Andrew Bahlmann

Deal Leaders Africa

Andrew Bahlmann founded niche corporate finance advisor Deal Leaders Africa in early
2017 to maximise the application of the business skills that he has acquired over about a
quarter century in the South African and international business worlds. He is a business
entrepreneur and deal-maker at heart, having spent more than half his career running
his own businesses.

After complementing his B.Com (University of Johannesburg) with a Chartered
Accountant qualification, Andrew gained international insurance experience having spent
over a year in New York executing through a key role in the Bermuda-based operation.
He returned to South Africa as CEO of Wesbank Corporate Division. During his tenure at
Wesbank he eventually took on the R114bn Motor, Corporate and Fleet divisions. This
role provided extensive exposure and experience in dealing with international acquirers
and partners and exposed him to the buy-side component of acquisition and growth
transactions. Andrew completed numerous successful acquisitions and disposals of
businesses, working alongside some of the largest international motor manufacturers
like Toyota, VW and General Motors.

Aware that South Africa’s striving or would-be entrepreneurs often lack strategic
guidance after start-up, in 2012 Andrew founded IntelStrat Consulting. This focused on
fostering ‘entrepreneurial DNA’ in the new Corpreneur, a term he coined for both the
corporate and SME spheres. His “profit per minute” business performance solutions could
be applied equally successfully in both sectors to re-energise productivity and
profitability by mapping out deliberate interventions and developing speedy and agile
responses in the marketplace.

He also noticed the need for specific mergers and acquisitions advice for privately owned
businesses. His understandings of the dynamics of how large companies invest and grow
through negotiation and acquisition, particularly what filters acquirers apply to assess
attractive acquisitions have shaped Deal Leaders Africa as a company that enables
owners of businesses with turnovers of more than R30 million to grow and/or exit their
businesses successfully.

As Managing Director and Head Deal Adviser at Deal Leaders Africa, Andrew now leads a
team of 18 staff. Among them, they share more than 125 years’ experience in the
financial sector. Typically the team handles about two dozen pipeline deals at any one
time worth more than R1 billion in transaction value. They make up to 300 engagement
calls a week to potential acquirers and investors in the company’s local and international
network of more than 1 million potential acquirers of businesses. The company aims to
maximise transaction value for business owners, while always ensuring that they retain
control during the process and that confidentiality is maintained.

Formed in early 2017, Deal Leaders Africa is privately owned. It is headquartered in
Sandton, Johannesburg, and also has an office in Umhlanga, Durban.