Jones, an experienced business leader and operator, will lead Bridges’ impact-integrated value creation function, working across the firm’s portfolio of operating companies

We’re delighted to announce the appointment of Henry Jones as Partner & Head of Value Creation, to further strengthen our efforts to optimise the commercial and impact performance of our portfolio companies.

Henry will work closely with our investment professionals, impact specialists and portfolio management teams to help these businesses improve revenue and margins, hone their proposition, strengthen their senior teams, and achieve greater impact.

Henry is an experienced business builder, with a strong track record of driving growth in international businesses, building high-performing teams and executing operational improvements.

His previous roles include leading the US West Coast operation and global tech practice at Axiom, a tech-enabled legal services company, during a three-year period when the business tripled in size.  He also headed up EMEA and International Growth at Aconex, an Australian construction tech business, where he led the acquisition and integration of its biggest European competitor, ahead of Aconex’s $1.1bn sale to Oracle.

He was most recently the CEO of Togetherall, an online mental health support community, where he led a rebuild of the leadership team and technology platform, and a full rebrand, before overseeing a launch in the US and a successful growth capital raise.

Philip Newborough, co-CEO of Bridges Fund Management, said:

“For the last two decades, Bridges has been helping impactful businesses to maximise their growth and impact potential. Henry’s appointment will allow us to build on this experience and pull together our existing value creation initiatives – while also drawing on his impressive track record as a business leader and operator. We believe this combination will strengthen our credentials as the investment partner of choice for businesses that are helping to solve the world’s biggest challenges over the next decade.”

Henry Jones, Partner and Head of Value Creation said:

“Having run a number of different businesses, and having been through the capital-raising experience – most recently in a business with social impact at its core – I’m excited to be able to use what I’ve learned to support others on a similar journey. I’ve always been passionate about growing businesses and building great teams – and I understand the value of having an aligned investor on the other side of the table. Bridges has been a specialist and a market-leader in this space for many years; impact is in its DNA. We are moving into a new era where all businesses will have to be focused on their impact and sustainability, and Bridges has a fantastic opportunity to be in the vanguard of this movement. I feel privileged to be part of that, and to work with growth businesses that are helping to build a better future for people and the planet.”

Henry will work closely with Bridges’ Impact team on value creation initiatives that will enhance commercial and impact performance.

Olivia Prentice, Partner & Head of Impact, said:

“Henry’s skillset will perfectly complement Bridges’ market-leading impact management expertise, as well as the extensive experience of our investment teams in building high-growth, high-impact companies. Our specialist impact team works closely with every company we back to provide expertise on how to measure and improve social and environmental performance, in ways that create value for shareholders and the company’s broader stakeholders. Henry will help us enhance this integrated value creation offering with his strengths in strategy development, technology and team-building.”