Press Releases

kemp little acts for pi capital on closing two investments in december 2004

February 2005

Kemp Little LLP, the specialist City law firm, advised Pi Capital, an independent venture capital manager investing in growing UK businesses, on two recent transactions:

a £5 million MBO of The Benefit Express Limited, a provider of an integrated online benefits solution delivering traditional, flexible and voluntary benefits, both in the UK and internationally;
and a development capital investment (£1.5 million) in Collins Enterprises Limited (trading as Thames Clippers). Thames Clippers is the leading provider of commuter services on the River Thames

Pi Capital is an independent investment firm which invests in growing, unquoted UK businesses and alternative funds on behalf of its network of influential business leaders. What makes Pi Capital different is that it represents a network of the UK's most successful entrepreneurs and business builders, whose diverse and unique contacts and skills can add real value to the companies Pi Capital supports, both during due diligence and post investment. It specialises in smaller buyouts and expansion capital for businesses seeking £1.5 to £5 million across a range of sectors.

Lucy Vernall and Siobhan McElhinney, partners in the corporate group at Kemp Little LLP, and senior associate Andy Moseby acted for Pi Capital on the transactions.

Lucy Vernall commented “It was great to complete both transactions in December. It was good to see continued appetite for expansion capital deals. The diversity in the investment types shows Pi Capital’s commitment to a broad portfolio of investment opportunities for its investors”.

“Kemp Little took the strain on the legal implementation of both these deals and were proactive and responsive in managing the transactions” said Paul Thomas of Pi Capital.

Wiggin & Co advised the sellers and management team on The Benefit Express transaction.

Hill Dickinson advised Collins Enterprises Limited and its management on the Thames Clippers transaction.

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For further information, please contact:

Kemp Little LLP
Siobhan McElhinney (020) 7710 1628
email: siobhan.mcelhinney@kemplittle.com
http://www.kemplittle.com

Penrose
Shona Prendergast (020) 7786 4884
email: shonap@penrose.co.uk

Kemp Little LLP is a specialist City law firm dedicated to commercial, corporate, employment and regulatory legal work for business and technology clients.

The firm's core attributes are:

transparency in service delivery: the firm launched the first client WIP (work in progress) extranet to enable clients to see real time 'what's on the clock'
innovation in legal service: Kemp Little is the first UK law firm LLP
technical excellence: Kemp Little was named Technology Team of the Year at the prestigious Legal Business awards
an entrepreneurial approach: the practice is the only law firm to be named in Real Business' survey of promising younger businesses, '50 to watch'.