Meet the team: Lewis Burnham

Q: When did you join Rcapital?

A: I joined Rcapital in July 2020, during the mid-lockdown period.?

Q: What motivated you to join Rcapital, and how has your experience been so far?

A: I was motivated by Rcapital’s stellar reputation as a leading fund in the special situations private investment marketplace. I wanted to contribute to maintaining and building that reputation, working with a small, entrepreneurial team in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, alongside great people who excel at what they do. My experience has been highly positive. The team is entrepreneurial, always seeking creative ways to create value and push industry boundaries. Our reputation is reinforced by our strong relationships with the advisor community, and we have executed industry-recognised acquisitions and exits, showcasing Rcapital’s leading position in the market.

Q: What are some of your proudest achievements or favourite deals that you have worked on since joining Rcapital?

A: Some of my proudest achievements / favourite deals include:

• Winning the Special Situations Investor of the year at the IFT Awards in 2021 and 2022, shortly after I joined the firm.
• The first deal I worked on, Archant Media, which won Turnaround of the Year 2022 at the IFT Awards.
• The Trac acquisition and subsequent turnaround, a complex carve-out transaction that transformed a loss-making business into a profitable one with a strong pipeline and exciting future prospects.
• The Phoenix acquisition, a retirement sale and bolt-on for our existing business, HTSL. Managing the combination of a retirement sale and a bolt-on was fascinating, and the group is now thriving with further bolt-on opportunities being explored.

Q: How would you describe the team culture at Rcapital?

A: The team culture at Rcapital is entrepreneurial, collaborative, and success-driven. We all love what we do and want to have fun whilst doing it.

Q: How do you see Rcapital evolving in the near future, and what role do you hope to play in that evolution?

A: I see Rcapital building on its recent successes. The deal team has executed some great transactions over the past few years, and the portfolio team continues to optimise these businesses, creating exit value. Rcapital will remain a leader in its industry, driving growth through increasingly complex transactions as we navigate an ever-changing investment landscape. The world has become more complex and uncertain, which will create more opportunities for Rcapital. We will continue to seek out complex, challenging transactions and be a reliable, responsible owner of businesses. I look forward to being part of the team executing those transactions, welcoming more great businesses to our portfolio, and helping them unlock their potential.

Q: Can you tell us more about your background before joining Rcapital?

A: Before joining Rcapital, I spent four years at BDO in their London Business Restructuring Team, primarily working in the Special Situations M&A Team. I gained experience in complex and accelerated M&A processes and am a qualified chartered accountant.

Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

A: I enjoy playing golf and watching sport in my spare time. I’m getting married next year so am busy (well my fiancé is) planning that.