Getting to know Iqeraam Petersen

We are very pleased to welcome Iqeraam Petersen back into the Futuregrowth fold after an absence of nearly six years. As head of Private Debt, Iqeraam’s primary responsibility is to provide strategic direction to the Private Debt analyst team. He is also involved across the unlisted debt investment process, including deal origination, initial screening, due diligence, implementation of commercial, financial, tax and legal aspects, and monitoring of existing unlisted debt assets in the portfolio.

Iqeraam originally joined Futuregrowth in early 2015, where he performed the role of an Investment Analyst focusing on renewable energy and high yielding corporate debt. He re-joined Futuregrowth in November 2023, to take up his current position. He is both a qualified Chartered Account (CA(SA)) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). He has 13 years of post-articles experience in the Private Debt industry, including six years as a senior front office investment banker at a leading South African investment bank. Over his career he has covered a wide range of sectors, including property, renewable energy, state-owned enterprises and leverage finance. He has led transactions not only in South Africa, but also internationally, in the United Kingdom, Poland, Germany and Switzerland. 

With this diverse and deep experience, Iqeraam brings a unique combination of attributes at a strategic and process level to the organisation and within his role.

Iqeraam - in his own words:

What did you do during your break from Futuregrowth?

"I spent nearly six years as a senior dealmaker at one of South Africa’s largest investment banks. It was a time where I was able to expand on my origination and structuring capabilities and also test my abilities on the international stage."

What enticed you to come back?

"When I left at the end of 2017, I said that I needed to leave to “hone my trade” but wanted to return to Futuregrowth; it was always the plan to come back. The Futuregrowth culture is one that resonates with me and aligns well with my personal moral compass."

You’ve had considerable experience in Asset Management. What attracted you to the world of finance in the first place?

"I have this insatiable need to know how “things” work and when I understand that, I want to figure out a way for them to work for me! The finance industry, and particularly the private debt industry, gives me the opportunity to dig deep into different businesses and projects in order to understand how they work and, with that understanding, structure the optimal way to invest into the business." 

Did you always see yourself in this type of career, or did you have something else in mind?

"I come from a family where my dad and those around me were self-employed in the informal sector. As a result, I’ve always had an interest in, and understanding of,  how businesses work, and, given my love for maths and accounting at school, a career in finance was always what I was aiming for. 

I could, however, have followed an alternate path. From the time that I could pick up a spanner, I’ve been an avid tinkerer on cars and anything mechanical. To my parent’s horror, I enjoyed taking my toys apart and making new things with the parts. So I could easily have taken the path of a mechanical engineer." 

What has been your greatest source of inspiration in your career and/or life in general?

"There have been so many, and it would be overly simplistic to point at just one source of inspiration: there are my parents, who sacrificed so much to give me my education and work ethic; my wife who has supported me and been my sounding board for nearly 15 years; and various people throughout my career who have believed in me and given me the space and opportunity to grow."

What is the most interesting aspect of your current role?

"I work with a diverse group of talented young investment professionals in the Private Debt team and, just as I received it early in my career, I now have the opportunity to support them and give them the opportunity to grow."

Do you have any particular short-term or long-term personal goals?

"In my late 20’s, I competed as a powerlifter at a provincial level. But with competition from 20 year olds, increased responsibilities and an aging body, I stopped competing. Now that I qualify for the “Master’s” category, I’d like to pick up my lifting belt again and aim to represent South Africa within the next 5 years!"