Interview with George Matharu President and CEO of Elite Capital & Co. (Written by Ezra S. Emanuel)

London, UK (CEO Insight) Jan. 25, 2016 — When required they can also customize and structure products and services to meet the specific needs of their clients. They will continue to customize, structure, create and implement funding products and services as the need requires. Elite Capital & Co. has made strategic alliances with several organizations and companies which have given them access to international markets in Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East and GCC regions. This has given Elite Capital & Co. a substantial foundation of clients to build on, in addition to access to the markets that are most in need of the products and services they offer.

Aim

The aim of Elite Capital & Co. Limited is to facilitate the commencement and completion of Commercial and Infrastructure projects, stimulate economy, create employment and combat poverty.

Types of Project

ECC services are suitable for all types of Infrastructure Projects in either Greenfield (Pre Operations Stage) or Brownfield (Operations Stage) including but not limited to Sea Ports, Airports, Railway, Bridges, Roads and Highways, Water and Sanitation Utilities, Energy, Communications, Hospitals, Schools and Social Infrastructure etc. This includes other projects or activities that impact positively on the relevant country’s basic infrastructure including the manufacturing of components used in infrastructure (such as cement and steel) and infrastructure associated with mining and agribusiness.

Size of Project

Minimum of USD 10M (United States Dollars Ten Million) and upwards.

Loan to Value

Up to 100% of project financing required.

Term

Up to 15 years for the design, build and finance component and up to 30 years for the ongoing operation component.

Operation

Projects can be either BOOT (Build, Own, Operate, Transfer) BOO (Build Own Operate), BOT (Build Own Transfer), BTO (Build, Transfer, Own), BT (Build Transfer), BLT (Build, Lease, Transfer), BRT (Build, Rent, Transfer) or PPP (Public Private Partnership).

Locations

All countries can be considered, although countries currently engaged in war, politically unstable environments, or sanctioned countries will not be suitable. All projects must adhere to local and international environmental, health, safety and social standards as required.

Suitable for

Privately held projects, Public & Private Infrastructure Operators, National & Local Governments, NGOs and Financial Institutions.

Funding Collateral

Commercial Bank Instruments; Bank Guarantees, Bonds, Medium Term Notes, or other Bank Debt Instruments issued by banks rated ‘BB+’ or better, but this can be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Sovereign Guarantee; Elite Capital & Co. Limited is able to facilitate funding for Government and Infrastructure Projects against a Sovereign Guarantee subject to the Sovereign Guarantee being ratified by the relevant authorities and departments, namely the Central Bank and Ministry of Finance in the respective countries. In some cases the Sovereign Guarantee may need to be confirmed by a Commercial Bank.

Resource Guarantee; The option is available to fund projects against a Resource Guarantee such as an Oil Guarantee or any other significant and valuable minerals or resources that the country has may also be considered.

Promissory Notes; Corporate Promissory Notes endorsed by a commercial bank can be useful if the project has bankable assets that can be used for leverage financing.


What will be the anticipated level of business 2016?

In 2016 Elite Capital aims to complete at least three projects in Africa, along with additional projects in the Middle East and the UK.  The three projects in Africa have already been identified, and we have on-going discussions with the respective governments. Each of these projects needs to go through a formal review and sign-off process, which can last several months, and is already underway. The project in the Middle East is for a government owned Oil and Gas company. Elite Capital is on the approved shortlist to provide a finance proposal for this prestigious project.  For the UK we are working with two local Councils on a range of housing and other construction projects, and after agreeing the project priorities, we are confident of securing those projects for 2016.

 Elite Capital & Co.’s business strategy for 2016?

Our main strategy for 2016 is to start working with Pension Funds as an additional source of funding for projects. In order to achieve this, we will need to be approved by one or more of the ‘Panels’ that act as a filter between qualified projects and the Pension Funds. The remainder of our strategy is to complete the projects that are currently underway, so that we build a solid foundation of completed projects.

 Is it possible that you brief your 2016 marketing plan?

Our marketing plan is split into two main strategies; (i) general advertising to increase awareness of the Elite brand. (ii) sponsoring events to target specific audiences. For example, in 2015 we ran an advert on the Billboards in Times Square New York for increasing brand awareness, and sponsored an event at the House of Lords to show our commitment to funding projects in Africa. For 2016 we will follow a similar structure, and in particular we are working on a very “high-flying” marketing idea! Watch this space for more details in 2016.

What will be the target clients?

In line with our business strategy, the target clients will be the Pension Funds, and organizations that work with the Pensions such as the ‘Panels’ mentioned earlier. We may also sponsor future events at the House of Lords.

Can you tell us more about the House of Lords event?

The event was organized by The Association for African Owned Enterprises (“AAOE”) to promote business and investment opportunities across Africa. Mr. Washington Kapapiro, Chairman of AAOE, has planned future events in 2016, so we will work closely together to identify specific funding targets in the region.

Infrastructural projects are one of the company’s areas of expertise. How did this come about?

The Board members of Elite Capital have a wide range of experience on different types of projects including Infrastructure, Supply-Chain, and Manufacturing. We were initially approached by clients with projects in all three of these areas, but it turned out that the most viable projects for Elite Capital to fund were infrastructure based. This is perhaps because there are more options to fund Supply Chain and Manufacturing projects in different ways, such as Asset Financing and Invoice Discounting.

Is it a good time to be involved in facilitating infrastructure products in the UK and Europe?

It is a good time to be involved in funding infrastructure projects in UK and Europe. Projects in this region have a greater choice of funding sources because of relative economic stability and political risk, versus projects in Africa for example. As our brand awareness grows, we are getting more enquiries for funding projects in our domestic market.

How do you see this market developing in coming years?

The market will continue to grow, as the banks have been reluctant to lend money in recent years, so there is a kind of ‘backlog’ of projects that are seeking funding. Elite Capital has access to an abundance of excellent projects, that have a long-term fixed income (such as Airport re-development). Pension Funds in particular need access to these types of projects, and this is one of the areas that we are keen to develop during 2016.

What distinguishes your service offering from those of your competitors?

The knowledge and experience of our people is our greatest asset, coupled with our ability to demonstrate clear project completion strategies and to make quick decisions when required.

“I would like to thank Visio Studios (www.visiostudios.com) for doing an excellent job with the photography. I would also like to thank London Capital Club (www.londoncapitalclub.com) for supporting our business and providing an excellent venue for key meetings and events.”

– Download copy of the CEO Insight’s interview with Mr. George Matharu –

http://ec.uk.com/files/CEOEliteinterview2016.pdf

– Elite Capital & Co.’s Contact Details –

Elite Capital & Co. Limited
33 St. James Square
London, SW1Y4JS
United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0) 203 709 5060
Facsimile: +44 (0) 203 709 5061
SWIFT Code: ELCTGB21

Website
ec.uk.com

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