment advisor to an Africa-focused private equity fund. In his dark past, Mark also managed one of South Africa’s great rock bands.