Our team

Danie van Huyssteen BCom (Law), BCompt (Hons), LLB, CTA, HDip Auditing, Chartered Accountant (SA)

Director, Avatar Investments Limited

Danie was adviser to Martin Sanderson in the sale of his company’s shares to the AAM Group, Australia, in 2007 and met with Adrian Durrant when he visited Johannesburg in 2011. In 2014 they founded Avatar Investments Limited.

He specialises in local and inward listings on the JSE Limited, mergers and acquisitions, valuations and raising capital in the form of listed equity and senior debt. In this context, he looks to optimise the business value, in terms of the weighted average cost of capital through the various business cycles; with the aim of maximising equity value.

Danie has 20 years’ experience in corporate finance, with a focus on advising JSE-listed companies. He started his career with PwC, within the audit, transaction support and corporate finance practices, before founding his own company in a joint venture with BDO Spencer Steward. Over this time, Danie has been involved in corporate finance transactions within the tourism, property and infrastructure sectors; representing in excess of USD 2 billion in transactions.

Dr Adrian Durrant FHEA FRGS

Director, Avatar Investments Limited

Adrian is an entrepreneur and educator, with some 40 years of experience in start-up and growth businesses as well as in academic research, teaching and learning.

He is a co-founder and director of Avatar Investments Ltd and a part-time lecturer at the University of Suffolk in the UK.

Particularly, Adrian is passionate about the proliferation of awareness and education in preventative medicine, where the patient is treated holistically, based on the individual’s genetics and lifestyle. Disease prevention and wellbeing, rather than cure. As such he is delighted that Avatar is integral to Cilo Cybin’s commitment to building a global leader in New Medicine, as Cilo Cybin’s authorised UK representative.

Adrian’s driving motto is ‘if we have our health, we have a today. If we have an education, we have a tomorrow’.

He has known and worked with his fellow co-director at Avatar, Martin Sanderson, for over 30 years.

Adrian holds a BSc (Hons), PhD and a post-graduate certificate in academic practice (PGCAP).

Martin Sanderson

Director, Avatar Investments Limited

Martin is a Director of Avatar Investments Ltd and has known and worked with his co-directors at Avatar, Adrian Durrant, for over 10 years.

He was the Managing Director of Aircraft Operating Company (AOC) for some 25 years and served on the boards of a number of other companies covering activities in exploration, aviation, IT, engineering, and property investment. His diverse business experience led him to operate internationally on projects throughout Africa and as far afield as Spain, Norway, Seychelles, India, Canada and Brazil. Clients include recognised international companies and international aid agencies.

His experience includes contract negotiations, project management and financial modelling. He has acted as a consultant to Anglo American, the World Bank and the AAM Group.

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