African Asset Finance Company, a provider of access to equipment in frontier and emerging markets through its Equipment-as-a-Service (EASE) brand, appointed Imraan Soomra an officer of the corporation.
Soomra has more than 30 years of executive experience, with previous roles ranging across the healthcare, media and industrial sectors. Soomra was most recently CEO of Africa’s largest fishing company, operating across South Africa, Namibia and the United States. Soomra is a chartered accountant, having started his career at Deloitte. Since January of this year, he has been chief operations officer of African Asset Finance Company.
Prior to joining African Asset Finance Company, Soomra also served as an advisor to the Harambee Youth Accelerator project, providing strategic advice on addressing youth unemployment in South Africa. He is also currently partnered with various bodies in the ESG space, advising corporations on how to embed ESG into their commercial strategies.
“I am thrilled to be taking on a more significant role at AAFC and EASE, having already supported the latter through the launching of our healthcare program earlier this year,” Soomra said. “By making equipment available through an easier-to-access offering than existing alternatives, EASE is accelerating economic development and growth, creating jobs and improving living standards in the markets in which it operates.
“One of my key personal goals is to deliver impact for shareholders by helping organizations move from traditional outlooks towards one of profit with purpose. For this reason, AAFC and EASE are businesses I am proud to be a part of, and I look forward to seeing the continued expansion of our healthcare and other programs in the very near future.”
African Asset Finance Company provides finance, expertise and support to local teams in the delivery of EASE’s equipment solutions. As chief operating officer of African Asset Finance Company, Soomra is responsible for the overall management and operation of EASE,, overseeing the expansion of each of its sector programs, including healthcare and ICT.
Soomra’s appointment coincides with the recent signing of EASE’s first customers in Nigeria and Ghana. EASE’s healthcare program and its pay-per-use model have enabled both FOCOS Orthopedic Hospital in Ghana and HTS Diagnostic Centre in Nigeria to access Siemens medical equipment. EASE’s equipment-as-a-service offering is supported by the EASE payment platform, a solution that distributes each patient’s fee between EASE and its customers.
“Imraan’s appointment marks an operational milestone for AAFC and is testament to the accelerating success EASE is enjoying in the healthcare sector in a rapidly growing number of markets across the continent,” Frans van Schaik, chairman and CEO of African Asset Finance Company, said. “EASE represents the synergy between local knowledge and international knowhow and capital, something that is typified by Imraan and the wider team. By bringing to bear a lifetime of in-country experience, the EASE team is able to identify appropriate use-cases for its programs, overcome local challenges and deliver opportunity for its customers. We are pleased to welcome Imraan to a position in which his extensive experience and knowledge can help shape EASE’s future successes.”
