Key Takeaways
- • Jihad Karambizi, former audit and M&A adviser at Kreston Reeves, has joined Palatine's impact investment team as investment manager, expanding capacity in the firm's dedicated impact strategy.
- • Palatine operates an Impact Fund with a stated investment range of £5 million to £30 million per deployment, targeting companies addressing significant societal challenges.
- • The hire signals continued investment by Palatine in scaling its impact investing practice, a segment led by partner Beth Houghton and representing a £100 million fund within the firm's private equity portfolio.
- • Karambizi's background in audit and M&A advisory positions him to evaluate deal structures and financial viability of impact-focused portfolio companies.
Summary
The hire underscores Palatine's commitment to scaling its dedicated impact investing practice. The firm operates an Impact Fund with deployment capacity between £5 million and £30 million per investment, targeting companies that address material societal challenges. The fund is led by partner Beth Houghton, one of a limited number of women leading large-scale private equity impact funds in the UK market. The Impact Fund represents a £100 million allocation within Palatine's broader private equity platform.
Karambizi's appointment aligns with industry-wide momentum in impact investing recruitment. His audit and M&A background suggests Palatine is prioritizing financial diligence and structural evaluation alongside impact measurement—a critical capability as institutional investors increasingly demand rigorous quantification of social and environmental returns alongside financial performance.
The timing of this hire reflects continued capital deployment in the impact investing segment. Palatine has demonstrated active portfolio building, including prior acquisitions such as a stake in Back2Work Group, a training company platform. Additional expansion of investment team capacity typically precedes acceleration in deal flow.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.