Exotix Capital, a specialist Frontier and Emerging Markets investment bank, has announced three senior hires, effective immediately.

Serge Marston, currently Head of EMEA sales at NEX Markets, a division within NEX Group that provides electronic trading technology services in the fixed income and foreign exchange markets, joins the Board as a Non-Executive Director and will work closely with CEO Duncan Wales and Chairman Mark Richards. 

Prior to joining NEX Group, a key shareholder of Exotix, Marston spent 19 years at Deutsche Bank in a variety of roles, most recently as Co-Head of Fixed Income, Currencies & Commodities, and eCommerce Sales in the Global Markets division. 

Other hires include Chiamaka Ezenwa, formerly at Morgan Stanley in London and FBN Capital in Lagos, who has joined as Head of Investment Banking West Africa.

In addition, Mbithe Muema, previously with African Alliance Kenya, was appointed as Head of Equity Sales in Nairobi.

The appointments complement a strengthening of Exotix’s team across business lines and geographies in recent months, harnessing increased investor interest in the world’s highest-growth economies. 

Exotix’s strategy includes the recent creation of a standalone Research, Analytics and Data division, launched in June and led by Paul Domjan, the former Chief Executive of Roubini Global Economics and Founder of Country Insights.

As part of an integrated strategy in Frontier Markets, Exotix has been expanding its investment banking reach in Africa, with particular focus on the energy, financial and consumer sectors.

Chiamaka Ezenwa’s appointment strengthens the team further, working with Andrew Moorfield and Fabrizio Ferrero, co-heads of Investment Banking at Exotix, and Esili Eigbe, Head of Equities, Africa, to expand business in West Africa. 

Ezenwa spent six years at Morgan Stanley in London with primary focus on equity capital markets for Sub-Saharan Africa, the UK and Northern Europe, and the past four years in Lagos at FBN Capital, the investment-banking subsidiary of FBNH, Nigeria’s largest bank by total assets, most recently as Head of Equity Sales. 

She has originated and executed a variety of transactions across jurisdictions for international and Nigerian corporations.

“Chiamaka’s appointment enhances our investment bank offering in West Africa and overall in Sub-Saharan Africa through her extensive experience and relationships in the local markets,” said Fabrizio. “I am confident she will be a valuable addition to our team and further expand Exotix Capital’s investment banking footprint in the region.”
 
The past year has seen significant growth for Exotix across Africa’s equity capital markets both in terms of clients and market share. 

In Kenya, Exotix was the No. 1 ranked broker with 24% market share for July 2017, after steadily increasing month-on-month this year.

The appointment of Mbithe Muema in the Nairobi office to lead Equity Sales further boosts Exotix’s position. 

Muema previously was Head of Institutional Sales at African Alliance Kenya, where she was largely responsible for building the company’s local client base. 

Prior to that, she worked at Renaissance Capital and Equity Bank as a research analyst. 

Muema currently sits on the board of the Konza Technopolis Development Authority in Kenya in a non-executive role, where she steers the business development committee. 

She will work closely with Esili Eigbe, and Debbie Rees, Global Head of Equity Sales.

“Mbithe has the necessary experience of markets in the region to support our commitment to expand Exotix’s business in Kenya and the wider region,” said Esili.

“We are excited to have Serge, Chiamaka and Mbithe on board to help us take full advantage of the opportunity presented by our unique place in the world’s most exciting economies,” said Duncan Wales. “Serge brings unparalleled expertise from his experience at the cutting edge of financial innovation.”