Helios Fairfax Partners Announces CFO Transition

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TORONTO, Nov. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Helios Fairfax Partners Corporation (TSX: HFPC.U) (“Helios Fairfax”, “HFP” or the “company”) today announced that, in accordance with its ongoing efforts to optimize and streamline its operations, it will combine the leadership of its finance function with that of its investment manager, Helios Investment Partners, under a single leadership role. This will ensure closer alignment of financial reporting and result in greater efficiencies and cost savings.

Belinda Blades, Chief Financial Officer of Helios Fairfax, will step down from her role at the end of May 2025 to pursue other interests. Ms. Blades will remain available to assist with the transition until the end of June 2025.

As part of Helios Fairfax Partners’ succession plan, Jennifer Lisbey will join HFP as Chief Financial Officer following Ms. Blades’ departure. In addition, Ms. Lisbey will assume the role of Chief Financial Officer of HFP’s investment manager, Helios Investment Partners, effective November 5, 2024. A highly accomplished finance executive, Ms. Lisbey brings a wealth of financial and leadership experience. She joins HFP from Pantheon Ventures, a private equity firm with approximately $65 billion under management, where she was Managing Director and the Head of Fund Finance in Pantheon’s Operations team. Among other accountabilities at Pantheon, Ms. Lisbey was responsible for their two listed investment trusts, Pantheon International Plc and Pantheon Infrastructure Plc. Prior to joining Pantheon, Ms. Lisbey has held a number of senior finance roles, predominantly in Private Equity and Real Estate, and began her career at Deloitte LLP. Ms. Lisbey is a Chartered Accountant (CA).

"We are delighted to welcome Jennifer to the Helios Fairfax Partners team,” said Tope Lawani and Babatunde Soyoye, Co-CEOs of Helios Fairfax. "Her depth of financial and investment experience, and exceptional leadership skills, make her an invaluable addition. We are confident that she will play an outsized role in executing our strategic direction and growth initiatives in the years to come." Messrs. Lawani and Soyoye continued, "We would also like to express our gratitude to Belinda for her commitment to HFP, its employees and shareholders. She has helped lay the solid foundation that will support HFP's strategic growth and financial strength. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors."

About Helios Fairfax Partners Corporation

Helios Fairfax Partners Corporation is an investment holding company whose investment objective is to achieve long term capital appreciation, while preserving capital, by investing in public and private equity securities and debt instruments in Africa and African businesses or other businesses with customers, suppliers or business primarily conducted in, or dependent on, Africa.

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