LDC appoints high-profile investment director
LDC, the private equity investor which is part of Lloyds Banking Group, has made a high-profile hire in its East Midlands and East of England team with the appointment of Kevin O’Loughlin as investment director.
With 15 years of experience in the region, O’Loughlin joins LDC following six years at private equity firm NorthEdge.
As a director, he led multiple new investments, supporting the growth of some of the region’s most prominent and fast growing businesses, including Nottingham-based software company Altia and Spalding-based grower of ornamental plants, flowers and herbs, Bridge Farm Group, as well as wider deals including Orbis Protect, ICP, Correla and Catalis.
Prior to this, O’Loughlin spent three years at Deloitte where he worked on a range of transactions involving privately-owned and publicly listed businesses, after starting his career in the corporate dinance team at EY.
O’Loughlin’s appointment comes at a busy time for LDC’s East Midlands and East of England team. Over the past 12 months, the firm has completed five transactions with a combined enterprise value of more than £200m.
This includes an investment in Mansfield-based specialist performance door set manufacturer IDSL, as well as the successful exits of Nottingham-based digital transformation provider ENSEK and education specialist The Edwin Group, alongside several bolt-on acquisitions for existing portfolio companies.
David Bains, partner and head of LDC in the East of England and East Midlands, said: “2024 has been a strong year for our team. We’ve continued to invest in unique businesses with exceptional management teams while supporting our existing portfolio companies on their growth journeys. Kevin’s appointment enables us to build on this momentum. His experience and strong connections within the region’s corporate finance community mean we’ll be able to help more management teams to realise their growth ambitions.”
O’Loughlin added: “I’ve always admired LDC’s relationship-based approach to investing. David and the team don’t just provide investment to support the growth of their portfolio businesses, they work as genuine partners with the management teams they back, helping them to grow both organically and through acquisition. I’m looking forward to working with the team as we continue to support management teams across the region.”
