Graphite Capital is a

private equity In the field of finance, the term private equity (PE) refers to investment funds, usually limited partnerships (LP), which buy and restructure financially weak companies that produce goods and provide services. A private-equity fund is both a t ...

firm focused on mid-market

leveraged buyout A leveraged buyout (LBO) is one company's acquisition of another company using a significant amount of borrowed money ( leverage) to meet the cost of acquisition. The assets of the company being acquired are often used as collateral for the loa ...

investments, primarily in the UK. The group manages around £1.2 billion for institutional investors, with the most recent fund raising over £500 million in 2018. Since 1991, the firm has backed almost 100 management teams through various investments. Until February 2016, the firm managed a listed investment trust, Graphite Enterprise Trust, a diversified private equity

fund of funds A "fund of funds" (FOF) is an investment strategy of holding a portfolio of other investment funds rather than investing directly in stocks, bonds or other securities. This type of investing is often referred to as multi-manager investment. A ...

platform. The management contract was transferred to

Intermediate Capital Group Intermediate Capital Group is a private equity investment firm focused on providing capital to help companies grow through private and public markets and provides a number of strategies and funds aimed at institutional investors. It is headquarte ...

. The firm has managed private equity funds since 1981 and in 2001 became fully independent. The firm has a single office in Air Street in London's West End. The firm's Chairman is Rod Richards, who joined in 1986, and its Managing Partners are Andy Gray and Markus Golser, who joined in 1992 and 1997 respectively.

History

Foreign & Colonial Enterprise Trust, a UK listed vehicle, was the first fund to be managed by Graphite Capital. It was established in 1981 with a £10 million

initial public offering An initial public offering (IPO) or stock launch is a public offering in which shares of a company are sold to institutional investors and usually also to retail (individual) investors. An IPO is typically underwritten by one or more investme ...

on the

London Stock Exchange London Stock Exchange (LSE) is a stock exchange in the City of London, England, United Kingdom. , the total market value of all companies trading on LSE was £3.9 trillion. Its current premises are situated in Paternoster Square close to St P ...

. The firm has raised and managed nine listed and unlisted funds to date. Graphite was originally part of

F&C Asset Management F&C Asset Management Plc was an international asset management company. It was acquired by Bank of Montreal in 2014, and renamed as BMO Asset Management (Holdings) Plc in 2018. Its head office was in the City of London in Exchange House, Primrose ...

and was known as Foreign & Colonial Ventures Ltd. The firm remained a subsidiary of

until 2001, when the Graphite team completed a management buyout.

Investments

The firm’s ninth and most recent fund made its first investment in NRS Healthcare, a provider of mobility and disability aids and services. The firm's eighth fund has backed the following companies including: - City & County Healthcare - a provider of home care services in the UK - ICR Group - a provider of repair and maintenance services to the energy sector - nGAGE Specialist Recruitment (formerly Human Capital Investment Group) - a recruitment business serving a range of niche areas within the public and private sectors - Trenchard Aviation - a civil aircraft maintenance business focusing on cabin services - New World Trading Company - a pub restaurant group - Beck & Pollitzer - an industrial machinery installation and relocation specialist - Random42 – a producer of digital medical animation - YSC Consulting - a provider of leadership consulting and management assessment Graphite's seventh fund, which was raised in 2007 and invested until 2013, backed companies including: -

Kurt Geiger Kurt Geiger is a luxury British footwear and accessories brand. Kurt Geiger has around 70 stores, and approximately 170 concessions within department stores, including Harrods and Selfridges. Kurt Geiger owns three brands Kurt Geiger London, KG K ...

- the luxury shoe retailer and wholesaler - Education Personnel - a provider of supply teachers and teaching assistants to state schools in the UK - Alexander Mann Solutions - a provider of recruitment process outsourcing - National Fostering Agency - an independent children's fostering agency - London Square - a house builder focused on prime sites within the M25 - Willowbrook Healthcare - a developer and operator or premium elderly care homes Graphite's current portfolio also includes: - U-POL - a manufacturer and distributor of fillers, coatings and aerosols - Explore Learning - a provider of after school tuition for children aged between 5 and 14 - Hawksmoor - the operator of premium steak restaurants Earlier investments includ
Corbin & King
- the operator of signature restaurants in London, the

Groucho Club The Groucho Club is a private members' club formed in 1985 located on Dean Street in London's Soho. Its members are mostly drawn from the publishing, media, entertainment and arts industries. The club has rooms on several floors, including th ...

which was sold in July 2015, Dominion Oil & Gas, NES Group,

Wagamama Wagamama (stylised as ''wagamama'') is a British restaurant chain, serving Asian food based on Japanese cuisine. History The first Wagamama was opened in 1992 in Bloomsbury, London, founded by Alan Yau, who subsequently created the Chinese re ...

and Park Holidays.

References

External links

Graphite Capital
(company website) {{Private equity and venture capital Private equity firms of the United Kingdom Financial services companies based in London Financial services companies established in 1981