Finance Wales appoints Bill Anthony as Portfolio Director

13 July 2011

Finance Wales has appointed Bill Anthony as its new Group Portfolio Director as its portfolio continues to expand.

Anthony, a former Head of the Smaller Minority Investment Team at 3i, brings a wealth of portfolio management experience and knowledge of funding small and medium-sized businesses. He will join Finance Wales as a member of its Executive Management Team.

Chief Executive, Sian Lloyd Jones believes that Anthony brings significant key skills and experience to Finance Wales at an important time in the company’s development and its plans for future fundraising:

“We’ve invested over £197 million since 2001 and our portfolio is growing. This is an important new appointment for us and I’m pleased to welcome Bill on board. He has a wealth of experience of investing in small and medium-sized businesses, optimising investment portfolios and driving exits.”

Finance Wales has published record investment levels in 2010-11, find out more.

Portfolio management expertise

Anthony started his career in the late 1980s at HSBC before joining leading UK venture capital company, 3i Group in 1996 as an investment manager and subsequently becoming Head of the Smaller Minority Investment Team.

Commenting on his appointment, Anthony said: “Finance Wales is one of the largest and most successful fund managers of its type in the UK today with an interesting and diverse portfolio. My appointment acknowledges how the company has grown and I’m looking forward to building strong relationships with our portfolio of Welsh businesses to maximise the benefits of our investments.”

Ian Johnson, Finance Wales’ Chairman welcomed Anthony’s appointment: "Bill has a great deal of experience and is a welcome addition to our strong, commercially-focused team. I believe he’ll play a key role in Finance Wales’ future success.”