New News from NRP: New Year, New Partners

It’s an exciting day for North Ridge Partners as we announce not one but two new additions to our senior team, as we grow both our Singapore and New Zealand offices.

Kevin Waller - Singapore

First, we welcome Kevin Waller, who will be joining us in the Lion City from May 1st. A seasoned expert in tech M&A, Kevin has spent the last three years as Head of Strategy for APACIG, a Rocket Internet and Ooredoo Telecom JV investment fund. Having structured multiple capital raises across the APACIG portfolio, Kevin also has nine tech exits under his belt, including being heavily involved in the sale of Daraz to Alibaba in 2018, as well as a suite of classifieds and marketplace businesses across Southeast Asia, Indian, and LatAm.

Having been sponsored into the APACIG JV by Ooredoo Telecom (Qatar’s national telco, spanning 10 markets in MENA and SEA), Kevin was also a core member of the company’s M&A team, working on delivering several mega projects during 2020. He now joins NRP with a combination of deep knowledge of tech infrastructure, from data centres and TowerCos to mobile financial services, as well as hands-on transactional experience across the corporate finance spectrum.

At North Ridge Partners we believe that Southeast Asia is primed for activity in tech sector capital raisings and market consolidation through M&A in key sectors. With his core experience in structuring exits, as well as the operational role he has played working with Founder teams on their businesses, we’re confident that Kevin is joining at exactly the right time to support the continued growth in the region’s tech scene.

You can see Kevin’s background here.

John Moore - New Zealand

In New Zealand, NRP is also pleased to announce that John Moore has joined the team as our Partner in charge of our new New Zealand business, based in the City of Sails. For the last seven years, John has been working as a corporate advisor under his own banner, helping a wide range of small and medium-sized NZ companies raise equity and undertake strategic transactions. He’s now decided to team up with NRP to focus on delivering great results for the NZ tech community.

John has known Roger Sharp, NRP’s founder, for over 20 years, when they both worked together to help build ABN AMRO’s investment bank across Asia. Their paths have crossed frequently, including with John advising on capital raising initiatives by Geo (one of the firm’s investment portfolio) in 2016.

With the recent recapitalisation of Magic Memories in New Zealand showcasing the power of NRP’s technology sector expertise, John and the team are looking forward to bringing huge value to the NZ tech scene.

North Ridge Partners is already working with a wide range of NZ tech companies with strategic advice, capital raising, and M&A. We are also working to promote the development of Aotearoa New Zealand’s tech scene generally. In a world where distance is less relevant than it has ever been, and while the ability to travel freely remains elusive, the local tech scene continues to amaze.

With NRP’s sector focus, extensive global network, and offices, and deep relationships through Australasia and Asia, there’s much that North Ridge Partners can offer the New Zealand tech scene.

You can find John’s background here or email him directly here.

Kevin Waller