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Employee-owned wealth management, capital markets, private equity and asset management firm Baird has posted record net revenues of USD1.3 billion in 2015, a 7 per cent increase over 2014, despite choppy markets and slow economic growth.
Operating income totalled a record USD154 million, up 14 per cent from a year ago, and the firm’s 2015 return on book value, including a cash dividend paid to shareholders, was 13.2 per cent. Baird’s assets in client accounts grew to USD151 billion, an 83 per cent increase over the past five years. The 2015 results, which are available in the 2015 Baird Annual
Ortus Secured Finance, the London-based commercial lender, says it plans to double its commercial lending to UK leisure sector businesses within the next 12 months.
It also hopes to triple the size of its lending book in Northern Ireland – where its focus centres on commercial property needs – by the end of 2017.
Ortus Secured Finance specialises in lending to pubs, hotels, restaurants and nightclubs across the UK which require short-term finance. It provides asset backed loans to businesses looking to cover costs incurred through sudden spikes in demand or for bridging loans to provide interim capital while
BGF (Business Growth Fund) is continuing to grow its investment team in the Midlands with the appointment of Debbie Sorby.
Sorby has 18 years’ portfolio management experience gained most recently at Midven and before that at YFM Group, Connection Capital and 3i, where she spent 11 years.
Based in BGF’s Birmingham office, Sorby joins a team of 10 investors covering the Midlands who, in addition to identifying investment opportunities, provide support to the companies they back.
BGF experienced a record year in the Midlands in 2015 with more than £60m invested in fast-growing businesses. This year, the team has
BBH Capital Partners, the private equity arm of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co (BBH) has held final close of BBH Capital Partners V (CP V) with capital commitments totalling USD802 million, including more than USD110 million from the General Partner and Affiliates.
CP V – which was oversubscribed – exceeded its initial capital commitment target of USD600 million.
CP V is led by its Co-Managers – Partners Jeffrey Meskin and JP Paquin, and Managing Directors Bradley Langer and Michael Boylan – as well as two additional Principals, Managing Director Ivan Pirzada and Senior Vice President Richard Yeh. The Co-Managers have
Financial Technology Partners (FT Partners), an investment bank focused exclusively on FinTech, has hired William Blair & Co Managing Director and FinTech specialist, Phil Olson as a managing director.
Olson has over 15 years experience in the FinTech sector and has been a key figure in over 100 M&A and financing transactions at William Blair (13 years) and Merrill Lynch (2 years). Effective immediately, he is the senior banker in the firm's newly-formed Chicago office.
Steve McLaughlin, Founder, CEO and Managing Partner of FT Partners, remarked: "When I founded the Firm fifteen years ago, the Firm's mission was to build the
Second Genome, a privately-held biopharmaceutical company developing medicines through microbiome science, has closed an oversubscribed Series B investment round with USD42.6 million in financing.
The round was co-led by Pfizer Venture Investments and Roche Venture Fund, and brings the combined total investment in the company to USD59 million. The round also included new investors Digitalis Ventures, Adveq, LifeForce Capital, MBL Venture Capital, and Mayo Clinic, as well as Series A investors Advanced Technology Ventures, Morgenthaler Ventures, Seraph Group, and individual investor Matthew Winkler, PhD.
The funds will be used to further expand the Second Genome Microbiome Discovery Platform in a
Independent fund, trust and corporate service provider Crestbridge, has strengthened its Fund Services team with the appointment of Colin Targett as a Director.
Based at the firm’s Jersey headquarters, Targett’s remit will focus on growing Crestbridge’s liquid fund administration and ManCo offering following the firm’s recent approval by the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC) to provide Management Company solutions to investment funds.
Colin brings with him nearly two decades of experience in both the offshore and onshore investment funds industry. Having started his investment funds career with KPMG in Bermuda, he has held a range of roles within the fund
Despite a 20 per cent dip in deal value in 2015 versus 2014, Bain & Company's Fifth Annual Report on Healthcare Private Equity finds that opportunities remain plentiful for creative, nimble investors.
The report brands 2015 a "year of juxtaposition" for healthcare investors. It was a strong year for healthcare players, marked by record corporate M&A and robust private equity (PE) investments and exits. However, activity was partially constrained by high levels of competition, lofty valuations, volatility in capital markets, and concerns about recessions in many regions by year's end. As a result, most investors ended the year focused on
Brazos Private Equity Partners, a Dallas-based private investment firm, has sold lifestyle apparel brand Southern Tide to Oxford Industries.
Based in Greenville, South Carolina, Southern Tide aims to combine high-quality design with classic Southern style. The Company is widely known for its extensive selection of men’s shirts, pants, shorts, outerwear, ties, swimwear, footwear and accessories. Southern Tide recently launched a significant expansion in its women’s line, and now offers a complete women’s collection. Additionally, the Company’s products include a collegiate line featuring nearly 50 colleges and universities.
Tthe brand is available through the company’s website and at Nordstrom, Von Maur
NorthEdge Capital has backed the management buyout of healthcare manufacturer, Direct Healthcare Services (DHS).
A specialist provider of pressure area care solutions, DHS works closely with tissue viability nurses to design and manufacture mattresses, cushions and overlays to enhance the quality of patient care across the UK.
Founded in 2009, DHS works with a range of healthcare clients, including acute and community NHS Trusts, and exports to over 20 countries worldwide. The company employs over 80 staff and in 2015 expanded its manufacturing facility by 40 per cent to 45,000 sq ft and invested in new state-of-the-art machinery in
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