- Winners of the seventh annual Growth Investor Awards have been announced
- The black-tie awards ceremony held last night at the London Hilton on Park Lane was attended by 450 guests
- TV presenter Claudia Winkleman hosted the evening, with a keynote address delivered by Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen MP
The winners of the 2021 Growth Investor Awards were announced at a black-tie ceremony last night, held at the London Hilton, Park Lane. This year’s awards were hosted by TV presenter Claudia Winkleman, alongside Intelligent Partnership’s founder Guy Tolhurst.
Now in their seventh year, the Growth Investor Awards are organised by Intelligent Partnership and were created to celebrate the contribution of businesses and individuals within the financial services and investment industries, who support UK small and medium size businesses and the UK’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
A panel of 41 judges narrowed down 112 entries in 18 categories – including this year’s new award of ESG Champion of the Year and British Business Bank Mindful Investor of the Year. This year’s winners, runners-up and ‘ones to watch’ were considered to be at the forefront of the ‘investment-led recovery’ that the UK Government has prioritised to help pave the way back to economic prosperity.
To echo these sentiments, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen MP, delivered a ministerial keynote address to the audience highlighting, “Investing in small and medium-sized businesses up and down the land…is crucial to jobs, livelihoods, prosperity and so much more.”
“We stand squarely behind risk-taking and growth enterprises”.
Meet 2021’s Winners, Runners Up and Ones to Watch:
Exit of the Year | Presented by JP Jenkins
Winner: Par Equity
Runner up: 24Haymarket
One to watch: Foresight Group
Most Impactful Investment | Sponsored by Adempi Associates
Winner: Parkwalk
Runner up: Deepbridge Capital
One to watch: EMV Capital
Industry Game Changer | Sponsored by MICAP
Winner: Deepbridge Capital
Runner up: Praetura Ventures
Best Investment Platform | Presented by City A.M.
Winner: Wealth Club
Runner up: GrowthInvest
One to watch: Envestors
Best AIM Portfolio Service | Presented by Zak Mir
Winner: Charles Stanley & Co
Runner up: Hawksmoor Investment Management
One to watch: Sarasin & Partners
Financial Adviser of the Year | Presented by EISA
Winner: Nick Combes (Holder and Combes)
Runner up: Lena Patel (ISJ Independent Financial Planning)
One to watch: Taylor Beavis (Universe Financial Advice)
Wealth Manager of the Year | Presented by Wealth Briefing
Winner: St. James’s Place Wealth Management
Runner up: Tavistock Wealth
One to watch: Ascot Wealth Management
Best SEIS Investment Manager | Presented by Beauhurst
Winner: Symvan Capital
Runner up: Worth Capital
One to watch: Nova Growth Capital
Best BR Investment Manager – Listed | Sponsored by Exact Libris
Winner: Charles Stanley & Co
Runner up: Octopus Investments
One to watch: Puma Investments
Best BR Investment Manager – Unlisted | Sponsored by Exact Libris
Winner: TIME Investments
Runner up: Triple Point
One to watch: Puma Investments
Best EIS Investment Manager | Sponsored by RW Blears
Winner: MMC Ventures
Runner up: Parkwalk
One to watch: Par Equity
Best VCT Investment Manager | Presented by Shakespeare Martineau
Winner: Octopus Investments
Runner up: Albion Capital
One to watch: Mercia Asset Management
Best New Product or Service | Sponsored by Mainspring Fund Services
Winner: Parkwalk
Runner up: Vauban
One to watch: Octopus Investments
British Business Bank Mindful Investor of the Year | Sponsored by British Business Bank
Winner: Eka Ventures
Team of the Year | Presented by Intelligent Partnership
Winner: Puma Investments (Business Development Team)
Runner up: Blackfinch Investments (Ventures Team)
One to watch: Playfair Capital (Playfair Team)
Most Valuable Player | Presented by Karen Sullivan, Puma Investments
Winner: Dr Savvas Neophytou – Partner & Head of Life Sciences, Deepbridge Capital
Runner up: Matt Currie – Investment Director, Seneca Partners
One to watch: Olivia Greenberg – Chief Growth Officer, Nova Growth Capital
ESG Champion of the Year | Sponsored by Shawbrook Bank
Winner: Foresight Group
Runner up: Triple Point
One to watch: Blackfinch Investments
Growth Investor of the Year | Sponsored by KIN Fund Services
Winner: MMC Ventures
Runner up: Par Equity
One to watch: Augmentum Fintech Plc
Guy Tolhurst, founder of Intelligent Partnership, said: “After last year’s virtual awards ceremony, it was great to be back in the same room with so many of the people who have helped to make these awards such a sought-after accolade over the last seven years. Together, we celebrated the companies and the individuals right at the heart of the UK’s SME investment industry – putting growth capital to work, helping to deliver technological advances and creating world-beating sustainable businesses. The work they do has never been more significant.
Guy added: “These awards took place in the midst of COP26, and I firmly believe that growth capital and responsible SMEs are the best hopes we have of achieving a net zero transition. Most businesses already know that committing to decarbonisation makes financial sense. But we need to empower business stakeholders and entrepreneurs, by giving them the support, the encouragement – and the permission – to take bold action on sustainability, and put capital to work where it can create lasting change.”