Private equity firm Foresight Group looks to invest £120m in Yorkshire businesses

A regional private equity and investment manager has said it is ready to invest more than £120m in growing companies across Yorkshire and the North East.

Foresight Group, which has offices in Leeds and Newcastle, is increasing its investment in the region having already spent almost £30m so far this year.

The organisation, which is backed by pension funds, invests in small and medium-sized businesses and helps them shape their strategy and leadership teams to put them in a position for rapid growth.

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Recent deals include Teesside-based electronics specialist, Isocom Components 2004; Scunthorpe headquartered mobility scooter retailer, Eden Mobility; and University of Leeds spin-out, Cavero Quantum.

Tavia Sparks says Foresight is looking to increase its investment in Yorkshire businessesTavia Sparks says Foresight is looking to increase its investment in Yorkshire businesses
Tavia Sparks says Foresight is looking to increase its investment in Yorkshire businesses

Other regional companies already backed by Foresight include Halifax-based facilities management company MSL Property Care Services; Leeds-headquartered Roxy Leisure, and Leeds- based Reward Finance.

​Doncaster-born and York-based Tavia Sparks, Investment Director at Foresight Group, said: “Yorkshire and the North East is a brilliantly diverse place for growing companies to thrive.

"We are seeing opportunities across a variety of sectors – from engineering and clean-tech to medical research and maritime services, to hospitality and leisure.

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“With the support of our local investment partners in Yorkshire and the North East, our passionate and experienced teams in Leeds and Newcastle have significant funds to invest across the region to help growing companies create jobs and support their local communities with both economic and societal benefits.

“While we have an encouraging pipeline – as evidenced by the deals we’ve completed so far in 2024 - we are always keen to broaden our network and are excited to meet business owners and their advisers to discuss options.

“We see our investments as a genuine partnership with founders and management teams.

"Alongside investment, we provide support and guidance, often helping to build out leadership teams and enabling growing companies to recruit valuable skillsets.

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"We also make key introductions and have a large network of experienced non-executives who can help founders and management teams to unlock growth and realise their ambitions by supporting them with advice, mentoring and sought after industry connections.”

Ms Sparks joined Foresight in 2022 as the firm looks to establish itself more firmly in Yorkshire and the North East.

She had been working as director in Santander’s Growth Capital team but told The Yorkshire Post last year that the opportunity to join Foresight as it launched a multi-million North East Fund was one she couldn’t turn down.

One recent example of how the firm has assisted a business is the Mowgli Street Food chain of restaurants. Foresight invested in 2017, when there were two sites in Liverpool and one in Manchester.

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By the time they exited the business in January 2023 with a sale to TriSpan, a global private equity firm, Mowgli had 15 restaurants nationally – including one in Leeds.

Foresight typically focuses on businesses with profits in the region of £1m to £4m, while its regional model allows it to reach out to companies that typically go under the radar for many private equity firms.

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