Foresight Group, a listed private equity and infrastructure investment manager, has strengthened its team in the Midlands with the appointment of two investment managers.
The new hires, Line Kristine Gauteplass and Irfan Ashfak, bring significant regional knowledge and insight to Foresight’s existing team.
Line has joined from Grant Thornton’s corporate finance division, where she spent five years advising mid-market companies across a wide range of sectors. Line has also worked for Mazars LLP and BNP Paribas.
Irfan previously worked for Midlands-based accountancy firm Magma, where he spent three years in its corporate finance team working on transactions in the recycling, engineering and software sectors.
Ray Harris, director at Foresight, said: “We are delighted to welcome Line and Irfan as we continue to support promising SMEs in the region. Foresight is committed to helping all economies thrive so it’s great to add extra ‘boots on the ground in the Midlands’.
“With experience in business investment, innovation and growth, Line and Irfan will provide tremendous value to business owners and management teams in the Midlands. We want to support SMEs to scale their companies, create high-quality, local jobs, achieve their ambitions and enable companies to help their local areas prosper.”
Line Kristine Gauteplass said: “I have worked in this region for six years and I know there are many small businesses with huge potential. I am delighted to have the opportunity to not only advise them but invest in and support them.”
Irfan Ashfak added: “Ray and the Foresight team have a great reputation for supporting entrepreneurial SMEs. I am excited to have joined them in the East Midlands and I am looking forward to working closely with local businesses and advisors in the region.”
As one of the most active SME investors in the UK – having made 82 SME investments so far in calendar year 2022 – Foresight has a strong presence in the East and South Midlands, where it is an appointed fund manager to MEIF, the Midlands Engine Investment Fund. Alongside this, since 2013, Foresight has managed a £39 million fund dedicated to Nottinghamshire and also makes VCT investments into the region; Foresight currently manages over £620 million in VCTs.
Since 2018, Foresight’s East & South East Midlands MEIF Equity Finance Fund has deployed more than £28 million into 28 ambitious small companies in the region.
