Sponsor Profile

Company Profile

Kelso Place Asset Management is a unique private equity firm. Our investment strategy is to acquire businesses whose full potential is not being achieved. This may be caused by operational underperformance, by a distressed situation (for example, cash flow shortage, over-leverage or insolvency) or by neglect from being deemed non core within a larger group of companies.

The Kelso Place team includes nine professionals, all of whom have a broad range of investment, turnaround and operational and financial management skills.

Our committed funds, diverse skill set and transactional experience allow us to evaluate and complete acquisitions very rapidly and to be creative in our approach to new opportunities.

Our operational expertise in successfully dealing with those issues affecting underperforming and distressed businesses accelerates their progress toward becoming strong platforms for growth. This operational background also makes us more receptive to the day to day concerns of individuals within the management teams with whom we work.

By working alongside the management of our portfolio companies, who are incentivised with equity participation, we can help unlock value and maximise the potential of those businesses.

Our investment strategy

We acquire controlling interests in underperforming, distressed or non-core businesses:

• that are predominantly UK based;
• that have robust revenues in the region of £15 - £100 million;
• that have experienced, although not necessarily complete, management teams with ambition and proven capabilities;
• capable of growth and cash generation;
• in any sector.

Preferred investments

We target companies with the following characteristics:

• underperforming businesses
• distressed businesses
• non-core businesses
• successful or underperforming complementary businesses to bolt-on to our portfolio companies.

What we offer

We offer the following advantages to turnaround situations:

• a desire and proven ability to move very quickly;
• an in-house team of professionals which is able to conduct rapid and thorough transaction evaluation and execution;
• operational business experience of processes suited to turnaround scenarios;
• a desire to work in partnership with management in underperforming areas of the business until such time as they are functioning properly;
• expertise and contacts within the debt community, which enable us to implement appropriate financing structures for businesses; and
• the ability to provide additional finance through our committed funds to make bolt-on acquisitions or to provide further equity, if required.

The team

The team has complementary skills, containing all the elements required for successfully acquiring, turning around and exiting investments. We have diverse backgrounds and extensive experience of financial and operational management, corporate recovery and private equity.

Use of turnaround specialists

We utilise and value highly the skills of turnaround specialists throughout the life of our investments. On previous occasions, turnaround specialists have introduced us to new investments, advised us during due diligence, joined the board of investee companies, provided ad-hoc consultancy services, identified bolt-on investments and identified potential exit opportunities. Our remuneration of turnaround specialists depends on the role required, but is very flexible and can range from one off introductory fees for successful deal introductions, through to per diem rates for short term project work and equity and success fees for longer term roles.