This year's Future 40 Mid-Market Investment Leaders list, in association with Finatal, celebrates the exceptional dealmakers who have excelled in the face of a challenging exit environment. These outstanding investment professionals have not only closed notable deals but have also made significant contributions to the private equity ecosystem. Selected through a rigorous external nomination and judging process, these leaders have achieved stellar results for their funds and portfolio companies through their remarkable expertise and strategic acumen. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all of our winners, whose accomplishments exemplify excellence in the industry.

Anthony Francis, Pelican Capital
Anthony Francis, partner at Pelican Capital, co-led the GP through two exits last year. While the feat is remarkable considering the challenging exit environment, the sales were even more impressive because of the quick turnarounds. Under Francis' leadership, the GP sold YourParkingSpace, an online marketplace for parking-space bookings, which it held for just 22 months and achieved a 6.5x return at exit. In the 12 months before exit, YourParkingSpace, which was sold to FlowBird Group, had grown by 125%. Additionally, Francis successfully guided the GP in divesting another portfolio company, Wheelhouse, an outsourced consultancy services provider, in March 2020. Pelican exited the business in May 2022 to CBPE-backed Centralis.

Llewellyn John, FPE Capital
In 2022, Llewellyn John, partner at FPE Capital, played a crucial role in raising £185m for FPE Fund III, which exceeded expectations by 86% compared to FPE’s previous fund. Following the close of Fund III, John led investments in four high-growth technology companies, namely Egress Group, Dynamic Planner, Global App Testing and 15gifts. These investments performed strongly, boasting an average organic revenue growth of 30%. His dedication to supporting the growth of investee companies is evident in his involvement with Egress Group, where he worked closely with the founders and an external managing director to develop an investment plan and facilitate the transition to independent management.

Guy Ellis, Rockpool Investments
Partner at Rockpool Investments, Guy Ellis, demonstrated his exceptional abilities by leading a trio of exits last year. He was the lead partner on the investments into and exits of the following Rockpool deals: Boston Multi-Family Office, a trust and fiduciary services business that went through significant buy and build before selling to Horizon Capital; Fortus Group, a CCTV distribution and monitoring businesses that acquired three companies under Rockpool ownership, which was sold back to the management team via AIB Equity Capital and generated 2.5x MOIC and 36% IRR; and Blume (originally MMA Digital), a lead generation business into law firms, which sold to Sun European Partners-backed Fletchers, generating 4.4x MOIC and 621% IRR. These exits showcased Ellis’s ability to drive value creation and deliver strong returns for investors. Ellis is also co-founder of CareerPaths, a mentoring platform aimed at fostering social mobility in competitive industries including private equity.

Adam Lewis, Horizon Capital
Adam Lewis, a partner at Horizon Capital, was pivotal in the investor’s sale of AgriBriefing, an agribusiness market intelligence platform, to Mintec. The sale resulted in a remarkable return of 3x invested capital. Throughout the hold period, Lewis provided valuable support to AgriBriefing, enabling the company to make strategic international acquisitions in the field of agribusiness price reporting, information, market data and intelligence. Under Lewis's guidance, Horizon Capital made significant investments in enhancing AgriBriefing's sales and marketing resources, customer relationship management systems, pricing strategy and IT infrastructure. These efforts culminated in the development of a robust and scalable platform, setting AgriBriefing on a path of sustained growth.

Mario Garcia Ribeiro, Schroders Capital
Mario Garcia Ribeiro, investment director, private equity at Schroders Capital, participated in the exit of Project Logos, a Dutch outsourced software development company. Despite the challenging market environment, Schroders Capital executed the exit in December 2022. In addition to successful exits, he also played a key role in leading eight deals throughout 2022, involving approximately €200m of committed capital. These deals encompassed a range of direct/co-investments and primary transactions, with a focus on the lower end of the buyout market. Garcia Ribeiro's involvement in these transactions highlights his proficiency in sourcing and executing investments that align with Schroders Capital's investment strategy. The outstanding performance of the Project Logos exit earned Schroders Capital the prestigious Co-investor of the Year award at Real Deals’ Private Equity Awards 2023.

Ruth Eagle, CBPE Capital
Ruth Eagle, head of origination at CBPE Capital, leads the deal origination efforts at the firm. Each year, her team assesses approximately 700 potential investments in order to identify the opportunities that are the best fit for CBPE’s focused strategy. During her time at CBPE, Eagle has played a key role in driving its tech strategy and internal processes to improve efficiency within the team. Eagle is passionate about helping the next generation of investors find their way into private equity, volunteering her time as a mentor for the GAIN internship programme and co-heading CBPE’s annual internship programme.

Jamie Roberts, YFM
YFM partner Jamie Roberts and his team led the investment and exit of Vuelta, a global Anaplan implantation partner with 70 consultants based across its global offices. During the hold period, YFM carved out the firm’s consulting and software business, and sold the latter for an “attractive” multiple. Roberts also worked on several new investments, including growth capital investments into software businesses Quality Clouds, Plandek and Automate Pro, as well as supporting the management buyout of SOS Leak Detection. With the SOS transaction, he worked closely with the incumbent shareholders to recruit key positions and turn the business into a successful investment. Roberts has made significant contributions to YFM's growth and development including expanding the team, adding key positions such as head of portfolio, portfolio partner and investment manager, as well as recruiting for new roles in origination, talent and marketing. Roberts also leads the relationship between YFM and the charity Upreach, aiming to provide opportunities for students from less advantaged backgrounds to access top graduate jobs.

Adam Maidment, Kester Capital
Adam Maidment, managing partner of Kester Capital, played a crucial role in the GP’s realisation of exits in 2022 – Avania Clinical to Astorg, and Vixio to Perwyn. These exits resulted in impressive returns of 8.4x ROI/46% IRR and 4.8x ROI/61% IRR, respectively, on a gross basis for Kester funds. During the six-year hold period of Avania, Maidment and the Kester team transformed the company into a leading global medtech-focused CRO. Through strategic acquisitions in the US and Asia Pacific regions, Avania experienced significant growth, expanding its workforce from approximately 35 to 250 employees and achieving over a 5x increase in Ebitda. Aside from his successful exit track record, Maidment played a key role in raising Kester Capital III, attracting substantial institutional LP interest. Moreover, he, along with co-founder Cameron Crockett, established the Kester Foundation, a charitable organisation that will receive 10% of the carry in Kester Capital III, dedicated to supporting third-party charities and not-for-profit initiatives.

Katie Beckingham, August Equity
Director at August Equity, Katie Beckingham, has been involved in several of the GP's portfolio companies, including OneTouch, Agilio Software and AAB. Her most recent investment is OneTouch, a provider of care management software that August Equity invested in last year, bringing the platform together in combination with the carve-out of Signis, a leading provider of social care policies and procedures that operates under the tri.x brand. Beckingham's involvement in both the carve-out process and the day-one merger with OneTouch showcased her strategic capabilities and ability to navigate complex transactions. Her insights were instrumental in ensuring a smooth transition and successful integration of Signis into OneTouch's portfolio.

Benjamin Hubner, Sophora Unternehmerkapital GmbH
As the managing director of Sophora Unternehmerkapital GmbH, Benjamin Hubner had a remarkable year in 2022 with two successful exits under his belt. The first exit was the sale of Pumpenfabrik Wangen to trade player Atlas Copco in March 2022, achieving a valuation of 2.4x money. This particular investment had its challenges but Hubner's strategic decisions, including bringing in a chairman to stabilise operations, paid off with a good valuation. The second exit in July 2022 was of Prefere Resins, a Berlin-based chemical company, to One Rock Capital. Despite the impact of the war in Ukraine and sourcing difficulties, the exit generated a valuation of 2.6x money, which exceeded market expectations. In total, these exits resulted in €180m of capital gains on a €120m investment. In addition to his successful exits, Hubner left Silverfleet Capital after the sale of Prefere Resins and co-established his own firm. He raised €17.2m for the first close and sourced new transactions.

Cristobal Cuart, All Seas Capital
Co-founder Cristobal Cuart overcame the tough fundraising environment odds and helped All Seas Capital close its maiden fund on $400m. Under Cuart’s leadership, the GP has deployed the capital, including making investments in SoMeD Santé, a growth investment in a French private medical centre group. With All Seas' support, SoMeD aims to quadruple the number of medical centres it operates across France during the next four years. Another significant investment by All Seas Capital was in Zimmer MedizinSysteme, one of Europe's leading manufacturers of physiotherapy and aesthetics devices. All Seas' investment will enable Zimmer to further build on its success, accelerate growth in existing and new businesses, invest in its product portfolio, and pursue mergers and acquisitions. In addition to his role at All Seas Capital, Cuart has actively supported Young Presidents' Organization and has provided internships and trials to individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Erwann Le Ligné, Eurazeo
Small-mid buyout managing director at Eurazeo, Erwann Le Ligné, has supported successful exits in the private equity space for the GP. One notable exit led by Le Ligné in 2022 was Eurazeo's majority stake exit of the Orolia Group, a global provider of resilient positioning, navigation and timing solutions. The sale of the stake resulted in cash proceeds of €189m for Eurazeo, achieving a cash-on-cash multiple of 3.7x and an IRR of approximately 25%. Throughout Eurazeo's ownership, Orolia executed five strategic acquisitions, including Netwave, Satelles, Talen-X, Skydel and Seven Solutions, further enhancing its market position. In addition to his achievements in driving successful exits, Le Ligné has demonstrated his commitment to responsible investing and ESG practices. He actively contributes to the work of AFIC's ESG commission, showcasing his dedication to sustainability and responsible business practices. Furthermore, as a member of the professional standard committee and vice-chairman of Invest Europe's responsible investment roundtable, Le Ligné actively participates in shaping industry standards and promoting responsible investment practices across the wider private equity ecosystem. 

David Bains, LDC
David Bains, partner and head of the East Midlands and East of England at LDC, led his team in exiting two partnerships: Forest Holidays and Littlefish. Under Bains’ stewardship, LDC realised its investment in Forest Holidays through a merger with Sykes Holiday Cottages. During the 10-year partnership, Forest Holidays achieved impressive growth, doubling its enterprise value and investing hundreds of millions in Britain's forests. With LDC's support, the management team successfully opened five new locations across the UK, expanding the business's reach. Similarly, Bains led the exit of Littlefish, an IT and cyber services provider. Throughout LDC's three-year investment, Bains served as the sole LDC member on Littlefish's board. The partnership proved fruitful, with Littlefish nearly doubling its revenues and enhancing its service offerings, including the establishment of a security operations centre. LDC's exit to Bowmark Capital generated “exceptional returns”. Beyond his role in successful exits, he engages with businesses and the advisory community, promoting the benefits of private equity and driving growth and employment in the East Midlands and East of England region. His efforts were recognised with the Dealmaker of the Year Award at the Insider East Midlands Dealmakers Awards and the Professional Leader Award at TheBusinessDesk.com's annual Leadership Awards.

James Painter, Palatine
James Painter, senior investment director at Palatine, played a key role in the successful exit of Veincentre in October 2022. Having made the initial investment in 2019, Painter worked closely with the management team to scale the business during the following three years. Veincentre, a varicose vein clinic group, experienced significant growth during the investment period, expanding its footprint from seven to 22 clinics nationwide. The exit to CBPE generated “strong” returns for Palatine's Impact Fund. Painter's track record of successful exits, including Verdant, TTC and Westleigh, demonstrates his ability to generate strong returns for investors. He also plays a leadership role in business development and spearheads Palatine's growth in the tech sector. This includes the investment in FourNet and subsequent bolt-on acquisitions. Recognising his outstanding leadership and contributions to the corporate finance sector, Painter was promoted to senior investment director in late December 2022 and was previously named Young Financier of the Year at the Young Professionals Awards.

Elliot Tahmasebi, Copper Street Capital
Copper Street Capital’s principal, Elliot Tahmasebi, has been key to the GP’s investment activities and demonstrating leadership within the wider private equity ecosystem.
In terms of exits, Tahmasebi participated in the successful transaction of Satispay, an Italian payments platform. The exit achieved a net multiple of 3.7x, making Satispay a unicorn investment with a valuation of €1.1bn. In 2022, he successfully originated and executed several notable investments. Tahmasebi also sourced a new platform investment into Thistle Initiatives, a high-growth compliance and regulatory consulting business, while simultaneously executing the first bolt-on acquisition by Thistle of ATEB, a regulatory technology and compliance consulting business. Throughout 2022, Tahmasebi demonstrated key achievements in fundraising, playing a lead role in the syndication of stakes in Thistle to Connection Capital and other LPs. He also led the co-investment equity funding raise into One Four Nine. Tahmasebi actively represented Copper Street Capital at investor and industry conferences, engaging with LPs and contributing his expertise on financial services sector themes relevant to private equity investors and allocators.

Brahim Ammor, Five Arrows Principal Investments
Brahim Ammor, managing director of Five Arrows Principal Investments, exhibited his talents by playing a crucial role in Five Arrows' acquisitions of Quilvest Capital Partners and IK Partners' respective stakes in Groupe EDH. One notable exit that Ammor participated in was the sale of a stake in A2MAC1 to Providence Equity Partners, followed by reinvestment in the French automotive data company. Since Five Arrows acquired A2MAC1 in 2017, Ammor and the team have been instrumental in its growth and expansion. The company has significantly increased in size, more than tripling its scale, and expanded its portfolio to include not only static technology benchmarking but also other valuable insights such as cost and performance analysis. In addition to his dealmaking achievements, Ammor has shown his leadership by serving on the boards of CBA and Softway Medical, and being a member of the steering committee of iad. His prior board appointments, including INSEEC U and GFI Informatique, further highlight his contributions to the wider private equity ecosystem.

Ilaria Montefusco, Wise Equity
Wise Equity’s investment manager Ilaria Montefusco helped drive the acquisition of 55% of OneTag, a technology company specialising in programmatic advertising. Through Wise Equity's investment, Montefusco and the team supported OneTag's organic and external growth strategies. They implemented a corporate structuring process to expand the company's management team and provided resources to foster growth initiatives. Additionally, Montefusco played a crucial role in the investment in Almac, a designer and producer of self-propelled tracked aerial platforms and transporters. The investment also opened opportunities for potential synergistic acquisitions. Outside of her work at Wise Equity, Montefusco contributes to the private equity industry as a board member of AIFI Young (Associazione Italiana Private Equity, Venture Capital e Private Debt). In this role, she actively supports young professionals under the age of 35, fostering growth and collaboration within the industry.

Claude Ritter, Cavalry Ventures
Claude Ritter is co-founder and managing partner of Cavalry Ventures, where he has made significant contributions to the firm's investment activities, with a focus on impactful sales.
One of Ritter’s notable exits in 2022 was the sale of Dublin-based payment automation company WhenThen to Mangopay. Since Ritter’s initial participation as a lead investor, WhenThen has developed a payment ops platform and fully merged with Mangopay, operating under its brand. He played an active role in advising the team during conversations with Mangopay and demonstrated a close relationship with the company. He also led the investments into EV-charging platform Ampeco and cybersecurity company Oblivious, showcasing his ability to identify and support companies driving positive change in the areas of electrification of mobility and privacy-enhancing technologies. Outside of his role at Cavalry, Ritter contributes to the wider private equity ecosystem as a mentor and speaker, sharing his knowledge and best practices with founders and aspiring venture capitalists. He is involved with organisations such as Baby VC and frequently speaks at industry events, offering insights on topics such as the future of work and the transition from founder to investor.

Tom Redpath, TowerBrook Capital Partners
Tom Redpath joined TowerBrook Capital Partners in October last year as leader of growth and impact investing for Europe. Redpath has been instrumental in the launch of TowerBrook's dedicated impact strategy, TowerBrook Delta. In terms of exits, he was involved in two sales while working at Bridges Fund Management, his previous employee. The first was a legacy asset that was successfully sold to a FTSE-backed consortium, and the second was in the school food sector. Redpath’s contributions were especially notable considering the challenging environment marked by food and labour inflation, supply chain constraints and rising interest rates. Beyond his achievements in exits, he originated and signed his first two deals for TowerBrook Delta. Redpath’s presence as a frequent speaker and mentor in the private equity ecosystem showcases his commitment to sharing knowledge and supporting the growth of the industry. His expertise in ESG, impact investing, value creation, and diversity, equity and inclusion further enhance his leadership role within the private equity community.

Patrick Hargutt, Stanley Capital Partners
Founding partner Patrick Hargutt has helped Stanley Capital Partners (SCP) drive exits and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical industry. Under Hargutt’s leadership, SCP achieved a significant exit by selling Noden Pharma to a trade buyer. This transaction resulted in a net multiple of 6.7x for SCP and an impressive IRR of 151% for its investors. This exit marked a notable achievement for SCP as the first successful exit since the firm's formation. The strategic timing and execution of the sale highlight Hargutt's expertise in maximising value for stakeholders. Additionally, Hargutt played a key role in SCP's acquisition of a majority stake in Laboratoire XO, a prominent French pharmaceutical group. This investment positions Laboratoire XO as a platform for further growth and expansion. He and the SCP team have already identified a pipeline of add-on investments to enhance Laboratoire's global footprint and strengthen its market presence. With a track record of 18 completed add-on acquisitions to date, Hargutt’s ability to identify strategic opportunities and execute value-creating transactions is evident.

Liam McGivern, ICG
Liam McGivern is a managing director in ICG’s flagship European corporate team, focusing on the European Mid-Market Fund series. McGivern joined ICG in 2019 as the firm segmented its European Mid-Market fund, and has since played a leading role in a number of investments across the TMT and business services sectors. McGivern has been involved in successful investments in With Intelligence, a provider of fundraising-related data for the alternative asset management industry, and Enhesa, a global provider of environmental, health and safety data. McGivern has also helped the team capitalise on the growth of opportunities in the consulting sector with investments in 6point6, a high-growth technology consultancy focused on the secure government arena, and Newton Europe, one of the largest specialist consultancies with a dedicated focus on operations and transformation. McGivern has played a significant role in these investments, supporting growth and expansion initiatives including: significant M&A, new vertical and territory expansion, relaunching go-to-market strategies, pricing initiatives and accelerated headcount investments.

Richard Thomas, Palatine
A partner at Palatine, Richard Thomas makes the list after he led the GP's exit from CTS Group, a testing, inspection and geoengineering consulting services provider. The business was acquired by Oakley Capital, generating a return of 5.9x for Palatine's investors. This followed a previous partial exit in 2021 when CTS sold its insurance claims management division to HomeServe. Since Palatine's initial investment in 2018, Thomas played a pivotal role in transforming CTS into a leading business in the UK. Under his guidance, CTS experienced remarkable revenue growth, more than doubling during the course of three years. In 2022, Thomas was promoted to join Palatine's partnership, recognising the significant value he has brought to the firm since joining in 2015. Thomas has served as a judge for the BVCA Management Team of the Year Awards and has delivered training modules for the BVCA PE Foundation course. Additionally, he has participated in judging panels for Midlands-based business and adviser awards.

Gareth Healy, Tenzing

Gareth Healy, investment lead at Tenzing, played a pivotal role in the GP's investment of Altum, a leading provider of fund, corporate and family office administration solutions in 2022. Healy sits on the board of the firm and Tenzing will support the firm's investment in technology, new product development and sales. Furthermore, Healy's contributions extend beyond specific deals. He demonstrates his leadership within the wider private equity ecosystem by serving on the boards of Eikon, MPLC and MetaCompliance. This involvement showcases Healy's commitment to supporting and guiding technology-driven companies, leveraging his nearly two decades of experience in the industry.

Doug Wilson, Connection Capital
Investment director at Connection Capital, Doug Wilson, has been instrumental in driving successful investments and exits across various sectors. One notable investment led by Wilson was Spotless Water, a growth capital infusion into a high-growth SME business based in the UK. This creative funding package combined debt and equity elements to maximise cash availability for a site rollout during the next five years. Another significant transaction was the management buyout of IFF Research, a renowned social and market research agency. Wilson played a key role in the £5.1m investment, which encompassed senior debt and equity, facilitating the growth and development of the company. Since joining Connection Capital in 2017, he has spearheaded the expansion of the private debt strategy, offering mezzanine, unitranche and hybrid debt/equity products.

Jatender Aujla, Preservation Capital Partners
Founder and managing partner at Preservation Capital Partners (PCP), Jatender Aujla, spearheaded his firm's stake sale of BMS Group to Eurazeo. This strategic investment in the reinsurance broker amounted to up to £355m, resulting in a significant uplift in BMS's valuation to £1.75bn, representing a 3.5x increase. Preservation Capital's initial investment in BMS was made in 2019, and under Aujla's guidance, the company experienced remarkable growth. Between 2019 and 2022, BMS's revenues surged from approximately £100m to more than £250m. Additionally, the firm's global workforce expanded by 75% to approximately 900 employees. Furthermore, Preservation Capital played a key role in BMS's expansion strategy, facilitating eight acquisitions during this period. Notably, one of the significant acquisitions was Eisenar in Spain, further strengthening BMS's market position.

Dominic Graham, Waterland Private Equity
Dominic Graham, investment director at Waterland Private Equity, played an integral role in the GP's acquisition of accountancy and business adviser firm Cooper Parry last year. The deal valued the accountancy at £100m. The GP set an ambitious target to grow the business's revenues fivefold via organic growth and acquisitions. With Graham's input and the backing of Waterland, Cooper Parry has conducted bolt-ons to support the ambitious goals, including acquiring ihorizon and Acclivity.

Andrzej Pietrzak, Innova Capital
Andrzej Pietrzak, managing director at Innova Capital, worked on the sale of Inelo Group to a trade buyer for approximately €300m. This transaction resulted in a “significant” return on investment for Innova Capital and its investors. Throughout the nearly five-year hold period, Pietrzak oversaw strategic initiatives such as four bolt-on acquisitions, including NUSS, Marcos Bis, CVS Mobile and FireTMS. These acquisitions, combined with organic growth measures, expanded Inelo Group's product portfolio and geographic presence, contributing to its strong performance and attractiveness to the buyer. Furthermore, Pietrzak supported the sale of Trimo Group to Recticel for an enterprise value of €164m, generating a return of more than 4.5x on the initial investment.

Gilbert Kamieniecky, Investcorp
Gilbert Kamieniecky, global head of tech investment at Investcorp, was involved in Investcorp Technology Partners’ (ITP) exit of Softgarden, a Berlin-based HR software solutions provider, to Grupa Pracuj for €118m. The transaction generated a return of 3.2x MOIC (gross) and a 40% IRR (gross). Kamieniecky, who served on the board of Softgarden, played a crucial role in overseeing the company's development and revenue acceleration by more than 400% and successful expansion into new markets such as France, Spain and Poland. He also worked on several notable investments, including the acquisition of HWG, a cybersecurity solutions provider based in Italy, and NourNet, an independent provider of cloud infrastructure solutions in the GCC region. Furthermore, he actively contributed to the wider private equity ecosystem and is a member of the World Economic Forum's Council on the Connected World. Finally, Kamieniecky’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is also evident in his efforts to build a diverse team at ITP, resulting in a 50:50 gender ratio.

Duncan Ramsay, ECI Partners
ECI Partners’ Duncan Ramsay has made significant contributions to the firm's successful exit from Bionic, a noteworthy achievement in his career. Ramsay, a partner at the firm, played a crucial role in the sale of Bionic to Omers, which was finalised in July 2022. Throughout the hold period from 2017 to the exit, Ramsay actively participated in driving value creation initiatives for Bionic. This involved expanding the company's product offerings to include insurance and finance, as well as implementing digital enhancements to improve the customer journey and optimise marketing efficiency. The outcome was highly favourable, generating an impressive 4.8x return for ECI investors. Beyond his role at ECI Partners, Ramsay has participated in various industry events and conferences*.

Flor Kassai, Inflexion
Flor Kassai, partner at Inflexion, has helped drive the GP’s buyout investment programme. The firm’s Buyout Fund VI closed in early 2022 at its hard-cap of £2.5bn, doubling its £1.25bn predecessor. Kassai is now focused on leading the team and deploying the fund across Europe. The fund has made six investments to date, with two in the UK, and the others in the Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland and Finland. Previously, Kassai headed the services investment team and led investments including Ocorian and its transformational acquisition of Estera; the successful exit and reinvestment into British Engineering Services; Auxadi, Inflexion’s first investment in Spain; and the investment, rapid expansion and public listing of Sanne Group. A firm believer in the power of diversity and inclusion, Kassai is driving Inflexion’s Diversity Exchange programme for increasing female leadership across the firm and its 50 portfolio companies. She was also a founding member of Inflexion’s responsible investing steering committee.

Adam Rudd, Beech Tree Private Equity
Beech Tree Private Equity’s partner, Adam Rudd, joined the GP in its early days, having previously worked with the founding partners. Rudd has played a crucial role in developing strategy and leads within Beech Tree’s technology focus team. Beech Tree has now exited several companies that Rudd has held board positions along the journey, including Learnlight, BCN Group, Fluent and Wavenet, returning £270m to investors, a return of 3.4x money in aggregate. As part of this, in 2022 he exited the investment in BCN Group to ECI partners. Rudd helped the BCN team increase Ebitda by 450% during the three-and-a-half-year investment period, while at the same time pulling together a product capability enabling BCN to boast one of the most comprehensive Microsoft capabilities in the industry.  He is currently supporting the teams at Performanta, Transparity and Arc Systems.

Katie Chung Sand, CGE Partners
Katie Chung Sand has shown her expertise as an investment director at CGE Partners (CGE), working on several deals during the last year and a half. Some of the notable deals that Chung Sand has worked on include CGE's investment in platform SureCloud (2021) and Datapharm (2022). The deals further expanded the combined company's capabilities and market presence in the industry.

Dan Matkin, Northedge
Dan Matkin has, as director at Northedge, played a pivotal role in several of its private equity investments and leads Northedge’s technology team. He was involved in Northedge’s successful investment in Cloud Technology Solutions (CTS), a leading public cloud services and software company that was successfully sold to Marlin Equity Partners in January 2023, with Northedge reinvesting as part of Marlin’s investment. Northedge actively supported the growth of CTS during its hold period, including the acquisition of Qlouder, a Netherlands-based app development and machine learning specialist, which enhanced CTS's capabilities and expanded its market presence. Matkin was involved in NorthEdge’s recent investment into HCM software business Cezanne HR in March 2023, and current investments in CMap (PSA Software), Distology (cybersecurity) and Abbey Logistics (specialist logistics). He currently serves as a board member at CMap, Cezanne HR, and Abbey Logistics.

Sanjay Panchal, Livingbridge
Healthcare-focused partner Sanjay Panchal has led Livingbridge’s investments within the sector. One notable investment led by Panchal was Livingbridge's partnership with Nourish, a prominent provider of digital care planning software in the UK social care sector. He supported Nourish as it strengthened its senior team, launched new products, and developed a robust growth and M&A strategy. In addition to his investment achievements, Panchal reached a significant milestone in his career in December 2022, as he was promoted to partner at Livingbridge.

Jane Grewar, Limerston Capital
Jane Grewar, senior operating partner and head of the operating partner team at Limerston Capital, was selected because of her pivotal role in several new investments and exits for the GP. Grewar contributed to the partial exit of Prism Healthcare, which experienced significant growth and operational transformation under Limerston's ownership. Prism became the largest operator in the UK market, achieving sustained growth and expanding its product range through bolt-on acquisitions. Prism’s deal comes off the back of the full sale of Arch Sciences Group the previous year. Grewar also originated the acquisitions of Wickham Micro and MET, forming Cormica Group, a buy-and-build platform in the medical devices testing sector. She led the value creation efforts within Cormica, implementing strategic initiatives across people, commercial, operational, IT and sustainability areas. Grewar is also an active member of Level 20, advocating for gender diversity in private equity, and is developing a programme to offer internships to students from underprivileged schools.

Chris Wardle, Foresight Group
During a slowing market environment, Chris Wardle, managing director at Foresight Group,  successfully helped the GP to exit two businesses last year, alongside completing two new buyout investments. Notably, he orchestrated the exit of Codeplay Software to a US corporate buyer, resulting in a remarkable financial outcome. The transaction yielded an impressive multiple of 16.1x on capital invested and an exceptional IRR of nearly 100% per annum. Throughout Foresight's ownership, Codeplay thrived under Wardle’s guidance, expanding its market reach and forging valuable partnerships with chip companies, the automotive supply chain and diagnostic equipment manufacturers. In the same year, he also led the exit of Agar Scientific, a manufacturer of electron microscopy consumables, to another US buyer for a 4.8x return, and retains board seats at a number of high-growth companies in the healthcare, technology, and test and measurement spaces.
Inflexion’s

*Tom Pemberton, Inflexion

Tom Pemberton is a partner and head of the consumer sector team at Inflexion. He leads Inflexion’s investments in businesses with a particular focus on consumer but also ecommerce and technology sectors. In March 2022, Pemberton led Inflexion’s exit of influencer and social medial marketing agency, The Goat Agency, to WPP. During the investment, Ebitda and US revenue grew 3x. Pemberton also led the exit of Virgin Experience Days (VED) in July 2022. During the nearly five-year partnership with Inflexion, the company's revenues more than doubled, fuelled by its market-leading growth rates, strong management team, resilient business model and international presence. In addition, Pemberton was appointed to Inflexion's realisation committee in 2022.

*Rahul Satsangi, BGF

Investor Rahul Satsangi of BGF was at the forefront of two successful exits for the GP – Amazon Filters and Cornwall Insights. The exit of Surrey-based industrial filter manufacturer Amazon Filters occurred in May 2022, following a share buyback by the business. Likewise, in June, BGF exited Cornwall Insights, a leading provider of research, data and analysis to the energy sector, following its acquisition by Bowmark Capital. Both exits delivered strong capital gains for management. Satsangi played a crucial role in the Cornwall Insight exit, providing the necessary support and guidance to the management team. Throughout the hold period, Satsangi built a strong relationship with Bowmark, facilitating maximum value and positive outcomes for all parties involved. Beyond his successful exits, Satsangi showcases leadership within BGF and the wider private equity industry by chairing BGF's London investment committee, providing guidance on new opportunities. He also sits on banking and industry panels, supporting awareness of BGF's offerings and offering valuable insights to entrepreneurs seeking capital. 

*Joe Tebbutt, Soho Square

Soho Square’s principal, Joe Tebbutt, supported the investment in Oliver James, a multi-award-winning global recruitment and consulting group focusing on both permanent and contract recruitment in specialist verticals. He is also supporting the follow-on investment into Netomnia, a digital infrastructure firm. In addition to his portfolio responsibilities, Tebbutt played a crucial role in sourcing, structuring and managing new investments, showcasing his ability to navigate challenging market conditions and his dedication to the success of Soho Square.

*Paul Harper, Equistone Partners Europe

Paul Harper, a partner at Equistone Partners Europe, worked on the exit of technology-led multichannel marketing activation business Team ITG, which was sold to Bridgepoint in March 2022. Equistone also reinvested in Team ITG via the Equistone Reinvestment Fund, highlighting its continued confidence in the business and strong relationship with the management team. Another successful exit led by Harper was the sale of Equistone's majority stake in Bulgin, a Cambridge-based manufacturer of high-performance engineered solutions. The stake was sold to trade player Infinite Electronics, backed by Warburg Pincus. During the hold period, Harper worked closely with the management team to drive operational transformation, organic growth and strategic initiatives, including expanding market share, securing new partnerships and enhancing the product mix. Beyond his achievements in exits, Harper has demonstrated his commitment to ESG initiatives, including implementing an initiative involving the Business Disability Forum with Equistone's ESG manager, aiming to incorporate ‘disability-smart’ workplaces into the firm's wider ESG strategy.

* This article was updated on 31 July to include the missing profile.