Thursday 27 May 2021

Foresight announces first closing of its latest ...

Its latest what?! Tell us! 'Who are you talking to?' No one in particular, Voice.

Anyway ...

Foresight announces first closing of its latest regional private equity fund.

Oh, nice!

Manchester, 24 May 2021: Foresight Group, an award-winning listed infrastructure and private equity investment manager, announces the first close of the Foresight Regional Investment III LP (the "Fund") at £65m. The Fund is cornerstoned by the Greater Manchester Pension Fund, with strong support from Clwyd and Merseyside Pension Funds.

The fundraise comes off the back of the Foresight Regional Investment LP's ("FRIF") success in the North West, a fund which exemplifies the strength of Foresight's regional private equity strategy, addressing the gap for impact-focused equity investments in growing SMEs typically valued at up to £30m.

The strategy delivers both attractive economic returns and broader long‐term benefits for regional communities by applying a professional approach to private equity investment in this underserved and less competitive part of the market. The first fund, FRIF, has helped create more than 600 new jobs in growing SMEs with the first two exits returning 6.1x and 5.6x money respectively.

Okay, okay. There's a lot of this PR email, and we haven't really got much time, and - 'Why haven't we got much time, boss?' Because ...

Just because.

Let's go to the voices!

'Yippee!'

Come on, Jamie!

James Livingston, Partner at Foresight, comments: "We are delighted to be welcoming both new and returning investors to the Fund, which will continue to address the gap in the market we have demonstrated with its predecessor fund. We look forward to supporting the growth of smaller companies across the targeted region."

Delighted? Really? Okay. 'He's delighted, boss. Leave him alone.' Well ... he says they are delighted. He's speaking for everyone. I suppose Jamie feels entitled to do that. I don't know. I'll never understand these people.

Claire?

Claire Alvarez, Director at Foresight, adds: "Over the last five years, we have worked closely with the local community to invest in a range of companies, backing excellent teams and their sustainable growth plans. The impact of our activities on the local market is clear and we look forward to continuing this success with this Fund."

Fine. Claire reckons they're all looking forward.

Thanks, voices!

Have they gone? 'Yes.'

[Now listen to me, kook(s)! If we go into the post room at the Foresight office, I bet you anything, anything! ... we will find people who don't give a toss about the first closing of this fund. Just saying, like. Not everyone is going to be "delighted" or whatever. You digging me on this? / Personally? I am delighted and shit for the Foresight mob, I really am, but ... I'm not working in the post room. Do you know what I mean?]

ENDS

...

Anything else?

I'm tired.

I walked ten miles today. Richmond and back.

Good night!