Key Takeaways
- • Simon Braham promoted to Chief Investment Officer at Northern Gritstone, effective July 2026, following his appointment as Head of Portfolio in September 2025 and succeeding Marion Bernard after four years in the role.
- • Braham brings venture capital and private equity expertise from Bridges, where he led sustainable growth funds across the North of England, positioning him to oversee all investment activities at Northern Gritstone.
- • Northern Gritstone has deployed £383 million in capital since May 2022, reviewing over 1,500 investment opportunities and backing 52 early-stage life sciences and technology companies across the Northern Arc universities (Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield).
- • The firm simultaneously expanded its investment team with James Bellis joining as Portfolio Director (from Teneo) and Narjeet Singh as Investment Manager (from Lincoln International's technology M&A division), signaling accelerated growth plans.
- • Northern Gritstone, chaired by Lord Jim O'Neill and backed by blue-chip institutions, major regional pension funds, and high-net-worth individuals, targets early-stage academic spinouts with "rooted in the North but global in mindset" positioning.
Summary
Northern Gritstone has named Simon Braham as Chief Investment Officer, elevating him from his role as Head of Portfolio, a position he assumed upon joining the firm in September 2025. Braham succeeds Marion Bernard, who departed after four years in the CIO role. In his expanded capacity, Braham will oversee all investment activities across the firm's portfolio and origination pipeline.
Braham's appointment reflects Northern Gritstone's institutional confidence in his operational execution and investment acumen. Prior to joining the firm, he spent his career at Bridges, a prominent impact investment manager, where he led sustainable growth funds focused on North England opportunities. His background combines venture capital, private equity, and impact investing—skill sets directly aligned with Northern Gritstone's mandate to scale early-stage life sciences and technology companies anchored in academic institutions.
The promotion is part of a broader leadership expansion at Northern Gritstone. The firm simultaneously appointed James Bellis as Portfolio Director—a newly created position—drawing him from advisory firm Teneo, where he advised corporate clients and investors on strategic and value creation initiatives. Narjeet Singh also joined as Investment Manager, transitioning from Lincoln International's London-based technology M&A team to Manchester. These concurrent hires underscore Northern Gritstone's accelerated deployment strategy and team-building momentum.
Since commencing operations in May 2022, Northern Gritstone has reviewed more than 1,500 investment opportunities, resulting in 52 follow-on investments in companies derived from or connected to the Northern Arc—the collective branding for spinouts and research-backed ventures from the Universities of Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield. The firm maintains a balance sheet of £383 million, which it intends to increase further. The investor base includes blue-chip institutions, several of the largest local authority pension funds in the North, and high-net-worth individuals, with management ownership providing alignment. Northern Gritstone is chaired by Lord Jim O'Neill, the former Goldman Sachs chief economist and creator of the BRICS framework.
Braham's appointment reflects Northern Gritstone's institutional confidence in his operational execution and investment acumen. Prior to joining the firm, he spent his career at Bridges, a prominent impact investment manager, where he led sustainable growth funds focused on North England opportunities. His background combines venture capital, private equity, and impact investing—skill sets directly aligned with Northern Gritstone's mandate to scale early-stage life sciences and technology companies anchored in academic institutions.
The promotion is part of a broader leadership expansion at Northern Gritstone. The firm simultaneously appointed James Bellis as Portfolio Director—a newly created position—drawing him from advisory firm Teneo, where he advised corporate clients and investors on strategic and value creation initiatives. Narjeet Singh also joined as Investment Manager, transitioning from Lincoln International's London-based technology M&A team to Manchester. These concurrent hires underscore Northern Gritstone's accelerated deployment strategy and team-building momentum.
Since commencing operations in May 2022, Northern Gritstone has reviewed more than 1,500 investment opportunities, resulting in 52 follow-on investments in companies derived from or connected to the Northern Arc—the collective branding for spinouts and research-backed ventures from the Universities of Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield. The firm maintains a balance sheet of £383 million, which it intends to increase further. The investor base includes blue-chip institutions, several of the largest local authority pension funds in the North, and high-net-worth individuals, with management ownership providing alignment. Northern Gritstone is chaired by Lord Jim O'Neill, the former Goldman Sachs chief economist and creator of the BRICS framework.
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.