LP-GP Breakfast: Navigating leadership transitions in private capital firms

Diana Noble CBE

Non-Executive Director & Deputy Chair, Court of Directors, Bank of England

Diana Noble CBE started her career in PE in 1987 at Schroder Ventures, becoming a Partner in 1989 before it transformed itself into Permira. She left to head the leading Internet investor, e-Ventures, jointly owned by Softbank and News Corp, in 1999. She also established the corporate venturing arm of the global publishing and analytics group Reed Elsevier (now RELX).

After six years working for the Clinton Foundation in Africa as EVP Ops during the HIV/AIDS crisis, she became CEO of CDC, the UK’s £10bn development finance institution from 2011-17. She has conducted research on PE/VC leadership transition with Josh Lerner of HBS, published in 2019 under the title “When to Go and How to Go” and advises clients in this field.

She also is Deputy Chair of the Court of the Bank of England, an independent Director on the Board of Brookfield Asset Management and a Governor on the Board of Wellcome Trust.

Imogen Richards

Partner & Head of European Primaries, Pantheon

Imogen Richards is a Partner and Head of Primaries in Pantheon’s European Private Equity team and also a member of the Global Primary Committee, ESG Committee and Allocation Committee. Imogen joined Pantheon in 2005, and prior to joining the primaries team, she was a member of Pantheon’s secondary team and also headed up the Investment Structuring and Strategy division. Imogen is also on the board of Level 20 and chairs the Senior Leader’s Committee.

Prior to Pantheon Imogen worked on small and mid-market private equity and mezzanine transactions for Anglo Irish Bank. She holds a master’s degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University. Imogen is based in London.

Jeremy Lytle

Investor Relations Partner, ECI

Jeremy Lytle is responsible for ECI’s investors across their current buyout funds, and prospective institutional investors for the future. Over the past 17 years Jeremy has led the past four ECI buyout fundraisings, and including several co-investments, has raised a total value of over £3 billion of commitments.

Jeremy is part of UK Private Capital’s Performance Measurement Survey Review Board and formerly served on both the Investor Relations Advisory Group and as Chair of UK Private Capital’s Responsible Investment Advisory Group. He is passionate about ESG and ensuring it is at the forefront of the private equity industry. He spends a lot of time thinking about how ECI can promote initiatives both internally and in the wider market.

Will Fraser-Allan

Managing Partner, Albion Capital

As the Managing Partner of Albion Capital, Will is a seasoned venture capital investor, with over 20 years’ experience investing in early-stage healthcare and technology enabled businesses. He is passionate about supporting the UK’s rich ecosystem of early-stage businesses and the positive impact these venture capital backed companies will have on the way we live and work.

Will is also on the board of the Association of Investment Companies (AIC), sits on the venture capital committee of UK Private Capital and the advisory board of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Entrepreneurship. Will was previously the Chair of the Venture Capital Trust Association (VCTA).