BGF (Business Growth Fund) has appointed Mike Clarke to its investment team covering the North of England.
This is the third appointment BGF has announced this quarter as the firm continues to expand its presence across Yorkshire, the North East and the North West.
Clarke, who will be based in the Leeds office, joins BGF’s 60-strong nationwide team responsible for identifying investment opportunities and managing the deal process from origination through to completion. BGF’s investors also provide support either as board members or observers in the companies they back.
Before BGF, Clarke gained over eight years’ experience in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions at BDO in Leeds. During this time, he worked on a number of transactions including, most recently, the sale of nationwide Spanish restaurant chain, La Tasca to Casual Dining Group.
Andy Gregory, BGF’s regional director for the North, says: “In the last 12 months, the Leeds team has completed five new investments, follow-on funding transactions and the partial exit of York Mailing, making this our most active year in Yorkshire and the North East to date.
“To support the growing portfolio, we are focused on bringing on to team the highest calibre professionals, across a range of finance and investment backgrounds.”
Clarke says: “BGF’s Leeds office is transacting a growing number of interesting deals, and is gaining a solid reputation in the market. I am delighted to be joining the team at an exciting time and contributing to a different but increasingly proven way of investing.”
