Why Elysian
Hero why elysian
Why Elysian
Entrepreneurship is at the heart of everything we do.
In fact, it's where we started.
Our story
Ken Terry and Chai Patel founded Elysian Capital in 2007 to create a different type of private equity firm focussed on the real needs of owner-operators.
They met when Ken, then a partner at UK private equity firm Doughty Hanson, backed Chai in a management buyout of healthcare provider The Priory Group.
Together, they believed there was an opportunity to build a new type of private equity firm for the lower mid-market in the UK and Ireland based on four essential elements:
- Outstanding private equity skills and investment record.
- True in-house operational experience to help our management teams.
- A regional presence with partners based locally in Manchester, Leeds and Dublin to better serve local business needs.
- A significant personal financial investment by all team members to ensure genuine alignment of interests with management and investors.
Together, these elements help us support management to improve their companies, fulfil their potential and build better businesses.
Our approach
We work as a collegiate team to maximise our shared skill set and look at each deal from every angle.
To give each investment our best, we’re highly selective. When we enter a process, we’re committed to successfully taking it to the next level.
Our flexibility and flat team structure mean we can make decisions quickly for better outcomes. All our partners sit on the investment committee and all Elysian team members are invited to attend and contribute, ensuring a diversity of opinion and advice.
We believe we need to be accessible to our partner businesses so we work as one team with people based in regional offices in the UK and Ireland.
Why Elysian
Partnering with us
We’re tenacious and endeavour to work closely and cooperatively with management teams throughout our partnership.
We communicate openly and honestly to find the best solutions through the good and challenging times. Our substantial personal financial commitment to our funds makes us fully engaged and dedicated to the best interests of our portfolio businesses.
To date, our people have contributed a total of £67m to our three funds; this 10% equivalent compares with an industry standard of 2%.
Furthermore, we charge no transaction fees to our investee companies; we’re driven by the eventual value we work hard to create.
Why Elysian
We are focussed on supporting management’s aspirations and enhancing their operational expertise to create value for all stakeholders.”
Ken Terry
CEO, Elysian Capital
What we do
We buy majority stakes in businesses valued between £20m and £100m.
We look for growth companies with aspirational management teams seeking support to unlock the full potential of their businesses.
Our fund will invest in a maximum of 12 companies so we can devote the appropriate time, resources and experience that each of our management teams deserves.
And our varied backgrounds in international markets mean we’re able to invest across a wide range of sectors and growth strategies.
We’re not sector-focussed but situation-specific, always asking ourselves how we can partner with management to make a business better at everything it does.
Axis CEO quote
“Elysian’s approach is ‘tailor made’, taking into account our market and history. They didn’t impose anything following their investment but worked through the Board and by mutual agreement to help us improve what we do, regularising reporting, developing new KPIs relevant to our industry and suggesting new systems for improving cash collection that worked for us.”
