Nicholas Armstrong

Nick Armstrong is one of the founding Partners of EMK Capital, the London- and Milan-based private equity firm launched in December 2015 by Edmund Lazarus (ex-Bregal Capital) and Mark Joseph (ex-Oakley Capital / UBS). Armstrong is based in EMK's Milan office and, alongside co-founders Adam Frahm and the two named principals, helped build the firm from inception. EMK's "E-M-K" name derives from the founders, and the firm is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority.

Before EMK, Armstrong worked at Bregal Capital LLP (July 2014–December 2015) as an Investment Manager alongside Edmund Lazarus, where he worked across a number of portfolio investments including Reconomy, Morrison Utility Services, Ideal Stelrad Group, Danwood and FiveTen. Earlier, he spent roughly four years at Nomura (2010–2014) in investment banking / M&A, working in both Nomura's UK M&A team in London and its Australian M&A team in Sydney. He began his career as an Analyst in Transaction Services at KPMG Advisory (2009–2010).

He is originally from Australia and graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master's in Finance. Outside of work, EMK's bio notes he enjoys spending time with family, tennis and surfing.

• Invests EMK's institutional private equity funds — not personal angel capital. EMK Capital Partners II closed at roughly $1.64bn / c. €1.2bn, nearly double the debut fund; the firm has since moved on to later fundraising.
• Backs majority (control) positions in mid-market companies in business services, consumer and industrials, holding for three to seven years.
• Writes large equity cheques — up to ~£100m per platform — and describes itself as a "hands-on," active partner to management teams.
• Deal types span management buyouts, corporate carve-outs, growth equity, special situations and management succession.
• Stated philosophy: EMK pursues "active partnerships with management teams" to drive "transformational growth" and build "market-leading businesses"; the firm holds five-star UN PRI ratings across all categories assessed.
• Founders' own framing (Lazarus/Joseph): EMK targets mid-market businesses where it "can support transformative growth," typically via buy-and-build and international expansion.