Ex-Cofunds boss Williams launches alternatives investment business

Ex-Cofunds boss Brett Williams (pictured) has launched his alternative investments business.

Old Burlington Investments (OBI) is looking to exploit recent legislative changes allowing investors to invest up to £1 million in Enterprise Investment Schemes (EIS) as well as raising companies’ fund-raising limits under the EIS to £5 million in any continuous 12 month period.

To tap into this OBI will offer two EIS at launch, one focusing on renewable energy and the other on growth opportunities within new share issues on the Alternative Investment Market. 

For the Renewable Energy fund OBI is partnering with solar PV asset management firm Bluefied Partner, which is backed by prominent venture capitalist Jon Moulton.    

Meanwhile on the AIM Growth fund it has teamed up with SME private equity specialist Percipient Capital.

In a statement Williams, who left Cofunds last year, said: 'We believe alternatives are poised for very significant growth over the next three years, partly because of legislative stimulus and partly because investors simply aren’t getting the returns they need from traditional asset classes.

'We see a clear opportunity for a new business able to deliver access to potentially high return markets and we look forward to working with advisers to outline our professional approach and the ways in which our investments can add diversity and significant growth potential to their clients’ portfolios.'

James Armstrong, partner at Bluefield, added: 'The entry into this space of a team of such well-regarded industry figures is a real fillip to the sector and demonstrates the opportunity that exists in what is, in effect, a major new capital market.'