Endless looking to build team and ‘push boundaries’

NEWLY-promoted Endless partner Matthew Deering is looking forward to building his team in the North West and “pushing the boundaries” of the investment firm’s activities.

Deering, who hails fom Chester, but has been based in Leeds for the majority of his career, has engaged a recruitment firm, MDM, to build a team of up to four, to build a pipeline of opportunities in the region.

He told TheBusinessDesk.com: “I think activity levels are going to pick up now the result of the election is known and the Northern Powerhouse is moving forward- which I think will help attract both investment and talent to the north.”

“We know the North West is a very competitive market for private equity investors and we are very pleased to be here and hungry for growth.”

The firm is keen to more away from being seen exclusively as a turnaround investor, he said.

“We are not that any more, it’s not just about stressed assets. I suppose you could say we’re going a few steps towards mainstream, but we don’t want to compete there.

“We are still looking for ‘fixer-uppers’ – businesses with some rough edges, non core assets, maybe overseas owned. Typically the businesses will not be in distress, be profitable at EBITDA level, but have balance sheet issues.

“The message is that the business doesn’t have to be metaphorically on fire for us to be interested.”

Deering said that building-up the North West team and strengthening in Yorkshire and London  is “absolutely key”.  Endless he said is looking to 10-12 new people in the next year, with “three, possibly four” earmarked for Manchester.

“We need a senior investment associate, a director and someone more junior too for our EnAct fund, which looks at £2m to £5m deals.”