Bridgepoint Advisers


Bridgepoint is a pan-European private equity investor focused on acquiring middle market businesses valued up to €1 billion. Its investments have included the Azzurri Group, Element Materials Technology, Hobbycraft, and Pret a Manger in the UK, Dorna in Spain, Balt, eFront and Histoire d'Or in France. It operates a second business, Bridgepoint Development Capital, which specialises in smaller cap businesses valued up to €150 million.

History

Bridgepoint was founded as NatWest Equity Partners, a private equity firm part of NatWest. The firm was renamed Bridgepoint Capital in May 2000 following a management buyout from NatWest Group.
In May 2002, Bridgepoint closed its first fund following its independence from NatWest. The fund closed at €2 billion, and made its first investments in WT Foods, Virgin Active and Hydrex.
The firm closed its Europe II fund in 2001 and its Europe III fund in 2005. Bridgepoint closed its Europe IV fund in 2008 for €4.8 billion.
In 2011, the firm is renamed Bridgepoint Advisers. The company purchased Wiggle Ltd.
In January 2015, Bridgepoint acquired French software firm eFront for a €300 million deal.
In March 2015, Bridgepoint closed its latest €4 billion Bridgepoint Europe V fund, bringing to €20.5 billion the amount of committed capital raised to date.
In August 2018, Dyal Capital Partners acquired a minority stake in Bridgepoint.

Notable investments

sold January 2004 to ABN Amro