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BGF appoints CIO

BGF – the UK & Ireland’s most active investor – has promoted Andy Gregory, current Head of Investments, UK & Ireland, to Chief Investment Officer (CIO).

Gregory has been with BGF since 2011, joining as regional director for the North of England. In his new role, he will oversee investment activity and portfolio management across all business areas including growth, earlier-stage and quoted. He sits on the board of BGF and will report into Stephen Welton, executive chairman at BGF.

Before BGF, Gregory held senior roles in the private equity industry, including LivingBridge and Bridgepoint. 

In addition, Richard Taylor, who is the head of BGF for Yorkshire and the North East will move into a new national-facing role as Head of Growth, responsible for overseeing BGF’s growth-stage investments. Richard joined BGF in 2012 and is a member of the Investment Committee. He has 21 years’ experience investing in owner managed businesses through previous roles at YFM, Octopus Private Equity and Sovereign Capital.  

Gregory says: “I’m delighted to be moving into this new role, taking a 360 view of the business across new and existing portfolio companies. With record results in 2020 and a strong pipeline of activity over the first quarter of this year, we’ve never been in a stronger position to facilitate the growth strategies of ambitious companies. I’m looking forward to supporting investment teams across BGF’s network to back even more exciting companies, and to help our portfolio companies reach the next stage of growth.”

Stephen Welton, executive chairman of BGF, says: “Andy has played a key role in the growth of BGF, supporting regional investment teams and now helping to realise the growth potential of our entire portfolio network. Our investment model has flourished and grown under Andy’s leadership and with this move, he will provide even more strategic direction to BGF’s portfolio. We are entering a new phase of growth for the business and Andy will play a vital role in our operations, continuing to enhance and expand the reach of BGF in the UK’s growth economy.”

BGF was set up in 2011 and has invested GBP2.5 billion in more than 400 companies, making it the most active investor in the UK. As a minority, non-controlling equity partner with a patient outlook on investments, it backs growing businesses in the UK & Ireland through its network of 16 offices. 

BGF has experienced an active quarter of exit and investment activity in Q1 of 2021. A total of eight exits were completed, generating significant returns for all shareholders. In total, BGF returned GBP107 million from the GBP45 million invested across the eight businesses. At the same time, BGF has invested more than GBP200 million in 21 new investee companies in 2021 as well as follow-on funding into 24 portfolio businesses.

These figures have continued BGF’s successful run rate of backing one new company a week in 2020. BGF also posted record profits in the last financial year.
 

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