business news
BUSINESS WOMEN SCOTLAND
Investing in people
Scottish business and social entrepreneur, Marie Macklin CBE, has launched three
investment funds to back aspiring businessmen and women.
selected entrepreneurs. Wherever practical, MEP will
seek a leadership role in supporting and developing
businesses to ensure close involvement and informed
scrutiny of performance.
As well as investing directly, the intention is to invest
indirectly through partnerships with entrepreneurial
organisations, representative trade and professional
bodies, private and public investors and business angel
organisations across the United Kingdom.
Initially, MEP has established three funds:
Derek Weir and Marie Macklin CBE
T
hrough a new Glasgow-based
initiative, Macklin Enterprise
Partnerships (MEP), the Ayrshireborn businesswoman is planning to
build two portfolios of investments in
entrepreneurial businesses, making
an initial £5m available for investment
by these funds. An additional fund, with separate
access to third party funding for the restructuring of
businesses, has also been established.
Marie states: “My aim is to inspire and support
creative people with the ideas, drive and resilience to
create and grow successful businesses.
“Funding will be open to ambitious, highlymotivated people launching or developing newstart businesses. Whilst robust business plans will
be the starting point, the inspiration, passion and
commitment of the people behind the plans will be
fundamental in funding decisions. We will invest in
people we can work with personally, advising and
supporting them in bringing their plans to fruition.”
Macklin Enterprise Partnerships will manage
funds provided personally by Marie and by private
investors willing to encourage entrepreneurs and to
take a long-term view of investment. MEP will take
direct stakes in selected businesses or invest through
special-purpose funds.
Derek Weir, Marie’s first appointment to the
MEP board, has 25 years’ experience in Corporate
Banking, with executive positions at RBS and
Barclays. Since 2009, he has held a number of nonexecutive and consultancy roles and personally has
invested in four early stage businesses.
Marie and Derek will identify potential partners
and provide start-up and management advice to
An Investment Fund for Entrepreneurs offers
equity funding for new start businesses and is
open to ambitious, highly-motivated people launching
or developing robust new business ventures or
under-re