Equity Investments

Chris Thompson has been involved with over 40 engineering and design companies since 1974 and has personally built an extensive portfolio of engineering and product investments, known in the market place as "Express Group".

 

The growth of this investment portfolio has been fuelled by start-up businesses, acquisitions and joint ventures. Shareholder value has been generated and realised through the addition and disposal of many companies within the aerospace and defence, medical and scientific and oil and gas sectors.

 

Current investments employ around 240 people, are based in North East England and Scotland, and provide a range of services including product development; component and equipment manufacture, fabrication and assembly, and supply chain integration and management.

 

Chris is a founder member of NStar, a regional organisation responsible for making venture finance more available to companies in the North East. He is also Chairman of North Star Equity Investors, which is an FSA regulated fund management company that manages a £22M co-investment fund and a £10M proof of concept fund for early stage technology businesses.

 

"To identify and then support the growth of the region’s most promising businesses is an opportunity to add value and contribute significant wealth to the region."     

Chris Thompson, CEO Express Group 2006

 

Chris’s knowledge of engineering and design companies and the investment/divestment cycle has transformed Express Group’s balance sheet and the financial returns for partners and colleagues.