The Investment Team
GILES BRAND
EPIC Private Equity LLP was founded by Giles in 2002 as part of EPIC Investment Partners. Giles led the MBO of EPE from EPIC Investment Partners in 2005. Prior to founding EPE, he was a founding director of EPIC Investment Partners, a fund management business which, at the time of sale to Syndicate Asset Management plc in January 2007, had US$5 billion under management. Prior to EPIC Investment Partners, he worked in mergers and acquisitions advisory in the Paris and London offices of Baring Brothers. He is currently a non-executive director of a number of portfolio companies: Pinnacle Regeneration Group (the largest social housing and PFI manager in the UK), Ryness Electrical (a London-based electrical retailer and wholesaler), Nexus Industries (the UK-wide electrical distributor), Pharmacy2U (the UK's largest mail order and online pharmacist and chemist) and Palatinate Schools (a London-based private schools group). Giles read History at Bristol University.
Sector specialisation - Retail/Consumer, Financial Services, Support Services, Healthcare
MARK COLLEY
Mark worked as an Investment Analyst at the Private Equity firm 3i before joining EPE LLP. At 3i he worked on UK mid-market buyouts in a variety of sectors. At EPE Mark has completed three acquisitions – Dolcis, Evolving Media and Whittard of Chelsea. He also manages ESO plc's investments in Past Times, Whittard of Chelsea, Morada and Autocue. He is currently a non-executive director of Evolving Media, an integrated digital marketing agency, and Bighead Bonding Fasteners, a manufacturer of specialist fasteners. Mark read Economics at Cambridge University and has completed the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) examinations.
Sector Specialisation - Turnaround Situations (General), Manufacturing, Retail
JAMES HENDERSON
James worked in the Investment Banking division at Deutsche Bank before joining EPE LLP. Whilst at Deutsche Bank he worked on a number of M&A transactions and IPOs in the energy, property, retail and gaming sectors, as well as providing corporate broking advice to mandated clients. Since arriving at EPE, James has led bolt-on acquisitions for Indicia and Ryness, and currently has responsibility for Indicia (marketing services), Pharmacy2U (online pharmacy), Palatinate (social housing) and Ryness (electricals retailer). He is a non-executive director of Indicia. James read Modern History at Oxford University.
Sector Specialisation - Healthcare, Support Services, Media
ILIAS KATSOULIS
Ilias has 7 years of experience in European leveraged finance at Mizuho, JP Morgan, and Deutsche Bank. Ilias has experience in structuring, arranging, and syndicating LBO loans across a range of industries and has worked on the completion of LBO debt transactions of over €8 billion in value. Before joining EPE LLP in 2009, Ilias worked with Tristan at Deutsche Bank on the EM Special Situations Credit desk. Ilias obtained Masters Degrees from CASS Business School and University College London, as well as a First Class Honours Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He holds both British and Greek passports.
Sector Specialisation – Debt
TRISTAN LAURENCIN
Tristan has 10 years of experience in European leveraged finance at JP Morgan, ABN AMRO, and Deutsche Bank, structuring, arranging and syndicating LBO debt across Europe. Tristan arranged 10 LBO transactions raising over €7 billion of debt with banks, CDOs and credit funds, and structured to approval and signed documentation a further 21 debt financing projects across Europe. In 2004, while at JP Morgan, Tristan was managing a portfolio of 15 senior LBO loans and led restructuring processes. Before joining EPE permanently in 2009, Tristan was a senior trader at Deutsche Bank on their EM Special Situations Corporate Credit desk, having previously collaborated with Giles and EPE on debt investment projects in 2007 and 2008. French national, Tristan graduated from HEC, School of Management and from ENSIMAG, Engineering school.
Sector Specialisation – Debt
HIREN PATEL
Hiren is Finance Director at EPIC Private Equity LLP and has worked in the investment management market specialising in medium sized companies for the past 8 years. Before EPE LLP, Hiren was employed at Groupama Asset Management Limited where he was the Group Financial Controller. He also has numerous senior financial positions including EPIC Investment Partners Limited, EEA Fund Management Ltd and ER Property Company Limited. Hiren is a Director of E.H.M Financial Providers Limited and Establishment H.M. Limited.
ALASTAIR SEAMAN
Alastair worked at private equity investor and fund management business SVG Capital before joining EPE LLP in 2009. Whilst at SVG Capital, he worked on the structuring, development and distribution of new, in-house private equity-related investment products. Prior to SVG Capital, he gained intern experience at JPMorgan Cazenove. Alastair read Classics at Cambridge University.
Sector Specialisation – Financial Services, Debt
JIM WEIGHT
Jim has extensive experience in the operations of private equity-owned businesses and has served as both an operating partner and advisor to EPE since 2004. He joined EPE permanently in 2009, having collaborated with Giles Brand since 2005. He has served as CFO to two private equity-backed businesses - Westminster Health Care Group, the private healthcare services group purchased by Goldman Sachs and Welsh Carson Anderson and Stowe in 1999 and HIT Entertainment, the children's entertainment group purchased by Apax Partners in 2005. He worked with Fortress as an operating partner to structure the Fortress and Cerberus £150m buyout from administration of Boxclever, at the time the UK's largest ever bankruptcy. Prior to that he was a top "Top 70" senior manager within the Kingfisher Group where his management positions included Finance Director of Entertainment UK, After Sales Service Director of Comet Group and General Manager of Staples Direct. Before Kingfisher he spent eight years working at the Boston Consulting Group. Jim read Engineering at Cambridge University and is a graduate of Harvard Business School.
Sector specialisation - Healthcare, Media, Retail/Consumer, Financial Services
