Memphis Capital leverages Aly Taha’s over 15 years of experience to acquire Egypt’s finest SME

Maximizing years of experience and his all-encompassing knowledge, Aly Taha, Principal of Memphis Capital, embarked on a journey to acquire a promising Egyptian SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) to grow and improve. During over 15 years of experience in capital investments and operations, Aly has managed $10 billion in the energy sector across several industries and locations, gaining invaluable knowledge and understanding of business development.

Aly’s education, spanning a Master’s degree in Business Administration from London Business School, an MSc in Project Management from HAN University in the Netherlands, and a BSc in Civil Engineering from the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport in Cairo, enables him to select the most promising candidates, curate outcome-driven strategies, and succeed.

Project and Capital Management have been the major focuses of Aly’s career since graduating. While working for a global oil and gas powerhouse, Aly would search for auspicious business concepts, assemble an expert team, and study the economics and feasibility of the ideas. After receiving the green light, he would then proceed to acquire concessions, identify opportunities, and complete the full investment circle.

In February 2023, Aly, accompanied by other business experts and investors, created Memphis Capital, a fund operating on a specific mandate that allows it to scan the Egyptian SME landscape in search of one business to acquire. Currently, the fund is halfway through the journey, with plans to complete an acquisition by February 2025.

Memphis Capital, based in the UK and operating in Egypt, is supported by 16 partners, half of whom are Egyptian, the other half international. The range of investors is diverse, from institutes and family offices to individuals. Aly describes this business model as a search fund or a small fund created to scrutinize businesses within specific criteria. Another fund will be created once Memphis Capital does due diligence and signs the contract; that fund will allow Aly and his partners to hold the acquired business long-term, scale it up, increase profits, and exit after a few years.

The inspiration behind such a unique business model stemmed from Aly’s university years, when - while completing his MBA - he spoke to a classmate trying the same scheme in Portugal. Aly’s piqued curiosity prompted him to follow his colleague’s journey, exploring the benefits and methodology of this model.

To qualify for Memphis Capital’s acquisition, SMEs must meet specific requirements. Since the fund’s mandate allows for searching the Egyptian landscape, all businesses have to be registered or operating in Egypt. Memphis Capital is seeking promising companies from all sectors that have a successful track record, demonstrate a healthy and positive cashflow, have low cyclicality in a fragmented industry, low capital expenditure needs, revenue of a minimum of $5 million, and an EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) of more than 15% of the total revenue.

If you’re an owner of an Egyptian SME meeting these criteria and would like to get in touch with Memphis Capital, click here to visit the contact page.

In the future, Aly hopes to leverage his over 15 years of experience to acquire more businesses, turn the fund into a holding company, and replicate the search fund model across diverse sectors. “Capital investments are a dynamic and unpredictable landscape that generates tremendous rewards when managed properly. I’ve got full faith in the Memphis Capital model, and I’m excited to see what the future holds,” he adds.