New Sparta Asset Management (NSAM), the specialist emerging market investment manager established by Dr Jerome Booth, announces the launch of New Sparta Energy (NSE) and the hire of its Managing Director.
 
NSE is a fully owned subsidiary of NSAM specialising in the development of renewable power projects in Africa. Its role is to advise NSAM on the management of the underlying assets and implementation of the investment strategy.
 
William (“Bill”) Barry joins today as Managing Director to lead and grow a team of seasoned Africa experts with specialist investment, development and project management expertise in the energy sector.  Bill has over twenty years’ experience as an emerging market-focused financial and business development professional. 
 
Prior to his appointment at NSE, Bill was the Regional Manager, East Africa in charge of all local project development and investment opportunities for eleQtra, an Africa focused private infrastructure project developer. Bill joined eleQtra in 2013 from ContourGlobal, an emerging market focused developer, operator and owner of electric power businesses, where he was Senior Vice President and Head of Global Construction Projects, as well as Vice President of Business Development responsible for Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. He has also held positions at Moody’s Investors Service and Merrill Lynch.
 
Jerome Booth, CEO of NSAM said: “Since launch, we have been very vocal about the fact that we see real opportunity in the building power generation capacity in Sub Saharan Africa and so I am pleased to announce the formal launch of New Sparta Energy and the appointment of Bill as Managing Director. Bill has fantastic depth of experience and an award winning track record in developing power and infrastructure projects in Africa. I am looking forward to welcoming him to the team.
 
“We believe investors should be investing a lot more in private markets in emerging markets, not just to enhance returns but to reduce risk in a world where developed world assets are increasingly at risk of highly correlated losses.  This requires a different understanding of risk and asset allocation, moving beyond an analysis dominated by past price behaviour in liquid markets, to look at longer term growth areas and uncorrelated returns.  At NSAM we aim to unlock value in the emerging markets through Sector Specialism in private markets.  By bringing together a team of seasoned Africa power experts, we will be able to get involved at a very early, development stage in the investment cycle of projects, thereby giving investors access to superior returns.”
 
Bill Barry said: “Investors are increasingly eager to invest in the renewable and conventional energy sectors in Africa but have struggled to access suitable opportunities. We are excited about working with the strong and growing team at NSE and NSAM to meet such a clear investor demand.”