Former Skandia and Cofunds CEO, Brett Williams (pictured), has joined a newly established private equity firm as a Founder Partner.
The entrepreneurial hub, Lime Tree Investment Partners LLP (Lime Tree), invests in and facilitates the development of fast growth companies across the financial services, clean technology, real estate, biotechnology and entertainment sectors. The firm is designed to fully support innovative new businesses, including providing them with access to capital, a robust support and regulatory infrastructure, and, advice and guidance from a network of professional advisors and non-executive directors.
Williams will join Lime Tree alongside Tim Levy, Tim West and Neil Lewis, who bring a wealth of experience from across the financial services and private equity sectors. Tim West has previously been COO for Europe for Babcock & Brown and European COO for iShares, while Neil Lewis has held senior roles with Babcock & Brown, having spent nine years at Freshfields. All three are also currently directors of specialist investment provider Future Capital Partners, founded by Tim Levy, and which has completed over £6 billion worth of transactions in a range of investment sectors since it was established in 2000.
Brett’s role will be to focus on opportunities in the Financial Services sector, where Lime Tree will seek to add value to its investee and client companies, which include Future Capital Partners and wealth management platform, Novia Financial.
In addition to developing and promoting the Lime Tree business, Brett will also be responsible for driving Future Capital Partners’ distribution strategy. Future Capital Partners focuses on the design and promotion of alternative investments to individuals and companies, through financial advisers. This includes introducing investors to opportunities in businesses which qualify for Government introduced incentives such as EIS, VCT, Capital Allowances, Business Property Relief, Tax Credits and Business Premises Renovation Allowances. These incentives encourage the flow of risk capital to enterprise, whilst Future Capital Partners works to reduce investor risk and enhance their returns. This is an important growth opportunity for the British economy and Brett will work to ensure Future Capital Partners is at its forefront.
“We are delighted to bring someone of Brett’s status on board,” says Levy. “He brings a depth of experience and knowledge of the Financial Services market that is unparalleled. His track record in delivering exceptional new ideas, challenging the established status quo and bringing together top quality teams make him perfectly suited to produce new solutions for the financial services industry. We are excited by the possibilities of LimeTree, and the opportunities that Brett’s insight will help create.
Williams founded the investment platform Selestia in 2001 before going on to become CEO of Skandia UK and then CEO of Cofunds.
Williams says: “I’m excited by the possibilities at Lime Tree. It’s vibrant and new and not constrained by the legacy that so many financial services companies are battling with. I’ve enjoyed my time looking at the market since leaving Cofunds and have considered several high profile roles with larger businesses, but none offers the variety or possibilities that I believe exist at Lime Tree. I’m passionate about entrepreneurial businesses, working with bright and interesting people where you can make a real difference.”
