KCP appoints first managing partner

INDEPENDENT private equity firm Key Capital Partners has appointed Owen Trotter as its first managing partner.
 
Mr Trotter, a co-founder of KCP, has been appointed as part of the firm’s strategic development plan.  He will be assisted in the role by recently appointed non-executive chairman, Tom Lamb, the former UK managing director of Barclays Private Equity, and fellow founder partners Peter Armitage and Mike Fell.
 
Before setting up KCP in 2007, he held roles at Granville Baird (now Baird Capital Partners) and the Royal Bank of Canada in Toronto.  Mr Trotter will continue as head of KCP’s Birmingham office and retain his positions on the boards of portfolio companies Templine, Midland Industrial Glass and Dwell.
 
Mr Lamb said: “Creating the managing partner position provides a clearer direction for the future development and management of KCP. Owen’s experience and track record make him the perfect candidate for the role.”
 
In 2011, KCP backed the secondary management buyout of leading UK glass processor, Midlands Industrial Glass, as well as the management buyout of the specialist plastics additives business, Wells Plastics.

KCP was launched in 2007 to address the ‘equity gap’, making investments of between £2m and £10m in profitable, growing UK companies. The firm operates nationally from offices in Birmingham, Leeds and London, and has made nine investments since closing its maiden £100m fund.  Its portfolio includes investments in soups and sauces maker TSC; Neville Johnson, manufacturer and installer of fitted furniture; and staffing business Templine.

Aldermore strengthens Midlands team

ALDERMORE has appointed Jeremy Topliss as Associate Director of Operations for the Midlands region of its Invoice finance business.

Based in Aldermore’s Birmingham office in Newhall Street, Mr Topliss will report to Regional Managing Director, Tony Smedley.

The new bank specialises in invoice finance, which is used by SMEs to improve their cashflow and fund their future expansion.

Prior to joining Aldermore, Mr Topliss was Head of Operations for Bibby Financial Services in Leicester, where he had responsibility for a team of 40 staff covering client relations, underwriting and recoveries. He has also worked for Royal Bank of Scotland Invoice Finance, where he was Head of Client Relations in the Midlands.

Mr Smedley said: “I would like to welcome Jeremy to the team and wish him every success for the future. I have no doubt that, with his considerable experience, he will be able to make an immediate impact.”

WH Ireland makes new appointments to support growth

WH IRELAND, the stockbroking, wealth management and corporate finance services group, has strengthened its team across research, sales and corporate finance with a series of new appointments.

Following a total of seven new client wins and the hires of Adrian Hadden, Jasper Berry, Raymond Greaves and John Cummins, the firm has announced that Andrew Kitchingman has joined the group as a Director in Corporate Finance. Analysts Nick Spoliar and Angus McPhail have also joined the company, with Tim Feather and Paul Smith due to join in the near future.

Mr Kitchingman and Mr Spoliar have both joined from Arbuthnot Securities, while Mr McPhail has moved to WH Ireland from Investec. All three individuals combined have over 50 years of small and mid cap experience and have worked on numerous flotations, fundraisings, takeovers, acquisitions and other corporate transactions.

Paul Compton, chief executive of WH Ireland, said: “We are delighted to welcome these key hires to WH Ireland. All three individuals are extremely well regarded in their respective fields and will provide us with the infrastructure we require to improve on the 20 wins we made last year.

“All of our recent hires will help us offer greater levels of support and service to current and prospective clients. In addition to this I look forward to welcoming Tim Feather and Paul Smith who I am confident will become fantastic additions to WH Ireland.”