Ascension Private Equity Fund I (“Ascension”) has increased its equity interest in Consumer Profile Bureau (“CPB”) from 26% to 85% to become the majority shareholder alongside the management team. CPB, founded in 1981 and registered under South Africa’s National Credit Act No. 34 of 2005, is a proudly South African payment profile hosting credit bureau. CPB goes beyond traditional credit bureau offerings—delivering bespoke real-time credit solutions, advanced reporting and analytics, digital identification, paperless FICA, and online data analytics, alongside tracing, credit verification, and debtor profiling. CPB continues to serve as a trusted partner to its extensive and varied client base.
CPB’s management team exemplifies a shared vision and commitment to excellence. The CEO, Marina Short, has dedicated the past 14 years to building a diverse client portfolio, while the CIO (Alain Craven) has carefully shaped the business capacity and capabilities from the ground up over the past 25 years. Together, they form a powerful partnership that leverages their combined 40 years of industry expertise and market insight. This cohesive leadership team is not only deeply knowledgeable in the credit bureau sector but also driven by a shared ambition to propel CPB’s growth and innovation, ensuring a solid foundation for future success.
The recent greylisting of South Africa, while presenting challenges, has created opportunities for CPB. The heightened regulatory landscape has driven demand for advanced Know Your Customer (KYC) validation and compliance solutions that support compliance teams, areas where CPB is uniquely positioned to lead. CPB’s real-time credit solutions and compliance services create value as businesses navigate stricter compliance requirements, reinforcing CPB’s role as a market leader in both credit and compliance solutions. CPB also offers innovative scoring models designed for unbanked and credit-thin individuals, supporting economic inclusion.
CPB also offers innovative scoring models specifically designed to support unbanked and credit-thin individuals. These models promote economic inclusion by providing credit assessment options that help build a more inclusive credit environment, ensuring financial services are accessible to a broader segment of the population. This principle of inclusion is core to both CPB and Ascension’s philosophies, reflecting a shared commitment to creating opportunities and meaningful change in underserved communities.
This strategic investment by Ascension will not only accelerate CPB’s growth trajectory but also strengthen its market presence and long-term strategy. Additionally, it enhances CPB’s BEE ownership credentials, aligning with broader national transformation goals.
Ascension is a majority black-owned private equity fund manager based in Pretoria, South Africa.
Ascension seeks to invest in high growth businesses which serve or enhance basic human needs (such as food security, healthcare, financial inclusion, energy, water and sanitation) with a strong emphasis on technology. Ascension’s proprietary
