# Phoenix Equity Partners

Phoenix Equity Partners is a Private Equity based in London, United Kingdom.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Private Equity
- **Headquarters:** London, United Kingdom
- **Region:** Europe
- **Address:** London, United Kingdom
- **Founded:** 2001
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** www.phoenix-equity.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://uk.linkedin.com/company/phoenix-equity-partners
- **Wikidata:** Q17020790

## About

Phoenix Equity Partners is an SEC-registered investment adviser in London, registered since 2012. It advises on private equity investments. The firm is based in London.

## Sectors

- Business Services
- Healthcare Services
- Consumer
- Technology
- Financial Services

## People

- David Burns — Managing Partner
- James Thomas — Managing Partner

## Questions

### Who makes investment decisions at Phoenix Equity Partners?

Managing Partners David Burns and James Thomas lead the investment committee and have jointly overseen decisions since leading the 2001 management buyout from Royal Bank of Scotland. The firm operates with a lean partnership structure, and all material capital allocation runs through the managing partners alongside a stable senior investment team.

### How does Phoenix source its deals?

Phoenix accesses deal flow through a combination of long-standing intermediary relationships, direct management introductions, and reputation-driven inbound opportunities from its two-decade track record in the UK mid-market. The firm's concentrated portfolio approach means it evaluates substantially more opportunities than it pursues, filtering for the small number of situations where it believes its operational engagement can drive step-change growth.

### What is Phoenix's approach to portfolio company operations after acquisition?

Phoenix pursues a hands-on value creation model centered on operational improvement and buy-and-build strategies. The firm formalized its operational capability with the October 2023 appointment of former Permira partner James Brook as an Operating Partner, giving portfolio management teams access to dedicated strategic and operational resources alongside the investment partners.

### Where does Phoenix Equity Partners' investment capital come from?

Phoenix raises capital from institutional investors including pension funds, fund-of-funds, and endowments primarily across the UK, continental Europe, and North America. The firm's most recent flagship fund, Phoenix Equity Partners VII, closed at £400 million in 2018 (per the firm's regulatory filings, 2018).

### How does Phoenix differ structurally from other UK mid-market private equity firms?

Phoenix's origin as a 2001 institutional spinout from Royal Bank of Scotland distinguishes it from firms that evolved organically from founding partners' personal deal-making networks. That heritage provided institutional-grade governance, established LP relationships, and a diversified portfolio from inception — a foundation that shaped the firm's restrained portfolio velocity and concentrated partnership model.

## Related profiles

- [Phillips Energy](https://altss.com/profile/phillips-energy-inc)
- [Phoenix Partners](https://altss.com/profile/phoenix-partners)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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