26 May 2015

Optionis boss named North West CEO of the Year

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Rob Crossland, CEO of Optionis Group, a freelancer and SME services company headquartered in Warrington, has been named CEO of the Year for the North West by the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA).

The impressive performance of the company over the past 12 months under Mr Crossland’s leadership was commended by the judges as part of the BVCA Management Team Awards. These awards, produced in association with Grant Thornton UK LLP, are designed to recognise and celebrate the achievements of the UK’s leading businesses backed by private equity and venture capital.

Optionis is backed by MML Capital Partners and specialises in providing tax, employment, accountancy and legislative compliance solutions to freelancers, contractors, small businesses and recruitment firms.

The group employs more than 300 office-based staff across seven UK sites, and is home to three market-leading companies – Parasol, ClearSky Contractor Accounting and ClearSky Business. Group turnover for 2013/14 was £316m.

Mr Crossland joins seven other winners from the North West final. All are now automatically entered into the national contest, the results of which will be announced at a ceremony in London on 25June.

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

Category 
Winner 
Backed by
Large Buyout Private Equity-backed Management Team of the Year Innovia Group Arle Capital Partners
Mid Market Private Equity-backed Management Team of the Year Character World RJD Partners, Palatine Private Equity*
Venture Capital-backed Management Team of the Year Tyres on the Drive Enterprise Ventures, MMC Ventures
International Impact Management Team of the Year Travel Counsellors Equistone Partners Europe
Exit Management Team of the Year Metronet (UK) LDC
Community & Environmental Action MoneyPlus Group Palatine Private Equity
Best for Innovation Epistem Calculus Capital
CEO of the Year Rob Crossland, Optionis Group MML Capital Partners

*RJD Partners sold Character World to Palatine Private Equity in December 2014

Matthew Bryden-Smith, a director in the corporate finance team at business advisers Grant Thornton, commented:
“One of the reasons the North is richly endowed with private equity and venture capital is the quality of the business leadership across the region. The dynamism, and the ability to make a difference, is reflected in these awards and we congratulate all the leaders acknowledged this year.”



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 were automatically forwarded to the national final, the results of which were revealed at a ceremony in London on 25 June 2015. Please click here for more information.

  2. The North East judging panel consists of: Jonathan Diggines (Chair), EV Group; Jonathan Bell, LDC; Ryan Bevington, Maven Capital Partners; Matthew Bryden-Smith, Grant Thornton; Andy Gregory, Business Growth Fund; Steve O’Hare, Equistone Partners Europe; Garry Tipper, Palatine Private Equity; Jane Houghton, BVCA

  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 500 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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