About us

At CBPE, we invest in businesses in the UK mid-market with an Enterprise Value of up to £150m, to help realise their growth ambitions. We work best with businesses where we know we can truly add value.

We work hard to get to the heart of a business. We back the right people to do the right thing. We enjoy our relationships. We challenge and we welcome challenge. We’re analytical but we also know that success doesn’t always follow a spreadsheet. We add value, not a straightjacket. We take our work seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We listen, we keep our promises and we always do our homework. Inspiring businesses to go further, also makes for more inspired investments. It’s a virtuous circle.


Strong foundations

We were established in 1984 and have been an active private equity investor for nearly 40 years. We used to operate as Close Brothers Private Equity under our former parent, Close Brothers Group, but have been independent since completing our own management buyout in 2008. We have raised three funds as an independent business, including our current fund, CBPE Capital X, which closed on capital commitments of £561 million in November 2020.


Responsible investing

We believe in good investing. That doesn’t just mean smart strategies and fact checking. It means acting responsibly and taking environmental, social and governance responsibilities seriously. From crucial business decisions to day-to-day life, we build this into every aspect of our approach.

Our investors

The CBPE team invests in all CBPE funds. The external investor base of our funds generally comprises of around 30 blue-chip limited partners from across the globe. The breakdown for Funds IX and X can be seen in greater detail here.

  • Funds of funds (38%)
  • Insurance (25%)
  • Public pension (8%)
  • Endowments & Foundations (8%)
  • Government agencies (8%)
  • Corporate pension (6%)
  • Asset managers (4%)
  • Family offices (1%)
  • Investment banks (1%)
  • Consultants (1%)

Investors by type

Investors by geography

Our team

We’re based in London but we work across the UK. We have a breadth of experience and value relationships above all else.

Meet the team

Our approach

We develop strategies, bring ideas and provide hands on support to drive success. We work with inspiring businesses and through this approach, we equip and inspire them to achieve so much more.

Find out more

Our expertise

We’ll never claim to know more about your world than you, but we have built our expertise through years of working with companies in six key sectors.