03 May 2018

BVCA announces winners of South West Management Team Awards 2018

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South West businesses are being toasted tonight at the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association’s National Dinner in Bath.

A total of five winners from across the South West of England will be presented with a BVCA Management Team Award, our annual celebration of UK companies supported by private equity and venture capital funds, produced in association with Grant Thornton UK LLP. Now in their 10th year, the Management Team Awards recognise and reward exceptional businesses that are reaching new heights of innovation, social responsibility and growth.

Full details, including judging criteria and past champions, can be found here.

The award winners will pick up their prizes tonight as part of the BVCA’s annual South West and Wales Dinner. All of them will then go forward into the national final to compete against our other regions, before the national winners are announced at the BVCA Gala Dinner on 29 November in London.

The full list of winners for the BVCA South West Management Team Awards 2018:

Winner 
Backed by
Category
A-Gas KKR Large Company Management Team
SLG BGF Mid-market Management Team
DB Systems WestBridge Capital Growth Management Team
Brightpearl MMC Ventures, Notion Capital and Eden Ventures Venture-backed Management Team
Bart Ingredients Langholm Capital Business Transformation Management Team

Paul Oldham, Chair of the South West judging panel and Regional Director at BGF, said: “This year we were blessed with an outstanding shortlist of candidates and picking the winners was a genuine challenge because all of them had such great stories to tell. As a result, the winners announced today truly are all worthy champions of the BVCA Management Team Awards and a testament to the bustling business environment of the South West.”


South West winners

A-Gas – Large Company Management Team

Backed by KKR


A-Gas is a market leader in the distribution and life-cycle management of speciality gases and chemicals. Headquartered in Portishead and operating across the world, A-Gas was backed by LDC between 2011 and 2017 before it was acquired by KKR.

Judges' comments: “A-Gas continues to be the standout large business in the South West, which has shown great adaption and reinvention over numerous years. The team have successfully executed and integrated a number of overseas acquisitions and thus created a significant international footprint.”


SLG – Mid-Market Management Team

Backed by BGF


SLG designs, develops and manufactures beauty products. From its head office in Cheltenham, it has a portfolio of its own designer brand properties and licensed product ranges and creates bespoke private label collections. BGF invested in 2015.

Judges' comments: “We were enormously impressed with the long-serving management team and their ability to thrive in the face of Brexit FX headwinds. The team has achieved strong EBITDA growth and cash generation.”


DB Systems – Growth Management Team

Backed by WestBridge Capital


Tewkesbury-based DB Systems is a leading supplier of audio visual and IT rental services, interactive software and temporary broadband network infrastructure for customers in trade shows, sales events and other promotional activities throughout Europe and internationally. WestBridge invested in 2015.

Judges' comments: “David Bulley’s thoughtful development of the business is worthy of significant praise, bringing in an investment partner to expand the business, developing the management team with the hire of a CFO and sales director, expanding the customer base, strong like-for-like growth and significant revenue outside the UK. A well deserving winner.”


Brightpearl – Venture-backed Management Team

Backed by MMC Ventures, Notion Capital and Eden Ventures


Brightpearl provides cloud-based software and support for retailers and wholesalers to streamline the back office process, including order management, inventory, CRM and more. Headquartered in Bristol, Brightpearl is backed by MMC Ventures, Notion Capital and Eden Ventures.

Judges' comments: “The changes made by Derek O’Carroll since joining in 2016 were particularly noteworthy, which have made Brightpearl a truly scalable model, as demonstrated by its recent turnover growth. A great integrated platform for SMEs.”


Bart Ingredients – Business Transformation Management Team

Backed by Langholm Capital


Bart Ingredients is one of the UK’s leading quality herbs and spices suppliers. Its broad range of cooking ingredients, sourced from around the world, has been at the forefront of Fairtrade and Organic innovation. Langholm invested in the Bristol business in 2010 and sold it to Fuchs Group, the German herbs and spices producer.

Judges' comments: “A great business and the management team should be very proud of how they have transformed the company.”


For further information and photographs, please contact

Tom Allchorne, Director, Communications, BVCA
+44 (0)20 7492 0407
[email protected]


Notes to editor

  1. The BVCA Management Team Awards, produced in association with Grant Thornton UK LLP, are the only awards to celebrate the achievements of private equity and venture capital-backed management teams. There are eight regions in total, each with their own judging panel, and all winners are automatically forwarded to the national final, the results of which will be presented at the BVCA Annual Gala Dinner on 29 November in London. Please click here for more information.

  2. The South West judging panel consists of: Paul Oldham (Chair), BGF; Guy Davies, WestBridge Capital; Julian Dennard, Mercia Technologies; Trevor Griffith, Grant Thornton; Richard Babington, Mobeus Equity; Jonathan Boss, Downing Ventures; and Simon Hemley, LDC.

  3. The British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) is the industry body for the UK private equity and venture capital industry. The BVCA has over 700 member firms, representing the vast majority of UK-based private equity and venture capital firms and their advisers.

  4. Grant Thornton is one of the world’s leading organisations of independent assurance, tax and advisory firms. These firms help dynamic organisations unlock their potential for growth by providing meaningful, forward-thinking advice. Proactive teams, led by approachable partners in these firms, use insights, experience and instinct to understand complex issues for privately owned, publicly listed and public sector clients and help them to find solutions. More than 35,000 Grant Thornton people, across over 100 countries, are focused on making a difference to clients, colleagues and the communities in which we live and work. The UK Grant Thornton member firm provides services to over 40,000 privately held businesses, public interest entities and individuals. It is led by more than 185 partners and employs more than 4,200 of the profession's brightest minds. Find out more at www.grant-thornton.co.uk.

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