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CFO salaries in PE-backed businesses: what to expect in 2026
Ray Nicholls Ray Nicholls

CFO salaries in PE-backed businesses: what to expect in 2026

When PE investment arrives, expectations on the finance function accelerate immediately. Here's a clear breakdown of what CFO compensation looks like in PE-backed UK businesses in 2026 — base, bonus, equity and the real cost of the hire.

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The Rise of Women Angel Investors — and Why It Matters for UK Growth
Ray Nicholls Ray Nicholls

The Rise of Women Angel Investors — and Why It Matters for UK Growth

A recent report from Beauhurst highlights a quiet but meaningful shift taking place inside the UK’s early-stage investment ecosystem: the rapid growth of women angel investors.

At first glance, this might look like a diversity story.
But look a little deeper and it becomes something far more significant — a signal about how capital, innovation, and leadership are evolving across the UK economy.

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UK Private Equity in 2025: Not a Slowdown — A Selection Event
Ray Nicholls Ray Nicholls

UK Private Equity in 2025: Not a Slowdown — A Selection Event

UK Private Equity in 2025: Not a Slowdown — A Selection Event

Periods of market adjustment are often described in terms of decline:
fewer deals, slower momentum, weaker sentiment.

But the UK equity market in 2025 tells a more interesting story.

Deal volumes fell again — yet capital deployment held firm and average deal sizes increased.
In other words, activity didn’t disappear. It became more selective.

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“It’s better to be a lion for a day than a sheep your whole life.”

— Elizabeth Kenny