News
Noble Fund Managers appoints RBS’ Bruce McLaren to be Chief Investment Officer
04/01/2008
Noble Fund Managers (Noble) is delighted to announce the appointment of Bruce McLaren, formally Managing Director of The Royal Bank of Scotland Equity Finance team to the position of Chief Investment Officer. The announcement follows Noble’s recent appointment of Paul Toon to Head of Unquoted Investments. Bruce brings with him 17 years’ experience in unquoted M&A covering both debt underwriting and equity investment across the small, mid market and European mega buyout deal spectrum. In his new role Mr McLaren will oversee the appraisal of all investments made by Noble, including the company’s four Venture Capital Trusts, EIS and IHT portfolio services, its £45m venture finance fund and range of property investment vehicles.
Prior to his appointment, Mr McLaren spent 14 years working with The Royal Bank of Scotland. He was a founder member of the RBS leveraged debt team in 1993, growing the team to become the market leader within five years. He later went on to co-found RBS Mezzanine Ltd. In 2000 Mr McLaren founded and headed up RBS Debt Ventures, which merged with RBS Equity Finance in 2004, when he became Managing Director of RBS Equity Finance and a member of RBS Corporate Markets Credit Committee.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr McLaren said: “I am delighted to be joining Noble at what is a very exciting time for alternative asset classes in the UK and Europe. Noble is building a reputation as one of the best-connected and most expert Venture Capital investors in the market, and I look forward to contributing to its future success.”
Henry Chaplin, Chief Executive Officer of Noble Fund Managers, commented: ‘’Bruce has a huge amount of experience with equity investment and we look forward to working with him as we consolidate Noble’s position as market leader in small-cap fund management. I am delighted to be able to welcome both Paul and Bruce, two highly experienced professionals, to our strong and growing team.”
Mr McLaren qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Coopers & Lybrand after graduating from Cambridge University.
For more information contact:
Ben Thompson, Group Head of Marketing, Noble Group
+44 20 7763 2200
Toby Mitchenall, Citigate Dewe Rogerson
+44 20 7282 1092
About Noble
Noble is an independent UK investment bank. It has four operating companies providing a range of services including investment management of specialist asset classes, corporate finance and broking services and corporate administration. All four companies are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.