BVCA announces winners of Midlands Management Team Awards 2017

Allinea BVCA Award18 May 2017 

The winners of the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) Management Team Awards 2017 for the Midlands have now been announced. These awards are our annual celebration of UK companies supported by private equity and venture capital funds, produced in association with Grant Thornton UK LLP.

Now in their ninth year, the BVCA Management Team Awards recognise and reward brilliant businesses across the country that have been backed by UK private equity and venture capital investors.

The Midlands winners will be announced and presented with their prizes tonight, as part of the BVCA National Dinner Series – the premier annual gatherings of regional private equity and venture capital professionals in the UK. They will then go forward into the national final to compete against our other regions, before the national winners are announced at the BVCA Gala Dinner on 30 November in London.

The full list of winners for the Midlands Management Team Awards 2017:

WINNER BACKED BY CATEGORY
NEC Group LDC Large Company  Management Team
UK Power Reserve

 

Inflexion and Equistone Mid-Market Team
Horizon Care &Education Stage Capital Growth Management Team
Allinea Software

 

Mercia Fund Management and Midven Venture-backed Management Team
Gardner Aerospace

 

Better Capital Business Transformation Management Team

Andrew Ferguson, Chair of the Midlands judging panel and Partner at Maven Capital Partners said: “This past year has been a great one for the diverse businesses of the Midlands. The BVCA Management Team Awards recognise and showcase these successful companies, which are supported by private equity and venture capital. Congratulations to this evening’s winners and best of luck in the final.”

Midlands winners 

NEC Group | Backed by:  LDC

The NEC Group welcomes over seven million consumers and corporate clients each year at its world-renowned venues.

Judge’s comments: “Backed by LDC in 2015, Paul Thandi and his team impressed the judges by the way in which they are developing the commercial potential of this venue, notably the launch of Resorts World. Their management of the day-to-day business was also impressive, including their investment in people and in data capture technology.”

 UK Power Reserve | Backed by:  Inflexion & Equistone

UK Power Reserve is a leading provider of secure, flexible, low carbon electricity and services to the UK power market.

Judge’s comments: “It operates 40 low-carbon generation plants and provides fast-response reserve power to the national grid as well as to other government bodies. Since being backed by private equity in 2015, Tim Emrich and his team have grown the business by investing in greater efficiency and responding in a fast and entrepreneurial manner to new opportunities. The business is increasing its footprint in the UK, with further potential internationally.”

Horizon Care & Education | Backed by: Stage Capital

Horizon operate 38 homes and six schools for young people in care.

Judge’s comments: “Since joining as CEO in 2014 Paul Callender had built a strong management team and transformed both the culture and the performance of the business.  Horizon are now innovators in the sector, developing new transitional pathways from childrens’ to adult care. The quality of delivery can be seen in the five-fold increase in demand from local authority clients.”

Allinea Software | Backed by: Mercia Fund Management, Midven

Allinea Software is the leading provider of software tools for developing and optimising high performance code.

Judge’s comments: “The judges were impressed with David Lecomber and his team, who have taken a project within a university spin-out and developed it into the leading provider of analysis tools for High Performance Computing. Allinea’s global customer base is a testament to the respect it commands in this sector.  A strategic exit to ARM in December 2016 proved its pre-eminence.”