Risk Capital Partners
# Risk Capital Partners

Risk Capital Partners LLP is a London-based private equity firm, co-founded in 2001 by Ben Redmond and Luke Johnson. The firm invests in numerous sectors, including leisure, retail, media, healthcare, IT services, financial services and support services.

## Investment profile

Risk Capital Partners mainly provides growth capital investment, taking minority or majority positions in established, profitable, mid-market UK companies and typically contributing £3-£15 million per investment.

The firm is currently investing a ten-year £75m fund on behalf of pension funds, life companies and specialist fund investors, including £25m provided by Risk Capital's own partners. The firm has participated in a range of investment situations, including development capital for organic growth, management buyouts, shareholder restructuring, company turnarounds and the acquisition/de-listing of public companies.

## Current investments

* Curious Brewing - acquired in March 2021 after company put into administration.
* Gail's - retail bakery and cafe chain
* Neilson Active Holidays - Activity holiday provider bought from Thomas Cook in 2013
* Superbrands - media and publishing
* Synarbor - educational recruitment
* The Bread Factory - wholesale artisan bakery
* Tile Depot - retailer of floor and wall tiles

## Former investments

| Investment | Exited | Company Description |
| - | - | - |
| Greyhound Racing Association | 2019 | Risk Capital Partners (with Galliard Homes) bought the GRA for £50.3 million. Company dissolved in 2019. |
| Giraffe | 2013 | In 2004 Risk Capital Partners provided development capital to accelerate the expansion of the Giraffe family-restaurant chain. Giraffe was sold to supermarket chain Tesco in March 2013 for a multiple of 8x RCP's original valuation. |
| East | 2012 | Risk Capital Partners invested in ladies fashion retailer East as part of a consortium which took a 50% stake in the company; Risk Capital completed the sale of its stake in 2012 for 1x cost. |
| Interquest Group | 2010 | Risk Capital Partners backed the founder in 2001 with development capital to support the acquisition of a series of businesses in the IT recruitment sector, before selling its shares in 2010 and realising a return on investment of 2.8x. |
| Seafood Holdings | 2010 | In 2006 Risk Capital Partners funded Seafood Holdings' acquisition drive to build a national distribution capacity. During the firm’s investment, Seafood Holdings made eight acquisitions and grew revenue from £35 million to £80 million. In 2010 the business was sold to Bidvest for £45 million. |
| Integrated Dental Holdings | 2006 | In 2004 Risk Capital Partners funded a take-private deal of the AIM-listed Integrated Dental Holdings, prior to a management buy-out in 2006. The MBO realised a IRR of over 400% and an overall return of 10x. |
| Loewy Group | 2006 | Marketing services group Loewy was backed by RCP in 2004 further to a series of acquisitions of PR, research, design and branding companies. These combined upon exit to achieve a cash multiple of 2.5x and an IRR of 43%. |
| Mayfair Bingo | 2006 | RCP funded the 2004 management buy-out of Mayfair Bingo (trading as Riva Bingo halls). The business was sold in April 2006 to Hermes Private Equity, realising a return of 2.3x and an IRR of 59%. |
| Signature Restaurants | 2005 | Risk Capital Partners funded the public-to-private of Signature Restaurants, the owner of a number of London restaurants including The Ivy and Le Caprice. During this time management also created the Strada pizza restaurant brand. Signature was sold in 2005, realising a 7.7x return on equity. |

## Politics

In November 2020 the group funded a media consultant for the COVID Recovery Group of anti-lockdown MPs.

## Criticism

In 2005 Risk Capital Partners acquired the Greyhound Racing Association It later emerged that the purchase was part-financed by property developer Galliard Homes and GRA faced a £49 million debt. The company was later dissolved following the disposal of its assets.

