Senior investment officer Robert Coke on sleepy GPs, listed management companies and plans to become a debt provider.

The new chief executive of the BVCA has big ambitions for the UK’s venture capital and private equity industry in 2008.

As the latest member of the panel on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den, serial entrepreneur James Caan is gaining a new perspective on backing businesses.

As head of communications at the BVCA, Mark Fox has witnessed a period of huge growth in the coverage of private equity – and a summer of unprecedented media attention. 

The BVCA has launched a review of its practices amid deep member discontent over the body’s handling of the widespread criticism of the industry. Chairman Wol Kolade talks to Real Deals about how the BVCA and its members must change their ways. Are you enjoying your time as chairman? W...

What are the benefits of investing in Central and Eastern Europe? Joseph Schull: Central and Eastern Europe is better suited to growth-oriented private equity than many of the large, mature Western European markets. Central and Eastern European markets are more open, dynamic and fast-growing. T...

On the record: Ted Mott - Founder and chief executive, Oxford Capital Partners (pictured) Hugh Titcomb - Chief executive, Ansbacher Group Mikko Suonenlahti - General manager, Qatar Capital Partners   How did you become involved with Qatar and with this joint venture? Ted Mott: S...

The Co Investment Club At the table: Ian Armitage Has led HgCapital since 1990, having joined in 1988. He previously spent ten years at 3i and has served as chairman of the BVCA’s Investor Relations Committee. Andrew Beaton Until last month Beaton was managing partner of co-investment...

What is the overall trend in private equity fundraising from last year’s figures? Funds are getting bigger. We reviewed 38 funds that targeted $1bn (€770m) or more, which accounted for 70 per cent of the whole sample. This is testimony to the bifurcation of private equity, as a small...

Ramez Sousou is sitting in the boardroom of TowerBrook Capital Partners’ European headquarters on Pall Mall in London, pondering some of the adverse publicity directed at the Private Equity Foundation following its launch. “The industry needs to learn how to deal with the...

What is it like being a venture unit within a large private equity group? Ian Lobley: It allows us to have an incredible network and reach, both geographically and sectorally. One of the traps the technology industry got into was just thinking about its own market. During the bubble phase,...