Maven Capital Partners boosts London team with investment director appointment

Glasgow-based investment house Maven Capital Partners has announced the appointment of Dr Melanie Goward as investment director to its London based investment team.

Maven said Dr Goward’s appointment will further strengthen its team in the Capital, bringing as she does more than 15 years’ experience investing in dynamic, early-stage businesses, including investments in the technology, life science and biotechnology sectors.

She will be responsible for handling new early-stage and technology private equity investments for Maven across the South and South West of England and Wales.

Dr Gowards joins Maven from Finance Wales, where she worked as fund manager for the Wales Technology Seed Fund within the Technology Ventures team, providing funding to help a range of businesses commercialise and bring to market innovative products and services.

Her career to date has focused on early-stage technology investment, having worked previously as Investment Director with Nesta Investments, where she was responsible for the healthcare portfolio, and in technology sector finance at Lloyds TSB Corporate, providing debt finance to high growth companies.

Her background in technology began with work as part of the research team for the international Human Genome Project whilst completing her PhD in Genetics at Cambridge University.

Dr Goward said: “I am very excited to be joining Maven’s highly experienced investment team. Maven has an enviable track record of investing in high growth private companies across a wide range of industries, and is a highly respected presence across the corporate finance market. As part of the Maven team, I look forward to working with exciting SMEs within the UK early-stage and technology sectors and helping them to achieve their potential.”

Bill Nixon, Managing Partner of Maven Capital Partners, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Melanie to the Maven team, which has been investing successfully in UK SMEs, at various stages of development, for 15 years. We have a strong record of backing innovative British businesses and the new VCT rules present an opportunity for some of the highest potential UK SMEs to attract the investment that will deliver their growth aspirations.

“We are very familiar with Melanie’s strong reputation in the early-stage and technology focused sectors, and her background and expertise will add to the wide range of sector specialisms within the Maven team.”