Bridges ventures into stronger relationship with business leaders

Bridges ventures into stronger relationship with business leaders

News

Bridges Ventures, the venture capital firm that invests in deprived areas whilst making substantial returns, this week announced a new advisory board that features some of the UK’s leading business figures.

Founded by Sir Ronald Cohen, Bridges last year raised a £75m fund entirely from the private sector.  It has a dual objective: to invest in poor areas or socially beneficial projects while still achieving historical private equity returns of 12%-15%.

Its advisory board features Vernon Ellis, international chairman of Accenture; Kamal Tabet, global head of the financial entrepreneurs group at Citigroup; Harvey McGrath, non-executive chairman of the hedge fund Man Group; and Lloyd Dorfman, founder of Travelex, the foreign exchange group.

It also features two co founders of Bridges: Philip Yea, chief executive of 3i; and Tom Singh, founder and non-executive director of New Look, the clothes retailer.

The un-paid board will meet twice a year to help Bridges with “strategic issues, as well as providing a forum for discussion about social investment more generally.”

The full list of members:  

  • Vernon Ellis, International Chairman of Accenture
  • Kamal Tabet, Global Head FEG, Citigroup
  • Sir Michael Peat, Principal Private Secretary to HRH the Prince of Wales
  • Philip Yea, Chief Executive of 3i
  • Harvey McGrath, Chairman of London First
  • John Reizenstein, Managing Director, Corporate & Markets, Co-operative Financial Services
  • David Blood, Managing Partner of Generation Management LLP
  • Tom Singh, Founder and Non-Executive Director of New Look
  • Lloyd Dorfman, Chairman of Travelex
  • Gordon Lawson, Founding Partner of Pendragon Capital
  • Brooks Newmark MP, former Partner of Apollo Management LP
  • Sir Gulam Noon MBE, Chairman of Noon Products
  • Dr Chai Patel, former Chief Executive of the Priory Group
  • Nicholas Woolf, Trustee of Barts and The London Charity

Sir Ronald said of the board: “I am grateful that so many leading members of the business world are supporting Bridges Ventures by providing the benefit of their experience. The wisdom and knowledge that the Advisory Board members bring to the table will be of great benefit to Bridges in developing its future strategic thinking.”

For more information visit the Bridges Ventures website.