Top 100 law firm, Birketts, has advised leading private equity investment manager, Foresight Group (Foresight), with its equity investment into Beckett Investment Management Group Limited (Becketts), the foremost regional provider of financial and wealth management advice. This is the third investment from the Foresight East of England Fund, which undertakes investments in SMEs across the East of England.
Founded in 1984, Foresight is a leading listed infrastructure and private equity investment manager with £6.8bn of assets under management. Foresight’s private equity team, comprising over 30 investment professionals, is amongst the most active in the UK market; operating from regional offices throughout the UK and supporting SMEs across a range of sectors. The £100m Foresight East of England Fund targets equity investments of up to £5m for SMEs in the East of England and beyond.
Becketts has provided financial, wealth management and employee benefits advice to around 3,000 clients across East Anglia for over thirty years. Based in Bury St Edmunds, Becketts is a Chartered Insurance Institute accredited Chartered Financial Planner and offers independent financial advice on a range of issues including employee benefits, private medical insurance, trusts, pension schemes and charities. With 80 staff operating across four offices, Becketts manage over £775m of assets across a mix of investment portfolios.
Becketts leadership team now includes Managing Director Ian White and new chairperson Malcolm Streatfield who as well as being a member of the FCA’s Practitioner’s Panel, has more than 40 years’ experience in financial services, including as CEO of the Lighthouse Group.
Birketts team was led by Partner Mark Henry and Associate Emma Bysouth, both members of the firm’s Corporate Team and based in the firm’s Ipswich office.
Ian White, Managing Director of Becketts commented: “Foresight’s investment will enable Becketts to enter a new phase of development and grow its reach even further by continuing to promote financial and emotional advice to clients across the region.”
Matt McLoughlin, Senior Investment Manager at Foresight, added: “Becketts was a perfect fit for the Foresight family. With a reputation for excellence across East Anglia, Bob Beckett and the team have built a strong business that would be a welcome addition to any portfolio and we look forward to working together and growing our client base. Our special thanks go to Birketts, who appreciated the commercial pressures related to such a deal and responded quickly and efficiently to bring this complex transaction to a successful close.”
Mark Henry concluded: “We were very pleased to support Foresight on this deal and look forward to watching the company go from strength to strength”.
Key Contacts
The content of this article is for general information only. It is not, and should not be taken as, legal advice. If you require any further information in relation to this article please contact the author in the first instance. Law covered as at April 2021.