Founder and Managing Director Itai Capital

Ernest is founder and Managing Director of Itai Capital. Ernest co-founded Proximity Advisory in 2016 as a purely corporate finance firm. With the changing environment, Ernest decided to consolidate all his financial service interest in Itai Capital. Ernest has over 20 years of Investment Banking experience having worked for Rand Merchant Bank’s Corporate Finance Division specialising in mergers and acquisitions, listings, disposals, valuations and Black Economic Empowerment. He served on RMB’s Investment Banking Division’s Board for a number of years and in later years was Investment Banking Coverage Director specialising in BEE transactions. As a dealmaker, he gathered significant experience having advised on some of the landmark and innovative M&A transactions in the country. Prior to joining RMB, Ernest worked for De Beers Consolidated Mines, firstly as a Financial Accountant and then as Project Accountant for the group. He served his articles with Deloitte. Ernest served as a non-executive trustee for the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and a non-executive director of Anglo Platinum’s Zenzele Itireleng NPC, SAB Zenzele Kabili (RF) Piotrans and New Seasons Investments. Ernest is a Chartered Accountant and holds a BCom (Hons) degree from the University of Natal, MCom (Tax) from RAU as well as an Executive Management course from INSEAD.