LeapFrog appoints new heads for its healthcare services

LeapFrog Investments, an international company, which provides investment, insurance, savings and pension services to countries across the world has appointed Dr Felix Olale, as its new leader for African healthcare.

Before joining LeapFrog as a partner, Dr Olale worked as the Chairman of the Exclesoir Group, a US and Kenyan based company, as its advisor and developer of healthcare systems and has experience with private equity and healthcare spanning across Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.

In a statement sent to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday, Asian healthcare investments of LeapFrog would be also be led by LeapFrog Partner and Co-Head of Asia, Mr Michael Fernandes.

Prior to joining LeapFrog, Michael managed Khazanah Nasional Berhad’s healthcare portfolio, consolidated under IHH Healthcare and listed in Singapore for a $7 billion valuation.

LeapFrog’s companies so far serve 52 million people across 21 markets with financial services, and the firm intends to achieve similar large-scale results in healthcare.

LeapFrog Investments is a specialist investor in emerging markets, seeking the growth opportunity presented by two billion emerging consumers in Africa and Asia.

LeapFrog’s portfolio companies currently provide insurance, savings and pensions products to 52 million people across 21 markets including Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and The Philippines.

LeapFrog uses a profit-with-purpose approach to investing, recognising its ability to generate strong results and change many millions of lives.

LeapFrog has unlocked over a billion dollars of investment from leading global institutions that share this vision.

Dr Andrew Kuper, Founder and CEO of LeapFrog, said the two healthcare leaders had a distinctive combination of experience as investors, operators, advisors and medical innovators.

“They have successfully performed at the highest level and across several continents and LeapFrog aims to generate the same extraordinary results in Healthcare as we have in Financial Services hence their appointments”, he added.

“Tom Verghese, an Associate Director, would also play a pivotal role in Africa investments as he previously focused on healthcare transactions for CDC and for Excelsior Group, where he was part of transactions teams, and advised leading private equity firms focused on Africa.

The statement also said LeapFrog had also hired Roshni Bandesha, who was a Research Analyst at McKinsey and Co in New Delhi where she covered healthcare across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and co-wrote a field-defining global health advocacy report to bring on board her rich experience.