John Porter

Worked at Morgan Stanley in London, New York and Asia between 1991 and 2008, holding various positions including Managing Director, Head of Financing for Middle East and Africa, Head of UK Capital Markets, Deputy Head of UK Investment Banking, Head of Africa. Joined Renaissance Capital in 2008, subsequently moving to Moscow between 2008 and 2017. Ran the Financing Group leading over 100 closed transactions for the Firm over the period. Most recently held the title of Chief Business Officer. Based out of London since 2018.Board member and treasurer of Harm Reduction International since 2021, a leading UK public health and healthcare policy NGO.BA Oxford University. Certificate d’Etudes Politiques Sciences Politiques.

Career Highlights

Set up Morgan Stanley Mumbai office with under the supervision of Vikram Pandit, later CEO of Morgan Stanley and then Citigroup.

Worked on Reliance Industries which was the first Global Depositary Receipt (GDR), listed in London, one of the catalysts behind emerging markets companies coming to the London Stock Exchange.

Worked on Wharf Holdings, the first Convertible bond out of Hong Kong.

Worked on IPO of Depa (DIFX) and Tabreed mandatory convertible.

Led lastminute.com, the first $1Bn IPO of a pre revenue business on the London Stock Exchange.

Led IPOs of Burberry and Carphone Warehouse (luxury, premium retail) on London Stock Exchange.

Sale of Skype to eBay for $2.6Bn in 2005.

Led all Blackstone and Fortress Europe capital markets exits over the period 2005 - 2008.

Raised $5Bn in 5 months for New York taxi driver turned oil refining magnate Tom O’Malley’s acquisition and refinancing of Petroplus.

Led $800 million IPO for Safaricom, which remains the largest locally listed IPO out of Africa and which was the first “Fintech” capital markets story on the back of a nascent mPesa.

$750 million capital raise and London listing for GT Bank and $500 million listing for Diamond Bank.

Large number of Russian offerings including for Yandex, mail.ru, Phosagro ($1Bn IPO), Rusal ($3Bn IPO), Epam.

Bank of Georgia and TBC Bank IPOs and secondary offerings.

Nigeria - including MTN Nigeria and IHS IPOs, Lekoil hostile m&a defence advisory.