Catalyst Investment Managers

The two managing directors, John Story and Trent Peterson, jointly make investment decisions. Story brings public-company governance experience from chairing ASX-listed Viva Energy Group, while Peterson's background covers private equity execution across the Australian mid-market. The firm operates without a formal investment committee beyond the two principals.

Catalyst raises capital on a deal-by-deal basis rather than through a committed blind-pool fund. Limited partners are presented with individual transaction opportunities and decide whether to participate. This structure gives co-investors approval rights over each acquisition and typically draws capital from Australian family offices and high-net-worth investors.

The firm focuses on control buyouts, public-to-private transactions, and complex restructurings in the sub-A$200 million enterprise-value range. Catalyst looks for founder-operated businesses facing succession events, under-performing corporate carve-outs from larger groups, and ASX-listed small-caps trading at discounts to intrinsic value where a take-private and operational reset can unlock value.

Catalyst is a private equity firm, not a family office. However, its deal-by-deal capital-raising model gives it a structural resemblance to independent sponsors and family-office syndicates rather than traditional blind-pool fund managers. No single family provides the majority of its capital.

John Story is a prominent figure in Australian corporate governance. He previously held roles at Macquarie Group and has chaired multiple ASX-listed companies, most notably Viva Energy Group, the owner of the Geelong oil refinery and a national fuel-retailing network. His boardroom roles give Catalyst visibility into public-company dynamics that informs the firm's public-to-private strategy.