As a value-adding private-equity partner Agile Capital leverages its commercial expertise to transform businesses.

Its financial services offering has enabled companies to scale exponentially – more than doubling their workforce and expanding localised, provincial footprints into successful cross-border operations.

Further, private equity can be a catalyst for growth for owner-managed and family businesses.

“We also offer support in facilitating the transition of family-owned businesses, helping reduce reliance on founders and establishing effective succession and sustainability strategies for when the founders decide to exit,” says Agile Capital partner Liz Kolobe.

Good governance is always a value-add, as many businesses are in a growth phase with intentions to progress to the “next level”, she adds.

Agile Capital is invested in several engineering and mining services firms, including a company that has a core focus on energy, water and extensive data analytics projects, BBenergy; a mine ventilation and cooling specialist, BBE Group; and a mining services company that offers underground support, cement and aggregate products, engineering services and innovative technology solutions, Provest.

“Our investee companies have maintained good market share and show resilience despite the various market risk factors,” Kolobe elaborates.

She references a successful partnership with environmental monitoring and testing business Aquatico, which was exited in October 2025.

Partnership Pros

Kolobe says many companies benefit from having a private-equity partner to ensure that the corporate governance processes are updated and upgraded, the finance team is entrenched, and the financial reporting systems are robust.

“Having sound financial systems and a strong CFO definitely impacts on governance,” she says.

Agile Capital is also noting an exponential increase in the uptake of environmental, social and governance practices, which is a critical component of thriving business- to-business relationships.

Owing to the diversity of its clients, the company’s approach and financial solution offering differs according to what would best suit the client and the type of funding required alongside their equity investment.

“This is when we decide, for example, whether the company would best benefit from private-equity investment or a bank debt,” says Kolobe, adding that growth versus replacement capital can be a critical factor.

Private equity can provide replacement capital, although Agile Capital’s model suits businesses that are set for growth and ready to scale.

She notes that well-established private equity firms have first-hand knowledge about multiple industries and can add value by acting as a sounding board, particularly regarding various strategies for growth. This can include working alongside management teams to help to connect with established market networks, which facilitates collaboration and expansion that might otherwise not be possible.

Taking on non-executive roles means that corporate governance can often also be shaped and improved.

Additionally, regulatory frameworks, such as broad-based black economic-empowerment targets, can be managed alongside the private equity partner, consequently helping to guide the business towards more transformative and sustainable ventures.

“Private equity in South Africa is uniquely positioned to enable a strong push for inclusive growth,” concludes Kolobe.