Jon Moulton, Founder of Better Capital
2nd June 2015
Jon Moulton has spoken at Devonshire House on a previous occasion. We remember, in particular, Jon’s well-known liking for challenging accepted practices and beliefs in Private equity and M&A and associated areas. We are delighted to welcome him back – and to see what – if anything – has changed and what is new!
Better Capital, through its associated companies, seeks to invest in portfolios of businesses which have significant operating issues and may have associated financial distress. The primary focus is on businesses which have significant activities within the United Kingdom or Ireland. Better Capital is a Member of the BVCA, the CBI, the Corporate Finance faculty of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, a Corporate Partner of the Institute for Turnaround and sponsors of Turnaround Management Association.
Jon Moulton is the founder and managing partner of the Better Capital, and is the former managing partner of the private equity firm. Alchemy Partners. Perhaps, Jon Moulton is best known for leading Alchemy Partners’ bid to buy MG Rover from BMW in 2000, which ultimately lost out to a rival offer from the Phoenix Consortium. Hindsight, for many, is critical of what actually happened!
Jon has long experience of turnarounds, having invested in them for 30 years and with considerable success. He is a Chartered Accountant, a CF and a Fellow of the Institute for Turnaround Professionals. A former Managing Partner of Alchemy, Jon also previously worked with Citicorp Venture Capital in New York and London, Permira and Apax.
Jon is a Trustee of the UK Stem Cell Foundation. He is a very active angel investor. He is Non-Executive Chairman of FinnCap, the stockbroker and a Member of the Advisory Board for the £3.1bn UK Regional Growth Fund.
Jon Moulton has earned a reputation for outspokenness – and, it could be said, for a number of contrarian views. At different times over the past few years, he has criticised attempts by private equity firms to deflect criticism, spoken out against the favourable tax treatment of private equity, accused private equity firms of abusing a generous tax regime and criticised the accountancy profession for what he described as a loss of integrity in due diligence work on private equity buyouts.