Mr. Patrice Backer is an accomplished investment professional with over three decades of experience across global financial markets, private equity and strategic advisory. He currently serves as the Chief Investment Officer of AFIG Funds, a leading private equity firm focused on growth investments across Africa. Since the firm’s inception in 2006, Mr. Backer has played a central role in shaping its investment strategy, leading transactions, and managing portfolio companies. He also sits on AFIG’s Investment Committee, where he guides critical decision-making and capital deployment across multiple sectors and geographies.
Before joining AFIG Funds, Mr. Backer was Managing Director at PromoCapital, an investment banking firm with a Pan-African focus. Prior to that, he spent several years at JPMorgan, where he gained deep experience in Emerging Markets Sales & Trading as well as Latin America M&A. His background combines strong analytical skills with a nuanced understanding of frontier and emerging markets, making him a valuable asset to any boardroom.
Mr. Backer is a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Engineering in 1988. He later pursued a dual degree program, earning an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and an MA in International Studies from the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania in 1993.
As a Non-Executive Director at FSDH Capital, Mr. Backer brings extensive expertise in investment structuring, risk management, and strategic growth planning—along with a strong commitment to promoting sustainable development and value creation across Africa.