Africa Merchant Capital, a privately owned boutique merchant bank, based in London, and focused exclusively on the high growth private capital markets of Sub-Sahara Africa, has appointed Kenton Hartwell as its new General Manager for AMC Trade Finance.

In the Africa Merchant Capital Group, Hartwell will head up the fast growing subsidiary AMC Trade Finance, offering a range of structured trade finance solutions for the African import and export markets.

Hartwell brings with him more than 20 years of African banking and trade finance experience.

He is a seasoned banking professional with vast experience gained in multiple areas of Trade Finance, initially at National Westminster Bank, followed by a 19 year career at Standard Bank in London.

More recently he was Vice President at Crown Agents Bank, where his role focussed predominantly on the origination of short term Financial Institution trade finance business with African banks.

Over the course of his career he has held various operations, middle office and front office roles and has covered structured trade and commodity finance transactions in all sectors, with an emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa.

 With responsibility for the leadership and continued development of the AMC Trade Finance business alongside the founders of the AMC Group, Cobus Visagie (Group CEO) and Jan Louis van den Berg (Group CFO), Hartwell will play a key role in meeting the company's ambitious growth goals, as well as building on the firm's well-established reputation for financial services to clients and Africa focussed investors.

Cobus Visagie, AMC Group CEO, said: “Kenton’s excellent reputation in the market, African experience and strong relationships in the African trade finance community were the major drivers which allowed him to clinch the position from many candidates considered for the role and we are thrilled to have him on board. Attracting someone of Kenton’s calibre into the business is a great endorsement of our strategy and ambition and he brings with him African banking experience which will be vital as we continue our ambitious plans to grow and develop Africa Merchant Capital as a leading merchant bank in Africa."

The AMC Group has specialist business units providing trade finance, asset finance and other investment banking services to enterprises in the African mid-market.

AMC fills a finance gap in the African private capital markets which is typically below global financial institution limits and too substantial to be funded by the local finance providers.

Typical finance facilities to clients range from $5m-$25m.

Commenting on his appointment, Hartwell added: "I am excited to join the Africa Merchant Capital Group and to lead the AMC Trade Finance team at this important stage of its development. This is an excellent opportunity for me to use my knowledge and experience in African trade finance to influence the strategy, processes and operation of the business as it seeks to grow and diversify its product offering across the continent.“