Carolyn Campbell is an experienced executive and board director with over 25 years of investing in the technology, consumer, financial services and energy sectors. Ms. Campbell is a founder and managing partner of Emerging Capital Partners (ECP), a private equity firm which has raised over $3.4 billion in growth capital for investment in over 70 listed and private high-growth companies, with a focus on tech-enabled innovation. She is fluent in French and is a board director of her group’s France-based energy platform company, with revenues exceeding $700M and holdings of early- to late-stage multi-country traditional and renewable assets, serving on remuneration committee, working on IT/Digitization and SmartEnergy upgrades. She serves on the Advisory Board of health-care tech investment platform MEDA Investments, investing in medical devices, digital health and SaaS.
As a member of ECP’s Audit/Valuation, Investment and Executive Committees, she serves on the boards of the firm’s fintech, consumer and energy investments, from early- to late-stage traditional and fintech assets, assisting in expansion and IPO planning and supply chain and regulatory analysis. As chair of the firm’s advisory committees and a director of multiple boards, she is valued for oversight and strategy in relation to finance/audit, corporate governance, risk management and ESG, improving financial reporting, corporate governance, business plans and IT systems. Ms. Campbell is particularly adept at helping companies in highly-regulated industries and those looking to expand into new markets.
Prior to founding ECP, Ms. Campbell worked in global private equity at Emerging Markets Partnership (EMP), where she provided overall leadership and strategy for funds in Asia and Eastern Europe. Prior to that, Ms. Campbell worked in M&A and corporate finance globally at White & Case LLP, where she advised on U.S. venture capital deals and guided expanding multinational corporations to find suitable investments, build strong local partnerships and achieve best governance practices.
Ms. Campbell has received various awards including the PEA Women Impact Award and life membership in the Council on Foreign Relations. A sought-after speaker on board governance, investment strategy and executive management, she has appeared on C-SPAN, Bloomberg and Africa Today, spoken at the National Economists Club, the Brookings Institute, and the Harvard and Wharton Business Schools. She has published on cryptocurrency and other topics in the Financial Times, Environmental Finance, Quartz and Private Equity International. Ms. Campbell received a BA in Economics summa cum laude from the University of Connecticut, a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, and a Ph.D. in Political Economy from Oxford University and is fluent in French.
Listed and Private Board Engagements
- Burger King South Africa, which owns and operates over 200 stores with over $100 million in revenue in partnership with Restaurant Brands International (NYSE: QSR)
- Mukuru, an international financial services platform operating in over 70 countries and combining proprietary physical and digital infrastructure to offer global money transfers, and a full suite of diversified financial products (insurance, cards, digital wallets, payments)
- Eranove S.A., a former subsidiary of Bouygues, a Paris-listed component of CAC-40 index, which operates internationally in the power and water sector with over $700 million in revenues and 9,000 employees
- Celtel International, a pioneering cellular company and predecessor of Airtel Africa, now listed on the London Stock Exchange (AAF.L) and a constituent of the FTSE 100
- Wananchi Group Holdings, a triple play cable and satellite company in partnership with Liberty Global (Nasdaq: LBTYA) and Altice (NYSE: ATUS), with over $100M in revenues
- Orabank, a leading West Africa banking group operating in 12 countries and listed on the West African Regional Stock Exchange (BVRM)
- Boards of over 10 other private companies in sectors such as banking, logistics/transport, and telecoms as well as the boards of seven private equity investment funds and fund managers
Other Board Experience
- Chair of Finance/Audit Committee for six years of Washington International School, a private K-12 school with over $45m in revenues
- Advisory Board Member, MEDA Investments digital healthcare and med tech investment
- Advisory Board Member, National Financial Educators Council
- Investment Committee Member, American Psychological Foundation
- Advisory Council Member, United States Millennium Challenge Corporation