Gaming investment firm Tekkorp Capital has unveiled a new Africa-focused venture that will be headed up by seasoned executive Conor O’Donovan.
O’Donovan has been an associate partner at Tekkorp since March 2023 and will lead Tekkorp’s expansion into the African market through Tekkorp Capital Africa Partner.
He brings over a decade of market expertise to the venture, having spent several years as CEO of multi-territory African betting brands such as Betyetu Group.
In his new role, O’Donovan will focus on identifying new investment opportunities for the business while also assembling an advisory and management team to help steer investment and operational oversight.
“It’s well-known that Africa is a high-growth market, and over the next decade, we expect to see strong growth at a significant pace,” said Tekkorp Capital chairman Matt Davey. “This will encourage more operators to enter the space, and that’s why we believe the time is right to get ahead of the coalescing trends and create a balanced portfolio of premium African assets, underpinned by our local expertise, to best capitalise on this profitable opportunity.”
Robin Chhabra, CEO of Tekkorp, added: “Of course, we’ve long been active investors in the sports betting and gaming industry, always looking for great businesses with strong opportunities in market segments or territories we like.
“So, this focus on Africa is a logical extension of that philosophy. We’ve assembled a crack team, with Conor’s nous and know-how at the helm, as we explore another fragmented market rich with possibilities.”
O’Donovan said of his new role: “Africa offers some of the most exciting growth opportunities in global gaming, with a range of attractive targets across diverse markets. At the same time, the landscape is fragmented and has its unique set of nuances and challenges. Tekkorp, alongside our strategic partners, is well-equipped to navigate these complexities and bring out the potential in strong, locally-led businesses.
“Our goal is to turn these promising companies into regional leaders, building a diversified portfolio of high-performing, compliant brands with strong governance, unblocking the barriers to major operators investing with confidence.”