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Hamilton Bradshaw is known for its focus on acquiring companies that have unique selling points (USPs). In Caan's book, "The Real Deal", he affirms that, “If you don't have a Unique Selling Point – you're dead in the water."<ref>http://www.hamiltonbradshaw.com/private-equity-overview/private-equity-investment-strategy/</ref> When the company looks into a business opportunity, one of the first things that its investment team does is evaluate the business plan and look for USPs. Hamilton Bradshaw has grown significantly since being established in 2003.
Hamilton Bradshaw is known for its focus on acquiring companies that have unique selling points (USPs). In Caan's book, "The Real Deal", he affirms that, “If you don't have a Unique Selling Point – you're dead in the water."<ref>http://www.hamiltonbradshaw.com/private-equity-overview/private-equity-investment-strategy/</ref> When the company looks into a business opportunity, one of the first things that its investment team does is evaluate the business plan and look for USPs. Hamilton Bradshaw has grown significantly since being established in 2003.


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Revision as of 11:42, 25 February 2010


Hamilton Bradshaw
Company typePrivate
IndustryPrivate Equity
Founded2003
FounderJames Caan
Headquarters
London
,
England
Area served
United Kingdom
Key people
James Caan, CEO
Tristan Ramus, Managing Director, HBHC
Deepak Jalan, Chief Investment Officer
ProductsLeveraged buyout, Growth capital, Management buyouts, Real estate, Venture capital,
Revenue£UPDATE million
Total assets£UPDATE million
Number of employees
30+
WebsiteHamiltonBradshaw.com


Hamilton Bradshaw is a mid-market private equity firm with headquarters in London, England. The company was founded in 2003, by UK serial entreprenuer and Dragons' Den panelist James Caan. Hamilton Bradshaw's main offices are located in Mayfair, London. Hamilton Bradshaw (HB) can be segmented into private equity, venture capital, recruitment, and real estate.

Hamilton Bradshaw is known for its focus on acquiring companies that have unique selling points (USPs). In Caan's book, "The Real Deal", he affirms that, “If you don't have a Unique Selling Point – you're dead in the water."[1] When the company looks into a business opportunity, one of the first things that its investment team does is evaluate the business plan and look for USPs. Hamilton Bradshaw has grown significantly since being established in 2003.













History

History of private equity
and venture capital
Early history
(origins of modern private equity)
The 1980s
(leveraged buyout boom)
The 1990s
(leveraged buyout and the venture capital bubble)
The 2000s
(dot-com bubble to the credit crunch)
The 2010s
(expansion)
The 2020s
(COVID-19 recession)

Hamilton Bradshaw was founded in 2003 by BBC TV's Dragons' Den panelist James Caan, along with Tristan Ramus and Deepak Jalan. By 2002, Caan had sold off his stakes in Humana International, Recruitment International, and Alexander Mann. This success inspired James Caan to form a company that would focus on private equity.[2]

Unlike many other private equity firms or investment groupings, Hamilton Bradshaw is funded by one man, CEO James Caan. Caan, who is known for his high risk/high reward mentality, says that a personally funded firm can be challenging and rewarding.

One of the things that makes Hamilton Bradshaw quite unique is that unlike a lot of private equity firms...my company only invests my own money. So the good thing is that when they work, all the return is mine. The sad thing is when they don't work, unfortunately, I lose all my money.[3]

However, Caan isn't the only human capital asset that Hamilton Bradshaw touts. Because Caan is often away from the office, between filming Dragons' Den, interviewing on major news and talk shows, and huminitarian and philanthropic projects, the company has many other capable, experienced individuals. One of whom is Managing Director Triston Ramus. Ramus plays a key role on company boards and is directly involved with the executive leadership of many of Hamilton Bradshaw's holdings[4]. Additionally, Hamilton Bradshaw's staff includes an experienced investment team and technical support.[5]

CEO James Caan's past experience is reflected in Hamilton Bradshaws holdings in recruitment- the company has a stake in over a dozen UK-focused recruitment firms. Caan's first company, recruitment pioneer Alexander Mann, became one of the UK's most successful recruitment firms of the late 20th century. While Hamilton Bradshaw has a diverse range of investments, its CEO's expertise in recruitment has pushed the company to invest in businesses that will benefit from Caan's acumen. Hamilton Bradshaw has grown over 100% in the last 7 years.

Dragons' Den and investment opportunities

After CEO and founder James Caan joined Dragons' Den in 2007, Hamilton Bradshaw's scope was expanded. This is due to the fact that Caan's investments on Dragons' Den are managed by HB. In fact, James Caan has pursued 15 pitches on the Den, with investments totaling over £900,000[6]. Caan states that his television dealings are time-consuming but rewarding.

Most of my investments in Dragons' Den are probably the most demanding...but to a large extent, that is one of the fun parts in investing in Dragons' Den.[7]

It is important to note that while Hamilton Bradshaw and its staff is involved in holdings related to the Den, HB is not centered around these venture capital investments. Most of the company's business comes from other sources and opportunities.

Portfolio

Hamilton Bradshaw's extensive portfolio consists of 44 companies. These holdings are in a diverse range of industries, from finance to leisure. The primary sector is recruitment, nevertheless, Hamilton Bradshaw's portfolio includes firms in fitness, commercial, online recruitment, education, financial services, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and technology. Also, HB controls Caan's venture capital investments related to Dragons' Den.

Investment Criteria

As stated, Hamilton Bradshaw directs its focus and investments largely at companies with Unique Selling Points. Along with this, the company looks to invest in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES). By injecting capital into these SMEs parallel to evaluating the business plan to improve processes, Hamilton Bradshaw is able to create value. [8] The company affirms this on its web page: "Our role, however, is strategic and we do not look to interfere in the day-to-day running of businesses. The support we provide to management teams extends across all areas including strategy, operations and financing. We are commercial and creative in our approach, and have the flexibility and inclination to address difficult situations that other investors would avoid." [9] Hamilton Bradshaw's investments are generally between £500,000 and £3 million, but the company's largest investments are well into the millions of pounds.[10] The company also owns several real estate properties.

Hamilton Bradshaw is divided into four areas, Private Equity, Venture Capital, Recruitment, and Real Estate. Additionally, James Caan and Hamilton Bradshaw have Advisory Partnerships with businesses to impart business knowledge and assist in structuring and operational efficiency. For small-business owners or those seeking investment, HamiltonBradshaw.com offers an online feature to submit business proposals to Caan and his staff.

List of investments

Investment Year Company Description Ref.
Aptus Resourcing 2008 Aptus Resourcing is a boutique consultancy firm that places candidates in positions like Office Manager, Executive Assistant, and Administrator. Aptus Resourcing has many online resources and focuses on a broad candidate base. [11]
Attenti 2009 Attenti was purchased in late 2009 by HBHC, Hamilton Bradshaw's recruitment division. With the Attenti purchase, HBHC was looking to add to its already extensive recruitment portfolio with a high-quality executive recruitment firm. [12]
BlindsInABox 2008 Like many of Hamilton Bradshaw's assets, BlindsInABox distinguishes itself by filling a niche in the consumer market-temporary window blinds. The product was shown on Dragons' Den in 2008, and was recieved one of the most discerning but positive evaluations in the show's history. [13]
Caritas 2008 Caritas is a recruitment agency in the social care market. It utilises relationships with employers and candidates to match workers to potential roles. [14]
D4M LTD 2008 D4M LTD is an event and entertainment management company that offers unique event experiences as well as traditional parties. After commitment to investment in D4M, Dragon Caan brought in his expertise and radically shifted many of the company's operations and goals to make it more profitable. [15]
Damia 2003 Founded in 1995, the Damia Group is a recruitment firm that specializes in the placement of I.T. contractors. The company started out with a focus on the recruiment aspect of I.T. placement, but has since expanded its workforce to include employees who understand the technical side of I.T. businesses, as well. [16]
DRC Group 2010 Hamilton Bradshaw's group "BIMBO" of the DRC Group has been one of the company's largest investments. Hamilton Bradshaw aquired 90% of the company, who's turnover currently exceeds £50m with 2010 revenue forecasts totalling over £80m. [17]
The Entrepreneurs' Business Academy 2010 The Entrepreneurs' Business Academy was concieved in early 2010, and is a seminar and educational program headed by James Caan. The goal of the EBA is to inform business entrepreneurs on how to have the passion and the business acumen needed to profit in a volatile economy. [18]
Eden Brown 2005 One of the recruitment companies Hamilton Bradshaw invested in is technical recruiter Eden Brown. When Hamilton Bradshaw acquired a stake in Eden Brown, it was one of its most signficant deals up to that point in the company's history. [19]
Electro Expo 2007 Peter Moule developed an electrical connection protector, the ChocBox. ChocBox was brought forward to Dragons Den in 2007, where Dragons Caan and Duncan Bannatyne were interested to invest in the simple, yet effective product. [20][21]
Elite International 2008 Elite International Careers is part of a £300 Million turnover group of recruitment companies. The company's international experience and focus is what gives it distinction among other recruitment firms. [22]
Eurosearch 2008 Eurosearch is a executive and upper-level management recruitment firm that operates within the UK as well as internationally. Eurosearch caters to Fortune 500 clients as well as smaller, more focused firms. [23]
Exsurgo 2009 Exsurgo is one of Hamilton Bradshaw's many holdings in recruitment. The company specialises in placing middle- to senior-end managers in retail and consumer goods. [24]
FitFurLife 2007 FitFurLife is a company, headed by Sammy French, that sells treadmills for dogs. FitFurLife dog treadmills are directed towards veteranary clinics, personal users, and dog training academies. Caan was attracted to the FitFurLife brand because of the passion of its owner and the many different uses for the product. [25]
FreshEgg 2009 Caan became interested in Fresh Egg, a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and web analytics company, while attending the Sussex Enterprise Conference in late 2008. Hamilton Bradshaw reviewed the company and invested in 2009. [26]
Goldgenie 2007 One of the most passionate and eccentric entrepreneurs ever featured on Dragons' Den, Goldgenie founder Laban Roomes got the "I'm in!" from Caan in 2007. Since that time, Goldgenie has continued to develop its service in the luxury gold-plating and decorative industry. [27]
Guy Portelli - Pop Icons 2008 On Dragons' Den in 2008, Pop Icon sculptor Guy Portelli asked for £80,000 to fund his sculpting line. Dragons Caan, Jones, and Paphitis invested in his likenesses of pop culture icons from 1950 to today. [28]
HBi 2007 Hamilton Bradshaw International. HBI is an executive search firm operating in the financial services industry in the global market. [29] [30]
INSYNERGY 2008 INSYNERGY is an investment management business. INSYNERGY was concieved to fill a market space for specialist opportunities, and its founder, Spike Hughes, is a self-described "investment entrepreneur". [31]
Lehman Ambrose 2008 Lehman Ambrose is one of Hamilton Bradshaw's many holdings in the recruitment industry. The company focuses on technical recruiting as well as medical and social care. [32]
Look4aProperty.com 2008 This website is for UK home seekers and sellers. Lookforaproperty.com was a bold investment by Hamilton Bradshaw, as the company invested during the middle of the 2008-2009 recession. [33]
Matrix SCM 2008 Matrix SCM is a supply chain managment company that is also partially funded by Investec. [34][35]
Motormouse 2009 British entrepreneurs Patti and David Bailey have designed the Motormouse, a computer mouse that models real automobiles. Designed for car enthusiasts, the Baileys brought the Motormouse on Dragons' Den in late 2009. [36]
Nuyuu 2009 Nuyuu, a fitness club company, has five gyms in London. Nuyuu's focus is that it attempts to distinguish itself by providing value-concious clubs that are clean and easy-to-use. [37][38]
One Way Resourcing 2009 One Way Resourcing is a UK-based recruitment firm that is centered around placing workers in construction and related fields. [39][40]
Rapstrap Ltd. 2008 Designed by Andrew Harsley, the Rapstrap was featured on Dragons' Den where it caught the eye (and investment) of Dragons Caan and Bannatyne. Rapstrap is an innovative product developed to supplant the traditional non-reusable cable tie. Rapstrap Ltd. is also involved in the distribution of Electro Expo's ChocBox product. [41]
Resourcing Group 2008 Resourcing Group was acquired by Hamilton Bradshaw in March 2008. Resourcing Group is a Human Resources recruitment provider. [42]
Sagitta 2009 A recruitment agency focused on education, but also social care and housing, Sagitta is headed by Trish Stratford, former COO of Blue Arrow. Sagitta has offices across England. [43][44]
Slinks 2009 On a 2009 episode of Dragons Den, Caan and Theo Paphitis teamed up to invest in Jane Rafter's sandal venture, Slinks. [45]
Smart Power 2009 Rupert Sweet-Escott developed the Smart Power Airbike, a glider that has user-powered propellers. Smart Power is focused on environmentally friendly transport as well as Sweet-Escott's original cutting-edge flexwing design. Additionally, one of Smart Power's flagship innovations is the Secret Energy Turbine, a small, aesthetically pleasing wind turbine designed to curb power usage and save users money. [46][47]
Star Medical 2009 STAR medical, specialist CSO and healthcare recruiter, was pursued by Caan and Hamilton Bradshaw in 2009. Caan was initially attracted to the company due to the "passion, energy and enthusiasm" of its founders, Lucy O’Neill and Tim Webster. [48]
Talpa 2009 Talpa Products is the company behind MagnaMole, a first-of-its-kind product that assists in threading cable or wire through walls/void spaces. James Caan invested in MagnaMole after its creator Sharon Wright savilly presented the product on Dragons' Den. [49]
WebRecruit 2009 Webrecruit is a recruitment agency that uses online resources to help employers find the right candidates. One of webrecruits defining features is a money-back guarantee for customers who webrecruit cannot find candidates for. This unique offering was one of the main reasons James Caan invested in the company. [50]


Real Estate

Name of Property Description Ref.
15 Cavendish Square Near to the famous Cavendish Square, this property offers high-quality office space. [51]
Grand Union Canal At 146,000 sq ft and facing London's Grand Union canal, this real estate holding is in the planning stage of development. [52]
23 Grosvenor Street Hamilton Bradshaw headquarters, located in London's Mayfair district. [53]
Six Hills Way Located outside of London, the Six Hills Way property houses a large office building. [54]


Exited Investments

As a private equity company, Hamilton Bradshaw's end goal in almost all investments is the implementation of the "exit strategy". Hamilton Bradshaw has sold off its stake in a number of companies since 2003.


Investment Years Investment Description Ref.
Avanta 2003-2007 In 2004, Hamilton Bradshaw invested in office provider Avanta, and sold the company off three years later to another private equity firm. [55]
Benjy's 2006-2007 Hamilton Bradshaw acquired Benjy's Sandwich retailer in 2006 from Deloitte Touche. Due to rising interest rates and increased competition, among other reasons, Benjy's was sold off and liquidated in 2007. Nevertheless, James Caan notes the learning process: "Part of the journey of life is making mistakes...I learned more from Benjy's going bust than in Alexander Mann going to £100 million...part of who you are is what you learned from the ones you got wrong.[56]" [57][58]
Maccess 2005-2006 Maccess was sold by Hamilton Bradshaw in 2006. At this time, the company had grown to a £56m turnover and 15 branches in the UK. [59]
Odyssey 2004-2006 Odyssey Group Holdings operates health and racquet clubs in the UK. James Caan and Hamilton Bradshaw continue to work with Odyssey Fitness. [60][61]
Resource Partners 2006-2008 Hamilton Bradshaw was invested in Resource Partners, a business that bought Government receivables. HB was able to increase turnover by £300 million before selling the firm. [62]
Retail Profile 2004-2007 Retail Profile spearheaded the growth of Retail Merchandising Units in the United Kingdom. With Retail Profile's experience in their industry along with Hamilton Bradshaw's working capital, the business and subsequent exit was one of Hamilton Bradshaw's biggest successes. [63]

See also

James Caan (entrepreneur)

Notes

  1. ^ http://www.hamiltonbradshaw.com/private-equity-overview/private-equity-investment-strategy/
  2. ^ http://www.vc-jobs.com/memberInfo.faces?memberId=864
  3. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpTa_sC3PUs
  4. ^ http://www.recruiter.co.uk/diary-of-tristan-ramus-managing-director-hamilton-bradshaw-human-capital/1001000.article
  5. ^ http://www.hamiltonbradshaw.com
  6. ^ http://www.dragons-den.org.uk/investments.html
  7. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpTa_sC3PUs
  8. ^ http://www.hamiltonbradshaw.com/venture-capital-overview/venture-capital-investment-strategy/
  9. ^ http://www.hamiltonbradshaw.com/private-equity-overview/private-equity-our-approach/
  10. ^ http://www.hamiltonbradshaw.com/private-equity-overview/private-equity-investment-strategy/
  11. ^ http://www.aptus-resourcing.co.uk/dragons-den.php
  12. ^ http://www.4mat.com/news/less-is-more-with-james-caan-s-new-recruitment-venture-news-92807942508
  13. ^ http://www.blindsinabox.co.uk/about-us/index.html
  14. ^ http://www.caritas-recruitment.net/
  15. ^ http://www.d4mltd.co.uk/
  16. ^ http://www.damiagroup.com/news/james-caan
  17. ^ http://www.unquote.com/uk/news/1590213/hamilton-bradshaw-backs-drc-group-bimbo
  18. ^ http://www.onrec.com/news/james_caan_of_bbc_dragons_den_to_launch_
  19. ^ http://www.onrec.com/news/hamilton_bradshaw_human_capital_hbhc_acq
  20. ^ http://www.diyweek.net/news/news.asp?id=10931
  21. ^ http://www.chocbox.info/aboutus.html
  22. ^ http://www.eliteinternationalcareers.com/
  23. ^ http://www.eurosearch.net/about/index.htm
  24. ^ http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:hd9Iwi1ksv8J:www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx%3Fpage%3Darticles%26ID%3D200151+hamilton+bradshaw+exsurgo&cd=15&hl=en&ct=clnk
  25. ^ http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/pdf/2007/12/13/press_release_37417.pdf
  26. ^ http://www.journalism.co.uk/66/articles/533845.php
  27. ^ http://www.venturemagazine.co.uk/article-page.php?contentid=5339&issueid=201
  28. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7582686.stm
  29. ^ http://www.recruitment-international.co.uk/news/hb-international-doubles-profits-despite-recession--2435.htm
  30. ^ http://www.hamiltonbradshaw.com/recruitment-overview/portfolio/portfoliomore/
  31. ^ http://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/news/dragons%E2%80%99-caan-and-ex-skandia-director-launch-new-investment-management-firm/175167.article
  32. ^ http://jobs.planningresource.co.uk/employer/lehman-ambrose-ltd
  33. ^ http://www1.propertyportalwatch.com/2008/12/james-caan-buys-25-of-look4apropertycom/
  34. ^ http://www.recruiter.co.uk/people/young-is-the-one-to-move-on-matrix/338544.article
  35. ^ http://www.forbes.com/feeds/afx/2008/02/18/afx4665768.html
  36. ^ http://www.gaj-it.com/12154/motormouse-with-backing-from-dragons-den/
  37. ^ http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/city-news/2009/09/17/dragons-den-tycoon-james-caan-to-launch-gym-chain-115875-21680349/
  38. ^ http://www.nuyuu.com/about.php#fragment-12
  39. ^ http://www.hbrida.com/news/news.htm?nID=7
  40. ^ http://www.onewayresourcing.co.uk/about/
  41. ^ http://www.women-unlimited.co.uk/dragons-den-looking-for-entrepreneurs-and-launch-new-online-version/
  42. ^ http://www.resourcinggroup.co.uk/content_static/home.asp
  43. ^ http://www.recruitment-international.co.uk/news/hbhc-acquire-sagitta-recruitment-ltd-2248.htm
  44. ^ http://www.sagittarecruitment.co.uk/
  45. ^ http://www.growthbusiness.co.uk/news/fundraising-deals/1065822/james-caan-invests-in-sandals.thtml
  46. ^ http://www.james-caan.com/james-caan-airbike.php
  47. ^ http://www.airbikeuk.co.uk/Windturbine.htm
  48. ^ http://www.prlog.org/10222097-dragon-james-caan-invests-in-rising-contract-sales-organisation-star.html
  49. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/duncan-bannatyne/5934064/Simplicity-always-succeeds-just-look-at-Dragons-Den-and-Magnamole.html
  50. ^ http://www.webrecruit.co.uk/news/south-west/438019343/james-caan-appointed-webrecruits-chairman/19007796/
  51. ^ http://www.hamiltonbradshaw.com/real-estate-overview/portfolio/
  52. ^ http://www.hamiltonbradshaw.com/real-estate-overview/portfolio/
  53. ^ http://www.hamiltonbradshaw.com/real-estate-overview/portfolio/
  54. ^ http://www.hamiltonbradshaw.com/real-estate-overview/portfolio/
  55. ^ http://www.dragons-den-products.co.uk/dragons-den/dragons/Dragons-Den_James-Caan
  56. ^ http://cmypitch.com/entrepreneur-tv/show/102/james_caan_successful_entrepreneur_and_star_of_bbcs_dragons_den
  57. ^ http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/7111/uk-benjys-sandwich-retailer-files-administration.html
  58. ^ http://www.alacrastore.com/deal-snapshot/Hamilton_Bradshaw_acquires_Benjys_Ltd_from_Rothschild_Concordia_AG_through_a_leveraged_buyout-458722
  59. ^ http://www.autoindustry.co.uk/news/19-10-06_8
  60. ^ http://www.james-caan.com/james-caan-success-stories-odyssey.php
  61. ^ http://www.mundays.co.uk/docs/press/2005/200501.htm+Odyssey+Group+Holdings+Ltd&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
  62. ^ http://www.venturemagazine.co.uk/article-page.php%3Fcontentid%3D5339%26issueid%3D201+%22resource+partners%22+hamilton+bradshaw&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
  63. ^ http://www.james-caan.com/james-caan-success-stories-retail-profile.php
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