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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£400 million (rev. of holdings)
Total assets£35 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's focus is 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] To ensure that this is present in business opportunities that Hamilton Bradshaw evaluates, one of the first things that its investment team does is assess the business plan.


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 Television's Dragons' Den panelist and CEO 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. These sales allowed Caan to take a gap year, studying advanced management at Harvard. [2] The sale of Alexander Mann also led to James Caan forming a company that would focus on private equity.[3] Caan says that his success at Alexander Mann has "given me the opportunity to do what I do today."[4]

Most private equity firms are funded by pension funds, fund of funds, financial insitutions, and high-net worth individuals. Unlike these private equity firms, Hamilton Bradshaw is funded by one man, CEO James Caan.

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.[5]

Outside of Caan, Hamilton Bradshaw employs staff in finance, media, investment, and operations. Tristan Ramus is a Managing Director at Hamilton Bradshaw. Caan is often away from the office, filming Dragons Den and visiting Pakistan on philanthopic trips. [6] Thus, Ramus is Hamilton Bradshaw's non-executive director on company boards and is directly involved with the executive leadership of many of Hamilton Bradshaw's holdings.[7]

CEO James Caan's past experience is reflected in Hamilton Bradshaw's holdings in recruitment. Caan's first company, recruitment pioneer Alexander Mann, became one of the UK's most successful recruitment firms of the late 20th century.[8] While Hamilton Bradshaw has a diverse range of investments, its CEO's experience in recruitment has led the company to invest in these types of businesses.

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 totalling over £900,000.[9] In 2009, company's assets increased by 82%, partially due to the amount of investments Dragons Den brings in.[10]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.[5]

While Hamilton Bradshaw and its staff is involved in holdings related to the Den, HB is not centred around these venture capital investments. Most of the company's business comes from other sources and opportunities.[11]

Portfolio

Hamilton Bradshaw's portfolio consists of 44 companies. These holdings are in a 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 it believes have Unique Selling Points. Along with this, the company looks to invest in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES). Hamilton Bradshaw attempts to create value by injecting capital into these SMEs and improving their processes.[12] 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." [13] 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.[14] 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. These partnerships are for Hamilton Bradshaw to attempt to impart business knowledge and assist in operational efficiency. For small-business owners or those seeking investment, Hamilton Bradshaw 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 online resources and focuses on a broad candidate base. [15]
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 recruitment portfolio with a upper-level-focused executive recruitment firm. [16]
BLINDSINABOX 2008 Like many of Hamilton Bradshaw's assets, BLINDSINABOX sells temporary window blinds. The product was shown on Dragons' Den in 2008, and received a discerning but positive evaluations by the Dragons. [17]
Caritas 2008 Caritas is a recruitment agency in the social care market. [18]
D4M LTD 2008 D4M LTD is an event and entertainment management company. After commitment to investment in D4M, Dragon Caan shifted many of the company's operations and goals to attempt to make it more profitable. [19]
Damia 2003 Founded in 1995, the Damia Group is a recruitment firm that specializes in the placement of IT contractors. The company started out with a focus on the recruitment aspect of IT placement, but has since expanded its workforce to include employees who understand the technical side of IT businesses. [20]
DRC Group 2010 Hamilton Bradshaw's group "BIMBO" (Buy-in management buyout) of the DRC Group has been one of the company's largest investments. Hamilton Bradshaw acquired 90% of the company, who's turnover currently exceeds £50m with 2010 revenue forecasts totalling over £80m. [21]
The Entrepreneurs' Business Academy 2010 The Entrepreneurs' Business Academy was conceived in early 2010, and is a seminar and educational program headed by James Caan. [22]
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 significant deals in the company's history. [23]
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 product. [24][25]
Elite International 2008 Elite International Careers is part of a £300m turnover group of recruitment companies. [26]
Eurosearch 2008 Eurosearch is a executive and upper-level management recruitment firm that operates within the UK as well as internationally. Eurosearch has Fortune 500 as well as smaller clients. [27]
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. [28]
FitFurLife 2007 FitFurLife is a company, headed by Sammy French, which sells treadmills for dogs. FitFurLife dog treadmills are directed towards vetenary clinics, personal users, and dog training academies. [29]
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. [30]
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. [31]
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. [32]
HBi 2007 Hamilton Bradshaw International. HBI is an executive search firm operating in the financial services industry in the global market. [33] [34]
INSYNERGY 2008 INSYNERGY is an investment management business. INSYNERGY was conceived to fill a market space for specialist opportunities. Its founder, Spike Hughes, is a self-described "investment entrepreneur". [35]
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. [36]
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. [37]
Matrix SCM 2008 Matrix SCM is a supply chain management company that is also partially funded by Investec. [38][39]
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. [40]
Nuyuu 2009 Nuyuu, a fitness club company, has five gyms in London. [41][42]
One Way Resourcing 2009 One Way Resourcing is a UK-based recruitment firm that is centred around placing workers in construction and related fields. [43][44]
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 a product developed to supplant the traditional cable tie. Rapstrap Ltd. is also involved in the distribution of Electro Expo's ChocBox product. [45]
Resourcing Group 2008 Resourcing Group was acquired by Hamilton Bradshaw in March 2008. Resourcing Group is a Human Resources recruitment provider. [46]
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. [47][48]
Slinks 2009 On a 2009 episode of Dragons' Den, Caan and Theo Paphitis teamed up to invest in Jane Rafter's sandal venture, Slinks. [49]
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 flexwing design. Additionally, one of Smart Power's designs is the Secret Energy Turbine, a small wind turbine designed to curb power usage. [50][51]
Star Medical 2009 STAR medical, specialist CSO and healthcare recruiter, was pursued by Caan and Hamilton Bradshaw in 2009. Caan states that he was initially attracted to the company due to the "passion, energy and enthusiasm" of its founders, Lucy O’Neill and Tim Webster. [52]
Talpa 2009 Talpa Products is the company behind MagnaMole, a product that assists in threading cable or wire through walls & void spaces. James Caan invested in MagnaMole after its creator Sharon Wright presented the product on Dragons' Den. [53]
WebRecruit 2009 Webrecruit is a recruitment agency that uses online resources to help employers find candidates. Webrecruit has a money-back guarantee for customers who Webrecruit cannot find candidates for. [54]


Real Estate

Name of Property Description Ref.
15 Cavendish Square Near to the famous Cavendish Square, this property offers high-quality office space. [55]
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. [55]
23 Grosvenor Street Hamilton Bradshaw headquarters, located in London's Mayfair district. [55]
Six Hills Way Located outside of London, the Six Hills Way property houses a large office building. [55]


Exited Investments

As a private equity company, Hamilton Bradshaw's end goal in almost all investments is the implementation of the profitable "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. [56]
Benjys 2006-2007 Hamilton Bradshaw acquired Benjys Sandwich retailer in 2006 from Deloitte Touche. Due to rising interest rates and increased competition, among other reasons, Benjys 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 Benjys 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.[57] " [58][59]
Maccess 2005-2006 Maccess was sold by Hamilton Bradshaw in 2006. At this time, the company had a £56m turnover and 15 branches in the UK. [60]
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. [61][62]
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. [63]
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. [64]

See also

James Caan (entrepreneur)

Notes

  1. ^ Caan, James. The Real Deal. London, UK: Virgin Books, 2008. Print.
  2. ^ http://www.startups.co.uk/6678842909177546606/james-caan.html
  3. ^ "Hamilton Bradshaw Limited | Jobs & Recruitment". VC-Jobs.com. 2010-02-22. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  4. ^ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/consumer_affairs/article6981818.ece
  5. ^ a b 4 November 2008 (2008-11-04). "Dragons' Den: The Dragons' Stories: James Caan's Story - 2 of 6". YouTube. Retrieved 2010-02-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ www.james-caan.com/james-caan-blog.php+caan+filming+dragons+den&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
  7. ^ 18-Mar-2009 (2009-03-18). "Diary of... Tristan Ramus Managing director, Hamilton Bradshaw Human Capital | People". Recruiter. Retrieved 2010-02-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Caan, James. The Real Deal. London, UK: Virgin Books, 2008. Print
  9. ^ "The Dragons Investments". Dragons-den.org.uk. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  10. ^ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/consumer_affairs/article6981818.ece
  11. ^ www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/james-caan-a-dragon-in-his-den-1779143.html+hamilton+bradshaw+not+just+dragons+den&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
  12. ^ "Venture Capital – Investment Strategy". Hamilton Bradshaw. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  13. ^ "Private Equity – Our Approach". Hamilton Bradshaw. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  14. ^ "Private Equity – Investment Strategy". Hamilton Bradshaw. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  15. ^ "Hamilton Bradshaw: The Dragons' Den link". Aptus Resourcing. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  16. ^ "Less is more with James Caan's new recruitment venture - Published press, Website launches News at". 4mat.com. 2009-10-07. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  17. ^ "About Us | Temporary blinds | instant paper blinds". Blindsinabox.co.uk. 2008-10-31. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  18. ^ "established specialist recruiter in the social care market". Caritas Recruitment. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  19. ^ "D4M Ltd Home Page". D4mltd.co.uk. 2010-01-30. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  20. ^ "James Caan | IT Recruitment Agency". Damiagroup.com. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  21. ^ Deborah Sterescu (2010-02-03). "Hamilton Bradshaw backs DRC Group BIMBO". unquote.com. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  22. ^ "Online Recruitment - James Caan of BBC Dragons‚ Den to launch Entrepreneurs‚ Business Academy (EBA)". Onrec.com. 2010-02-17. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  23. ^ "Online Recruitment - Hamilton Bradshaw Human Capital (HBHC) acquires Eden Brown". Onrec.com. 2007-06-11. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  24. ^ "Press Release - Electrical Entrepreneur Peter Moule Secures Dragons' Backing". Diyweek.net. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  25. ^ "Chocbox". Chocbox.info. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  26. ^ "Elite International Careers". Elite International Careers. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  27. ^ "EuroSearch". Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  28. ^ "Caan backs start-up headhunting agency". 209.85.229.132. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  29. ^ "Totally Fitness to sell the BBC's Dragons' Den Doggy Treadmill. The Doggy Treadmill which received funding from BBC "Dragon", James Caan, is now to be made available for pet owners to purchase through Totally Fitness" (PDF). Totally Fitness. December 13, 2007. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  30. ^ "BBC Dragon James Caan Invests in Fresh Egg". Journalism.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  31. ^ Libbie Hammond (01/06/2008). "The magic dragon". Venture. Venturemagazine.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-02-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ "Dragons' Den gives artist £80,000". BBC News. 2008-08-26. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  33. ^ Zero-One Design. "HB International doubles profits despite recession". Recruitment-international.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  34. ^ "Recruitment – Portfolio…more". Hamilton Bradshaw. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  35. ^ 20 October 2008 (2008-10-20). "Dragons' Caan and ex-Skandia director launch new investment management firm | News". Money Marketing. Retrieved 2010-02-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  36. ^ "Lehman Ambrose Ltd". Jobs.planningresource.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  37. ^ "James Caan Buys 25% of look4aproperty.com". Property Portal Watch. 2008-12-23. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  38. ^ nawal taha. "Young is the one to move on matrix | Opinion". Recruiter. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  39. ^ "Investec provides growth capital to James Caan's Matrix SCM". Forbes.com. 2008-02-18. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  40. ^ "Motormouse- with backing from Dragons Den. | UK Gadget and Tech News, Reviews and Shopping". Gaj-it.com. 2009-09-05. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  41. ^ Ruki Sayid. "Dragons' Den tycoon James Caan to launch gym chain". mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  42. ^ "Nuyuu Fitness - About us - the UK's newest gym chain - best value - £19.99 a month". Nuyuu.com. 2010-02-08. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  43. ^ "Southampton based recruiter attracts investment from James Caan". Hb Rida. 2009-09-22. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  44. ^ "Construction Jobs South : About Us". One Way Resourcing. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  45. ^ "Dragons Den looking for entrepreneurs and launch new online version". Women Unlimited. 2009-03-23. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  46. ^ "HR Recruitment Consultancy & Managed Recruitment Services –Resourcing Group". Resourcinggroup.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  47. ^ Zero-One Design. "HBHC acquire Sagitta Recruitment Ltd". Recruitment-international.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  48. ^ "Sagitta, Welcome". Sagittarecruitment.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  49. ^ http://www.growthbusiness.co.uk/news/fundraising-deals/1065822/james-caan-invests-in-sandals.thtml
  50. ^ "James Caan // Airbike". James-caan.com. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  51. ^ "Smart Power products UK". Airbikeuk.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  52. ^ "Dragon James Caan Invests In Rising Contract Sales Organisation STAR". Prlog.org. 2009-04-22. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  53. ^ Duncan Bannatyne (30 July 2009). "Simplicity always succeeds, just look at Dragons' Den and Magnamole". FDaily Telegraph. Retrieved 2010-02-26.[dead link‍]
  54. ^ "Recruitment News - James Caan appointed webrecruit's chairman". Web Recruit. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  55. ^ a b c d "Real Estate – Portfolio". Hamilton Bradshaw. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  56. ^ "Dragons Den James Caan". Dragons-den-products.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  57. ^ "James Caan - Successful entrepreneur and star of BBC's Dragons' Den : Entrepreneur TV". cmypitch.com. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  58. ^ "UK: Benjys, Sandwich Retailer, Files for Administration - Food Industry News". Flex-news-food.com. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  59. ^ "Hamilton Bradshaw acquires Benjys Ltd from Rothschild Concordia AG through a leveraged buyout - Jul 18, 2006 - M&A Deal Snapshot". AlacraStore.com. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  60. ^ "Bailey Capital acquires Maccess owner IAD Ltd - News". Auto Industry. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  61. ^ "James Caan // Official Web Site". James-caan.com. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  62. ^ [1][dead link‍]
  63. ^ [2][dead link‍]
  64. ^ "James Caan // Official Web Site". James-caan.com. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
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