Business Services

The services sector is attractive for many reasons: successful operating models can be expanded rapidly; businesses can create differentiated, sticky and scalable propositions through the development of proprietary process IP and investment in technology; new locations can be opened at low cost; businesses are often highly cash generative; and entrepreneurial management teams can have a disproportionate impact on performance. The UK is a global leader in the services sector and successful businesses can be rapidly internationalised, often supported by existing customers. We have an in-depth understanding of the key success drivers, with the development of an efficient model for recruiting, incentivising and retaining top talent often being at the core.

We have significant investment experience across the UK services economy, including facilities management, human capital services, logistics and distribution, media services, outsourced services, professional services, rental and recruitment.  Our investments have ranged from generalist providers of business process outsourcing and staff recruitment through to specialists addressing the distribution, education, events, finance, healthcare, infrastructure, manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors. We have generated strong returns from our realised investments, including PSD (10.4x cost), Huntress (7.6x), Education Personnel (5.8x), NES Global Talent (4.7x), Go Plant (4.2x), Security Despatch (4.0x) and Alexander Mann Solutions (3.6x). We are currently developing Hanson Wade, a specialist global events and information services provider; nGAGE, a diversified recruitment business active in the UK and overseas; Random42, the leading digital animation provider to the global life sciences industry; YSC, the pre-eminent global leadership consultancy; and Opus Talent Solutions, a specialist recruitment business serving the technology and renewables industries.