News
On the Beach set to go far as ISIS invests in travel sector
articles and reports
ISIS regularly publishes articles and reports on issues relevant to the private equity industry, with the most recently published available here.
General
Healthcare
Business Services
Retail
Financial Services
IT
Leisure
General
An introduction to private equity.
A beginner's guide. (Acrobat pdf)
A very private matter.
Private equity funding is a well-established, rewarding, but much misunderstood industry, and in the rapidly expanding business services world it pays to know how such funding can operate to the benefit of all concerned. (Acrobat pdf)
BVCA report: "Things I Wish I'd Known"
This report is based on 16 incredible success stories that speak volumes about the level of entrepreneurial talent in the UK. They illustrate how the path to success is not just about single-minded persistence, but also about recognising the importance of teamwork and collaboration. The best entrepreneurs don't go it alone; they surround themselves with the strongest network of contacts and mentors they can find.
If you would like us to send you a copy, please complete our contact us form.
A question of image.
Private equity practitoners sometimes get a bad press - but it's about time perceptions changed. (Acrobat pdf)
Healthcare
Growing Pains?
There is no doubt that the healthcare sector has been and will continue to be a rich seam of investment opportunity for the private equity sector. Plurality of service provision remains on the government agenda, underpinned by a focus on patient choice and improvements in commissioning across primary, secondary and social care. (Acrobat pdf)
Investing in the future of primary care.
It seems we are in for an interesting decade of change driven by a focus on patient choice, plurality and a changing commissioning landscape. The rise of new business models and new private suppliers in the sector is at its genesis. Private equity providers are poised, ready to step into relatively unchartered investment territory. (Acrorbat pdf)
A private matter.
Local authorities are increasingly looking to the private sector to provide home care services. Paul Morris reveals how care provider ILS and its managing director Kevin Scullion are relishing the opportunities in this highly attractive sector. (Acrobat pdf)
In safe hands.
Private equity has much to offer companies in the healthcare sector. But succesful partnerships come as a result of investment and understanding, as ISIS has proved in recent years. (Acrobat pdf)
Failing to connect.
The Government's national NHS IT programme is over-ambitious and poorly implemented, argues Matt Caffrey. And if the strategy doesn't change, costs and delays will continue to spiral. (Acrobat pdf)
Under the skin.
The NHS is undergoing a matamorphosis. It might be moving cautiously, but change is inevitable. (Acrobat pdf)
Business Services
A passage to India and beyond.
In the past few years, dozens of leading companies have transformed swathes of back-office and white collar jobs to Asia and Africa. But as Paul Morris of ISIS explains, the implications of this trend are complex. (Acrobat pdf)
Top of the polls.
When Brian Gosschalk joined MORI in 1979, it was a small young market research company with £1m turnover. Today that has risen to £49m. Reflecting on the management buyouts he has led in recent years, he emphasises the importance of ISIS Equity Partners as a player in MORI's growth strategy. (Acrobat pdf)
After the Goldrush.
Public Sector contracts and an increasing use of outsourcing have fuelled rapid growth in UK business services. But the shape of the industry is being challenged by more demanding customers unafraid of issuing stiff penalities for lacklustre performance. (Acrobat pdf)
Retail
Shopping Spree.
The retail sector has been a rich source of deals for private equity firms. Grant Ringshaw explains the appeal and details why it is essential for owners to find the right partner. (Acrobat pdf)
Caught in the web.
Internet shopping is coming of age. Online retailers are flourishing and now account for as much as 10% of the UK retail market, according to some estimates. But as Mark Advani of ISIS explains, the web is both an opportunity and a threat for bricks and mortar retailers. (Acrobat pdf)
Eastern Promise?
Western Retailers have turned to China and other South-east Asian countries to source goods and preserve margins. But while the cost savings can be huge, chasing the cheapest goods can raise challenges about security of supply and ethical issues, reports Fiona Walsh. (Acrobat pdf)
No risk, no gain.
Private equity investment in the financial services sector has traditionally been confined to safe service businesses, rather than the more highly regulated lenders and underwriters. But as Marc Mullen and Neil Sen discover, heavyweight, balance sheet-based businesses also need equity injections. (Acrobat pdf)
Financial Services
Dare to debt?
The UK's relatively high levels of personal debt must be seen in the context of a successful economy, claims ISIS' Andrew Garside. And like corporate debt, it helps drive economic growth while offering opportunities to enterprising niche financial services firms. (Acrobat PDF)
Hail the entrepreneurial spirit.
The private equity industry is fast replacing the London Stock Exchange main market as the primary source of capital for mid-sized UK companies. (Acrobat PDF)
The battle of little big brands.
The days of guaranteed customer loyalty are a thing of the past in the competitive world of financial service. But, argues Vicky Meek, with potential clients constantly shopping around for the best buy, the larger players are finding life increasingly difficult as their smaller, nimbler competitors capture market share. (Acrobat PDF)
IT
Rich pickings.
Information technology has not recently been a popular hunting ground for private equity. But now, as the sector matures, interest is rising rapidly. Vicky Meek explains how the investors' experience and funding are giving the market a very welocme boost. (Acrobat PDF)
Remote control.
Mobile working technology is changing the way we work. It is good for business efficiency and it is essential for many workers, argues Martin Robertson of ISIS. But, he warns, we also need to be aware of the potential limitations and negative impact it holds. (Acrobat PDF)
Blue sky thinking.
When GIS software supplier blue 8 completed a buyout with ISIS back in 2001, the management's aim was to increase market share and make it attractive for sale. And, as Grant Murgatroyd explains, this was comfortably achieved with valuable lessons being learned along the way. (Acrobat PDF)
Leisure
Taking off and flying high.
From under-the-cosh travel agents to rejuvenated airlines, it is consumers who make or break travel companies in today's modern world. Fiona Walsh looks as how businesses have used technology to respond to this challenge. (Acrobat PDF)
The taste of success
How Remo Nardone realised his stake in Enotria, his wine-importing business, without sacrificing its family atmosphere.