BGF makes investor hire to strengthen Midlands team

BGF has strengthened its Midlands team with the appointment of Elena Kovalikhina as investor.

Elena joins from Rothschild & Co, where she worked as part of the M&A team dealing with sell-side and fundraising transactions in the consumer and technology sectors.

Elena started her career at KPMG in the Transaction Services team, focusing on the advisory work for numerous clients in the industrial sector. At KPMG, she was elected to be part of the “Focus 100”– a talent programme for the top 100 performing individuals.

At BGF, Elena will be responsible for identifying businesses in growing and emerging sectors that would benefit from BGF funding, completing new and follow-on investments, and working closely with portfolio companies to support them in their growth journey.

Gurinder Sunner, Head of BGF in the Midlands, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Elena to BGF, as we look to strengthen our team and expand our portfolio of ambitious businesses in the region.

“In the last decade, BGF has established a strong footprint in the Midlands market, which continues to attract significant interest and investment across key sectors. The last 18 months have clearly posed considerable challenges to the regional business community but, at the same time, it has provided us with the opportunity to support scaling companies with exciting growth potential.”

In 2021, BGF Midlands has announced the successful exit of Biocity, which follows the  £10.25 million investment in Jola Cloud Solutions and a £7 million investment in Brisant Secure.

Elena commented: “BGF has a unique and flexible approach to investments, boasting a dynamic portfolio, as well as playing a key role in supporting the UK regional economy – something that really attracted me to the role. I’m excited to be joining a fantastic team and looking forward to working closely with driven Midlands entrepreneurs to identify opportunities for growth and help them achieve their strategic aims.”