# Straight Bat

Straight Bat is a Private Equity based in East Melbourne, Australia.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Private Equity
- **Headquarters:** East Melbourne, Australia
- **Region:** Oceania
- **Address:** Level 5, 88 Jolimont Street, East Melbourne VIC 3002, Australia
- **Founded:** 2019
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** www.straightbat.com.au
- **LinkedIn:** linkedin.com/company/straightbat

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Straight Bat Private Equity is a private equity fund focused on investing in medium-sized businesses with strong revenue and EBITDA margins. The company offers partnership investments with a focus on wealth preservation and sustainable capital growth. Founded in 2019, Straight Bat is based in Burnley, Australia.

## Sectors

- Industrial Tech
- Healthcare Services
- Manufacturing
- Consumer & Retail
- Technology
- Financial Services
- AgriTech & FoodTech
- Transport & Logistics
- Real Estate
- Private Credit

## People

- Steve — Managing Partner
- Rob — Senior Partner
- Matt — Senior Partner
- Brad — Partner & Director

## Questions

### How does Straight Bat source proprietary deal flow?

Straight Bat relies on deep personal networks built over decades by its partners and selection committee — a group that includes the co-founder of Flight Centre, the former CEO of Foster’s Group, and the Smith family behind PFD Food Services. The firm’s 50:50 partnership model, indefinite hold commitment, and operator-heavy bench make it a preferred counterparty for business owners pursuing succession, partial liquidity, or long-term stewardship rather than a full exit.

### What is Straight Bat's return target and distribution model?

The firm explicitly targets a 10% franked dividend yield per annum before fees, coupled with conservative capital appreciation through natural business growth. By forgoing fixed fund lives and exit timetables, Straight Bat operates more like a permanent-hold holding company, distributing regular income to investors while preserving principal.

### Does Straight Bat participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

Straight Bat invests directly into operating businesses as a principal. It does not operate as a fund-of-funds. However, the firm’s ecosystem includes adjacent credit and property vehicles — Mosaic Private Credit and H.CO Property — and investors gain access to co-investment, growth debt, and opportunistic opportunities that emerge across the portfolio.

### What is the firm's relationship to Wingate and the other entities named on its website?

Managing Director Ze’ev was previously with Wingate, and board member Farrel founded Wingate — but Straight Bat itself is an independent private equity firm. Several team members also have ties to firm-related vehicles: Brad co-founded Mosaic Private Credit, Signature Hospitality Group, and H.CO Property alongside his Straight Bat role, creating a constellation of affiliated but separate investment platforms.

### Which sectors does Straight Bat explicitly avoid?

The firm explicitly targets mature, profitable, lower-growth businesses with high margins. It avoids venture-stage, pre-revenue, and speculative technology companies, as well as capital-intensive businesses that cannot support its 10% dividend yield target. Its emphasis on EBITDA margins above 20% filters out most low-margin industries like pure commodity distribution or heavy cyclical manufacturing.

### How is Straight Bat's governance and investment decision-making structured?

Investment decisions are overseen by the partnership board (Steve, Rob, Matt, Brad) and informed by a selection committee of experienced operators and family-office principals, including Geoff (Flight Centre), Trevor O’Hoy (former Foster’s CEO), Lindsay Smith (PFD Food Services), and Massimo Belgiorno-Nettis (Transfield Holdings). This provides a blend of full-time investment team rigor and deep external operating wisdom.

## Related profiles

- [Strafin Asset Management](https://altss.com/profile/strafin-asset-management)
- [Straightforward Capital](https://altss.com/profile/straightforward-capital)

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

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