Gagan Gupta

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Gagan Gupta
Gagan Gupta en 2024.jpg
Born (1975-05-10) May 10, 1975 (age 50) [1]
Rajasthan, India
EducationAll India Rank (Institute of Chartered Accountants of India)
Known forCo-creator and CEO of Arise P&L, Arise IIP, Arise IS
Title CEO

Gagan Gupta (born May 10, 1975) is an Indian businessman and investor specializing in industrial development, infrastructure, mining, energy, logistics and electric mobility in Africa. He is the founder and CEO of Arise, a leading pan-African industrial infrastructure construction and logistics group operating in fourteen countries. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Beyond his role at Arise, he is founder and president of Equitane, a private-equity investment firm managing $4 billion in assets, [6] as well as Spiro, Africa's leading startup in electric mobility [7] [8] , and Africa Minerals and Metals Processing Platform (A2MP), a large-scale pan-African initiative focused on the extraction and local processing of minerals and metals, with a dozen active projects in Africa. [9]

Early life and education

Gagan Gupta was born on May 10, 1975, in Rajasthan, India. [10] He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Delhi University and earned an All India Rank from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). [11] [12] [13]

Career

Early career

Gagan Gupta began his career as a chartered accountant and management controller in the finance departments of Reebok and Reckitt Benckiser in India. [2] [14]

In 2008, he joined Olam International Limited, where he was appointed head of the company's Gabonese operations. [15]

In 2010, he was successively appointed Country Manager, Group Operations Director in Central Africa, and Business Development Director at Olam International. [15]

The same year, he initiated public-private partnerships (PPPs) with the Gabonese government, implementing major projects to accelerate industrialization and infrastructure development. These PPPs are divided into three main sectors:

Arise's founding and expansion in Africa

In 2018, Gagan Gupta founded Arise, [21] a company specializing in the development of integrated industrial platforms, ports and large-scale infrastructure across Africa. [22] [23]

Arise is structured into three divisions :

In February 2021, Olam International entered into definitive agreements with Africa Transformation and Industrialization Fund, an Abu Dhabi-based investment fund established by Arise employees. The two companies closed the sale of Olam's remaining shares in Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP) and Arise Infrastructure Services (Arise IS). [29] [30]

In October 2024, Arise IIP raises $443 million to finance its expansion, including $300 million from the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), the development branch of Afreximbank and $143 million from Africa Finance Corporation (AFC). With this round of financing, Arise IIP's total capital exceeds one billion dollars. [31]

In September 2025, the company announced a new $700 million capital raise. This transaction marked the entry of Saudi investor Vision Invest into the platform’s capital, alongside AFC, Equitane and FEDA. [32]

In 2025, Arise is established in Ivory Coast, [33] Sierra Leone, Togo [34] Bénin, [35] Nigéria, [36] Gabon, Tchad, Congo, [37] Democratic Republic of the Congo, [38] Senegal, [39] Rwanda, [40] Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi. [41]

The company has developed a model enabling African countries to make their raw materials production more profitable through targeted investments in local processing. [42] By reducing the export of raw materials from Africa to Asia and other regions in favor of local processing, Arise intends to reduce carbon emissions, support the creation of jobs and value locally and shorten global supply chains. [43] [44]

Diversification

Creation of Equitane

In 2024, Gagan Gupta renamed the Africa Transformation and Industrialization Fund (ATIF) into Equitane, a multi-sector investment company dedicated to sustainable industrialization and economic transformation in Africa. Unlike conventional investment funds, Equitane operates as a permanent capital investment structure, focusing on long-term development over short-term returns. Equitane operates in 14 countries. [6]

Equitane comprises five main activities:

  • Infrastructure: Equitane owns 24.08% of Arise IIP, supporting the expansion of industrial and logistics hubs across Africa. [6]
  • Green mobility: The company owns Spiro, an African electric mobility company. [8]
  • Manufacturing: Equitane holds investments in agro-processing (cotton, sugar), pharmaceuticals and ceramics. [8]
  • Mining: Equitane holds a minority stake in the Belinga iron ore project in Gabon, to promote resource transformation and industrial integration. [6] In March 2025, Gagan Gupta acquired a 9.7% stake in Zanaga Iron Ore Company, operator of the Zanaga iron ore project in the Republic of Congo. This $21.5 million transaction enabled the withdrawal of Glencore, the former majority shareholder (43.17%), which had been inactive on the project. The Zanaga site, located in the Lékoumou region, contains an estimated reserve of 2.1 billion tonnes of iron ore, with a projected capacity of 30 million tonnes per year. The operation also reopened the prospect of relaunching economic studies and forming a consortium to build key infrastructure, including a 300km railway line linking the deposit to the port of Pointe-Noire. [45] [46]
  • Finance: A $50 million investment fund to promote African entrepreneurship. [6]

Entrepreneurship in sustainable development

With Equitane, Gagan Gupta created the electric vehicle startup Spiro, [47] specializing in electric motorcycles. In October 2025, Spiro announced what it described as the largest investment ever made in electric mobility in Africa, with a record $100 million fundraising round from Afreximbank and a private investor [48] . By 2025, Spiro is operating in six African countries: Togo, Benin, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria. [7] [49]

Equitane is also behind Solen, a company focused on solar energy and electricity storage in Gabon, Benin, Togo and Chad. Solen operates 50 MW of active projects and is developing a further 300 MW. [8] [6] Solen is an independent power producer. It operates Ayémé Solar Power Station. [50] [51]

Gagan Gupta also founded the African Trade and Distribution Company (ATDC), a vehicle designed to strengthen intra-African trade. [52]

In 2021, Arise acquired 35% of Aera Group, which operates in the carbon credits market. [53]

In 2023, Arise IIP acquired a 17.6% stake in Crystalchain, a French company specializing in supply chain transparency via blockchain. [54]

Private life

Gagan Gupta is married with two children. [16] A long-distance runner, he initiated the organization of the Gabon Marathon, by making Olam the first official sponsor of this event. [55] In 2023, the race gathered 14,000 runners. [56]

Awards

Gagan Gupta was named vice president of the Giants Club in recognition of his efforts to foster sustainable and environmentally friendly industrialization, as well as the establishment of Africa's first carbon-neutral special economic zone (GSEZ). The Giants Club supports African governments in the protection of their natural resources, and promotes economic development. [57] [58]

References

  1. ↑ "Gagan GUPTA". Find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk.
  2. 1 2 "Gagan Gupta, le tycoon indien qui veut industrialiser l'Afrique de l'Ouest". LEFIGARO (in French). 2021-06-21. Retrieved 2022-05-21.
  3. ↑ "Gagan Gupta sort le grand jeu – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2022-05-21.
  4. ↑ Gabon, Le Nouveau. "Gagan Gupta, PDG Arise Holding : l'architecte bâtisseur". www.lenouveaugabon.com (in French). Retrieved 2022-05-21.
  5. ↑ "ARISE P&L GABON LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2022-05-21.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Equitane : Gagan Gupta lance sa nouvelle structure d'investissement en Afrique - Africa Business+". africabusinessplus.com (in French). 2024-05-06. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  7. 1 2 "BasiGo, SolarTaxi, Spiro: The African startups driving the electric vehicle revolution". The Africa Report.com. 10 February 2025. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Dubai's Equitane seeks African leadership in manufacturing, renewable energy". The Africa Report.com. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  9. ↑ "Malgré la crise politique, Equitane fond sur l'or du Mali". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2026-02-05.
  10. ↑ "Gagan GUPTA". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  11. ↑ "Gagan GUPTA Président, OLAM INTERNATIONAL LTD". businessfrance.fr (in French). 2019. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2020..
  12. ↑ "Gagan Gupta". www.fidelity.co.in. Archived from the original on 8 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  13. ↑ "Gagan Gupta, le tycoon indien qui veut industrialiser l'Afrique de l'Ouest". Le Figaro (in French). 2021-06-21. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
  14. ↑ "Arise : VIP, conseillers, nouveaux alliés… La galaxie de Gagan Gupta - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2025-03-21.
  15. 1 2 3 "Gagan Gupta promu PDG d'Olam Afrique avec résidence à Libreville". gabonactu.com (in French). 5 March 2019. Archived from the original on 8 March 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2020..
  16. 1 2 "Infrastructures : le tour de force gabonais de Gagan Gupta". jeuneafrique.com (in French). 7 August 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2020..
  17. ↑ "Gabon : Bongo inaugure la plus grande usine d'huile de palme du continent". La Tribune (in French). 2017-04-12. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
  18. 1 2 "Gagan Gupta, PDG Arise Holding : l'architecte bâtisseur". lenouveaugabon.com (in French). 16 September 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020.[ permanent dead link ].
  19. ↑ "Comment des filières d'industries de transformation se structurent en Afrique". lesechos.fr (in French). 15 June 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  20. ↑ Rédaction (2021-09-28). "GSEZ, pionnière africaine de la neutralité carbone". Financial Afrik (in French). Retrieved 2025-03-21.
  21. ↑ "Gagan Gupta Managing Director and CEO, Infrastructure and Logistics". olamgroup.com (in French). 2020. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2020..
  22. ↑ "Arise bientôt dans la cour des grands ?". jeuneafrique.com (in French). 15 September 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020..
  23. ↑ "Arise IIP débarque au Congo avec deux projets dans ses valises". jeuneafrique.com (in French). 2 June 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022..
  24. ↑ First, Togo. "De nouveaux financements d'ARISE IIP pour la PIA, suite à un appui de 450 millions $ d'Afreximbank". www.togofirst.com (in French). Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  25. ↑ "Après le Togo et le Bénin, Arise IIP étend son modèle en Afrique de l'Est - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  26. ↑ "A.P. Moller Capital acquires 43% of Arise Ports & Logistics for $250m - Africa Business+". africabusinessplus.com. 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  27. ↑ "AP Moller Capital va investir 600 millions de dollars sur le continent". jeuneafrique.com (in French). 18 February 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2020..
  28. ↑ "Le groupe ARISE s'offre la gestion des activités de GSEZ". Direct Infos Gabon (in French). 2020-02-02. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  29. ↑ "Africa Transformation and Industrialization Fund, a fund managed by Arise Group entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms from Olam International Limited". marketscreener.com. 2 November 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022..
  30. ↑ "Olam International announces signing of definitive agreements to divest remaining equity stakes in ARISE IIP and ARISE IS". olamgroup.com. 11 February 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022..
  31. ↑ Kennedy, Fred (2024-10-03). "ARISE IIP Secures $443 Million Capital Raise from Afreximbank's FEDA and AFC to Boost Industrial Expansion in Africa". Empower Africa. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  32. ↑ "ARISE IIP attire 700 millions USD avec l'entrée de Vision Invest à son capital". sikafinance.com (in French). Retrieved 2026-02-05.
  33. ↑ "ZONE INDUSTRIELLE D'AKOUPE-ZEUDJI : L'AGEDI ET ARISE IVOIRE SIGNENT LE PV DE MISE A DISPOSITION DE 329 HA". 24 November 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  34. ↑ "ARISE IIP launches Togo's first integrated industrial zone". République Togolaise (in French). Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  35. ↑ Savana, Albert (2021-03-04). "Bénin: Les promesses de Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone". Financial Afrik (in French). Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  36. ↑ "Ogun, foreign investor sign $400m MoU on Olokola FTZ". Punch Newspapers. 2022-04-15. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  37. ↑ "Le modèle togolais appliqué au Congo". République Togolaise (in French). Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  38. ↑ Kinshasa, Rédaction (2022-09-16). "RDC : Vers la création d'une Zone économique spéciale dénommée " Kin-Malebo "". Politico.cd (in French). Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  39. ↑ "Gagan Gupta (Arise) : " Le moment est venu d'accélérer l'industrialisation de l'Afrique " – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  40. ↑ IPP, ARISE. "ARISE IIP signe avec le Rwanda pour le développement d'une zone industrielle dans le district de Bugesera". Agence Ecofin (in French). Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  41. ↑ "Africa : Gagan Gupta, master of the customised industrial zone - 18/02/2025". Africa Intelligence. 2025-03-22. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  42. ↑ staff, Milken Institute (2021-03-22). "Interview with Gagan Gupta". COVID-19 Africa Watch. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  43. ↑ "How will West Africa benefit from a shift in textile industry supply chains?". Oxford Business Group. 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  44. ↑ "Focus on sustainability in African textile value chains". Oxford Business Group. 2022-04-25. Archived from the original on 2022-10-24. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  45. ↑ "Gagan Gupta, Mark Cutifani et Mick Davis aident Glencore à sortir du fer de Zanaga - Africa Business+". africabusinessplus.com (in French). 2025-04-03. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  46. ↑ "Gagan Gupta, Mark Cutifani et Mick Davis aident Glencore à sortir du fer de Zanaga - Africa Business+". africabusinessplus.com (in French). 2025-04-03. Retrieved 2026-02-05.
  47. ↑ "Qu'est-ce qui fait courir Spiro, décidé à essaimer sur le continent ? - Jeune Afrique.com". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  48. ↑ "La start-up africaine de motos électriques Spiro lève 100 millions de dollars, un montant inédit symbole du boom du secteur" (in French). 2025-10-23. Retrieved 2026-02-05.
  49. ↑ Oluwole, Victor (2024-06-05). "Exclusive: SPIRO CEO discusses the economic implications of electric bikes in Africa". Business Insider Africa. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  50. ↑ dit, Iwo keumbou crispo (2022-03-02). "Gabon : Une Centrale solaire de 120 MW en gestation à Ayeme Plaine". Gabonreview.com | Actualité du Gabon | (in French). Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  51. ↑ "Le Français Solen va construire une centrale solaire photovoltaïque de 120 MW à Ayemé Plaine". Direct Infos Gabon (in French). 2022-03-03. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  52. ↑ "Commerce intra-africain : Gagan Gupta (Arise) veut lancer l'African Trade and Distribution Company avec un capital de 611 milliards de Fcfa". EcoMatin (in French). 2024-06-21. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  53. ↑ Savana, Albert (2021-03-02). "Finance carbone : ARISE IS entre au capital d'AERA Group". Financial Afrik (in French). Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  54. ↑ First, Togo. "Togo: Arise IIP acquires stake in Tracking specialist Crystalchain to better track carbon emissions". www.togofirst.com. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  55. ↑ "À J-60 du Marathon du Gabon : L'engagement reconfirmé d'Olam". gabonreview.com (in French). 30 September 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2022..
  56. ↑ IVEMBI, Sydney (2023-12-15). "Marathon du Gabon 2023 : le champion Kenyan Daniel Yator veut réitérer son exploit de l'année dernière -" (in French). Retrieved 2025-03-22.
  57. ↑ "We must unlock sustainable value to protect biodiversity, people and planet". independent.co.uk. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022..
  58. ↑ "Gagan Gupta matérialise son engagement pour le développement durable". conjonctureseconomiques.net (in French). 17 February 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022..
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