Portfolio - Current
Portfolio - Current
| Investment: | Masterfix |
| Investment Date: | September 2021 |
| Deal Lead: | Amit Hindocha |
| Masterfix is a provider of property repair, maintenance and compliance services into the residential, commercial and insurance markets. The business has long standing relationships with blue-chip clients, with a geographical focus on London. |
| Investment: | CRC Group |
| Investment Date: | December 2022 |
| Deal Lead: | George Tsangarides |
| CRC Group has operations in the US and UK. The business has a strong presence in the advertising agency market and the B2B packaging and wider manufacturing markets and has longstanding relationships with blue-chip clients. |
| Investment: | FMC |
| Investment Date: | August 2023 |
| Deal Lead: | Alfred Chambers |
| FMC is a trusted dentistry media brand, connecting dental professionals to their industry through multiple channels including websites such as dentistry.co.uk, publications including Dentistry and Private Dentistry, exhibitions and awards. |
| Investment: | Equity Networks |
| Investment Date: | March 2024 |
| Deal Lead: | Alfred Chambers |
| Equity Networks is an IT Managed Service Provider offering Managed Cloud Applications, Managed Cloud Infrastructure, Managed Security of Data and Managed Communications. |
Masterfix
Investment Date
September 2021
The Business
- Masterfix operates in the premium residential, commercial and insurance markets, providing a ‘one-stop shop’ to cover the full property maintenance requirements of its clients. These include H&S compliance testing and certification, planned servicing of fixed assets such as boilers, 24/7 reactive maintenance, insurance reinstatement services and refurbishment projects.
The Deal
- The business was co-founded in 2008 by Managing Director Chris Ball and non-executive Chairman, Lawrence Green.
- Chris and Operations Director Matt Freeman have led the team since 2016 and Coniston have backed them in a buyout that will enable them to continue to do so through Masterfix’s next phase of growth.
- Coniston introduced Richard Chappell, formerly CEO of TCFM, as non-executive Chairman and recruited James Peers as Finance Director.
Acquisitions
The Future
Coniston’s investment will allow Chris and Matt to continue to grow Masterfix organically, cementing its position as a leader in the London market, whilst also supporting their acquisition plans to broaden their geographic reach.
Deal Team
Deal Lead – Amit Hindocha
Sector – Business Services
CRC Group
Investment Date
December 2022
The Business
- CRC Group is a data led B2B consultancy.
- Through CRC Group’s core product, The Referral Rating, the business allows its clients to track and improve their customer relationships, helping to reduce churn and increase opportunities for growth.
The Deal
- Founded in 2004, and now headed by Group CEO Phil Reilly, CRC Group has operations in the US and UK.
- As part of the transaction, Coniston introduced Chris Jones as CFO.
- Calum Smeaton joined as Chairman following the sale of TVSquared to Innovid, where he was founder and CEO.
The Future
- Coniston’s investment will allow CRC Group to expand into new verticals and to continue to develop new products to sell into its blue chip client base.
Deal Team
Deal Lead – George Tsangarides
Sector – Professional services
FMC
Investment Date
August 2023
The Business
- FMC is a trusted dentistry media brand, connecting dental professionals to their industry through multiple channels including websites such as dentistry.co.uk, publications including Dentistry and Private Dentistry, exhibitions and awards.
The Deal
- The business was founded in 1994 and is now led by its management team Craig Welling, Jason Newington and Tim Molony.
- Coniston has introduced James Tye as Non-Executive Chair. Tye has had a successful executive career in media including fifteen years as CEO of Dennis, which he led through a successful MBO and subsequent exit to Future Plc.
The Future
The partnership with Coniston will reinforce FMC’s plans to expand their digital and events offerings and to build on their subscription service, The Dentistry Club, where dental professionals can access CPD and online learning facilities.
Acquisitions
Deal Team
Deal Lead – Alfred Chambers
Sector – Business Services
MWA
Investment Date
October 2023
The Business
- An Independent Financial Advisor consolidation platform acquiring UK IFA businesses which provide their clients with independent, holistic financial advice.
The Deal
- MWA was founded in 2016 by CEO, Cam Banks. The management team is led by Banks, Director of Operations, Marine Deruelle and Head of Finance, Mark Goodfellow. They are supported by Executive Chair, Ed Rosengarten.
The Future
Alongside a ThinCats facility raised in March this year, Coniston’s funding will increase MWA’s acquisition power, with three further acquisitions anticipated in the next twelve months, and will support MWA’s plan to become a national player in the IFA market.
Deal Team
Deal Lead – Ben Kirby
Sector – Business Services
Equity Networks
Investment Date
March 2024
The Business
- Equity Networks is an IT Managed Service Provider
- The business offers four key services: Managed Cloud Applications, including the implementation and maintenance of platforms like Office365, Managed Cloud Infrastructure, where data is migrated from outdated servers to the Cloud, Managed Security of Data and Managed Communications, primarily internet connectivity.
The Deal
- The company was founded in 2011 and is led by Co-Managing Directors, Alex Hall and Marcos Reid
- As part of the transaction, Coniston introduced Edward Spurrier as Non-executive Chairman. Spurrier has built a successful career in IT and Communications including in his roles as CEO of Alt Networks and Chairman of Wavenet.
The Future
- The partnership with Coniston will enable Equity Networks to execute on the next phase of acquisitions, with several opportunities in the pipeline.
Deal Team
Deal Lead – Alfred Chambers
Deal Support – Ben Kirby
Sector – Professional Services