Henry Obi CBE

Henry Obi brings over 25 years of emerging markets investment experience to Helios, where he serves as Partner, Head of Public & Regulatory Affairs, and a member of the firm’s Investment Committee. In this role, Henry leverages his extensive expertise and a vast network across the private equity and regulatory landscape to guide the firm’s investment strategies.

Previously, Henry was Partner and Chief Operating Officer at Helios from 2006 to 2018. Before joining Helios, he held leadership roles as a Partner at Aureos Capital and a senior executive in the investment team at CDC (now British International Investment).Henry’s industry contributions have been widely recognized. He was awarded the Outstanding Leadership Award by Private Equity Africa in 2014 and has served as Chairman of the Emerging Market Private Equity Association's (EMPEA) Africa Council. A passionate advocate for impactful governance, Henry also sits on the board of the London Business School as a Governor and is a trustee of Prostate Cancer UK.

Henry holds an MSc and BSc in Architecture from the University of Nigeria, a BArch from the University of Nottingham, and an MBA from London Business School. In recognition of his contributions to public and political service, he was named a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 2021. A dual Nigerian and Irish national, Henry speaks Igbo fluently.

Henry enjoys working at Helios because it offers him the opportunity to engage in impactful work alongside exceptional colleagues who are equally committed to driving growth across Africa.

Outside of work, Henry is deeply involved in his passion for prostate cancer awareness as a trustee for Prostate Cancer UK and enjoys playing Sunday morning football.