Senior Investment Director Alan Gauld presented at the Proactive One2One Investor Forum about the Trust’s strategic focus on mid-market European private equity opportunities. The Trust, formerly known as abrdn private Equity Opportunities Trust, now manages net assets of around £1.2 billion and has delivered annualised NAV total returns of 14.1% over the past decade. Since its launch in 2001, the average return has been just over 11%. Gauld explained the Trust’s investment strategy, which targets businesses valued between £100 million and £1 billion, with a strong focus on profitable, cash-generative companies where growth can be accelerated. Around 76% of the portfolio is invested in European companies, with a particular emphasis on the Nordics, UK and Benelux regions. He noted, “Europe is a heterogeneous market… it’s a fantastic market… for people from the US or Asia to fly in and out and win deals consistently, you’ve got to have boots on the ground.” Gauld also highlighted the Trust’s commitment to sustainability, its preference for non-discretionary sectors such as tech and healthcare, and ongoing activity in share buybacks and direct investments. With over 600 portfolio companies and a flat management fee of 95 basis points on NAV, Patria continues to prioritise long-term value for shareholders.
