Englefield makes it €1bn for fund number two

The latest vehicle from the Dominic Shorthouse-headed organisation is targeting European businesses requiring investment of between €30m and €150m. A release announcing the closing of the fund says: “Englefield will continue to invest in sectors where the experience and expertise of its partners allows it to understand comprehensively the commercial issues, the valuation and the appropriate direction for the businesses in which it invests. In addition, it will focus on situations where the investment environment creates strongly supportive macroeconomic and/or sectoral forces.”

The firm has a particular interest in the business services sector, specifically in outsourcing and recruitment, education, energy, financial services and healthcare.

“Englefield believes that a fundamental part of its activity and a necessary part of its value creation is to collaborate with the management of the portfolio companies in the areas of strategy, operations, finance and management, and to help them make the changes necessary to achieve optimal performance. The partners also believe that middle market companies benefit most directly from this interaction,” says the firm.

Englefield has been in business since December 2001, closing its first fund in May 2003 on €706m, which has made ten investments, two of which have already been realised, the most recent of which is Equity Insurance Group, which was sold to Insurance Australia Group for £570m.

The management board of Englefield consists of managing partner Dominic Shorthouse, and Adam Barron, Edmund Lazarus, Peter Mead and Eric Walters. They are supported by a team of 14 investment professionals. In addition, Englefield benefits from the insights of its advisory board, a group drawn from its affiliate investors, which includes Tim Congdon, Sir David Frost, Ronald Frohne, Ed Mckinley, Paul Myners, Sir Hayden Philips, Sir John Rose, Lord Robertson and Brian Wilson.

Shorthouse said: “I am grateful for the renewed support of our investors and delighted that we have raised this second, substantial fund. We believe it reflects confidence in our team, our strategy and particularly the way we have invested our first fund.”