Ahead of the annual plenary of the Global Impact Investment Steering Group (GSG) in Lisbon, Pioneers Post spoke to Bridges co-founder Michele Giddens about the make-up and goals of the newly-established UK National Advisory Board and Practitioners Council (both of which Michele chairs). Read the full article here. Learn more about the UK National Advisory […]
Read moreBridges’ latest property fund and its inaugural investment have been featured in the latest issue of Property Week. The piece outlines the investment by Bridges Property Alternatives Fund IV – alongside joint venture partner HUB – to redevelop Taberner House, the former Croydon council office site, creating 350 low-cost homes, 150 affordable homes and 13,000 […]
Read moreThe Daily Mail’s Career Mail section recently featured the story of James Smith, the 24-year-old general manager of The Gym Group’s Eastbourne branch. James is a great example of how The Gym likes to train and promote its own staff. After joining The Gym Brighton in a work experience role in 2011, he completed the […]
Read moreThe Bridges Sustainable Property Fund completed the sale of Airedale House – a mixed retail and office property in Leeds city centre – to GM Legato Property for £6.625m, reflecting a net initial yield of 8%. Under Bridges’ ownership, the property went through a substantial environmentally-led refurbishment, including the installation of solar photovoltaic panels on […]
Read moreThis Stanford Social Innovation Review article outlines some of the practices and methodologies used by Bridges and other impact investors to measure social impact alongside financial return. Based on an independent research project carried out by students at Harvard Business School, the authors argue that the ultimate objectives of impact measurement can be divided into four […]
Read moreWe are delighted to announce that the Bridges Social Sector Funds won two (out of five) awards at the prestigious Cabinet Office Social Investment Awards 2016. Now in their second year, these awards are intended to “highlight the innovation and dedication of world-leading social investors and enterprises”. The Bridges Social Entrepreneurs Fund (SEF) won the […]
Read moreIn a piece for The Guardian, Tim Smedley explores how charities have found the experience of operating within a social impact bond structure. Kieran Gordon, chief executive of Career Connect, is among those to share his experiences of working on a SIB-funded programme – discussing the challenges of pricing outcomes, the added flexibility within service […]
Read moreBridges partner Brian Trelstad recently authored an article for the Harvard Business Review, where he outlined a framework to help potential investors think about how to invest for impact. In ‘Making Sense of the Many Kinds of Impact Investing’, Brian explains how an individual investor can examine their own impact preferences by thinking about the […]
Read moreBridges recently sold the Babington Group, a leading UK provider of apprenticeships and traineeships, to RJD Partners for £22m, representing an internal rate of return for Bridges of 33%. We backed the business in 2009, as part of our Education and Skills impact theme. Since then, Babington has increased revenues eight-fold, while supporting over 32,000 […]
Read moreThe Bridges Property Alternative Fund and joint venture partner HUB have received a resolution to grant planning permission for a redevelopment project in Wembley, London. The project will see what is currently a disused office block converted into two 21-and 26-storey towers. The building will contain a total of 239 homes for sale or rent; […]
Read moreBig Society Capital has created two short films highlighting the impact being made by two social sector organisations that have benefited from Bridges’ investment. HCT Group, a social enterprise bus operator that uses its profits to provide community transport services and training, raised a pioneering £4m round of investment from a group of social investors […]
Read moreMichele Giddens, partner and co-founder at Bridges Ventures, and Patrick Armstrong, chief investment officer at Plurimi Investment Managers, discuss the U.N. COP21 summit on climate change and what it means for the markets and investments. They speak to Bloomberg’s Guy Johnson on “Countdown.” Michele on Bloomberg
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