Mr. Coovadia has been involved in emerging markets corporate finance and private equity for over 12 years having actively advised multinational corporations, governments and family conglomerates in South Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, India, Malaysia, and the GCC. Mr. Coovadia is Founder of Invescape, a niche corporate finance and private equity boutique operating out of Dubai and Johannesburg, South Africa.

Prior to moving to Dubai, Mr. Coovadia was the Managing Partner and co-founder of iCapital, a South African-based private equity joint venture with one of the leading global insurers, Liberty Life International plc.

Prior to iCapital, Mr. Coovadia worked with UBS Warburg in London and South Africa, ending his tenure as Director of Corporate Finance and M&A. He led the advisory team on some of the benchmark corporate finance transactions in emerging markets including the first hostile takeover in South Africa and the country’s first privatization and largest foreign direct investment. He is regarded as an emerging market private equity and corporate finance advisory specialist and serves on the boards of several companies.

Mr. Coovadia is a qualified Chartered Accountant who served his articles with KPMG and he also holds both undergraduate and post graduate degrees in Finance and Accounting from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.