Kurt Geiger wins PE award
Luxury shoe retailer Kurt Geiger has won a management award from the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA), sponsored by Clearwater Corporate Finance.
Kurt Geiger - which was backed by Graphite Capital between 2008 until June 2011 when it was sold to The Jones Group - won Exit Management Team of the Year. For the full list of winners please see the table below.
Neil Clifford, CEO of Kurt Geiger, said: "We are obviously very pleased to be recognised with this award. We totally thrived in the private equity environment and it is honestly the main reason why the company is as successful as it is today."
Markus Golser, senior partner at Graphite Capital, said: "We're delighted that Kurt Geiger's management have won this award in recognition for the strong progress made by the business under our ownership."
Leading mid-market corporate finance advisory firm, Clearwater Corporate Finance ('Clearwater') sponsors and works alongside the BVCA to manage the annual BVCA Management Team awards. A team from Clearwater collated, researched and interviewed nominated entries, with a number of the firm's partners sitting on the regional judging panels.
Marc Gillespie, partner and head of the London office of Clearwater Corporate Finance, said: "The management teams that have been recognised in the BVCA Management Team Awards are an inspiration to the business community in London and the South East. Despite the economic hurdles that many businesses face, there are some really positive growth stories out there that should be celebrated and demonstrate what private equity is all about."
Tim Farazmand, chair of the BVCA London & the South East judging panel and managing director of LDC, said: "These awards are all about recognising the hard work and achievements of private equity and venture capital-backed management teams. It has been a challenging time for business and what all of this year's winners so capably demonstrate is just what a positive impact private equity has on the British economy."
Winner |
Backed by |
Category |
Large Buyout Private Equity-backed Management Team of the Year | Travelex Holdings Limited | Apax Partners |
Mid Market Private Equity-backed Management Team of the Year | Aston Carter International | Baird Capital Partners Europe (acquired by Allegis in February 2011) |
Venture Capital-backed Management Team of the Year | BioVex | SEP, Excalibur Fund Managers, LDC, MVM Life Science Partners (acquired by Amgen in January 2011) |
International Impact Management Team of the Year | Global World-Check | Spectrum Equity, Harbourvest (acquired by Thomson Reuters in May 2011) |
Exit Management Team of the Year | Kurt Geiger | Graphite Capital (acquired by The Jones Group in June 2011) |
Community & Environmental Action | Leon Restaurants Limited | Active Equity Partners |
CEO of the Year | Philip Doye, Kelway Limited | Core Capital |
Notes to editor
- The BVCA Management Team Awards, produced in partnership with Clearwater Corporate Finance, and sponsored by Newton Europe Limited, DC Advisory and Speechly Bircham LLP, are the only awards to celebrate the achievements of private equity and venture capital-backed management teams. The national awards ceremony is the culmination of a year long process which began at regional level, the winners of which were announced in April and May. All the winners of the regional awards were entered into the national final. Please click here for more information.
- 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 500 member firms, representing the vast majority of UK-based private equity and venture capital firms and their advisers.
- Clearwater Corporate Finance is the leading independent corporate finance house in the UK with an exceptional track record of more than 400 completed transactions. We advise on all aspects of corporate finance transactions from mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and company sales to management buy-outs (MBOs). Our clients include management teams, owner-managers, private equity firms and large corporates. We differentiate our service through our:
- Independence - as we are not linked to any larger financial institution or consulting firm, we can provide objective advice without any potential conflict of interest.
- Cross-border capability - the close communication between our four UK offices and our partners in IMAP, makes us a natural choice for cross-border transactions.
- Sector expertise - our global sector teams offer clients a unique insight into M&A opportunities across the world.
- Research and origination - with 25 per cent of staff focused on these activities, we offer a market-leading capability to identify strategic opportunities for clients.
- Excellence - we are committed to excellence in our service delivery and each client project is managed in a bespoke manner.
- Commitment - as an owner-managed, partner-led firm, we guarantee a high level of partner involvement. We take a long-term view to build trust and lasting relationships. The size of the Clearwater team and the deals that it advises on make it the most active independent corporate finance house in the markets in which it operates.