Olswang has advised ESF Capital, a new peer to peer (P2P) investment and operating business initiated by European investment firm, ESO Capital, on its equity fund raise backed by leading UK and US institutions. 

Simultaneously, Olswang has also advised on the complex suite of technology platform contracts required by ESF Capital as part of its acquisition of a 73.4% stake in ThinCats, Europe’s largest SME secured lending platform, which has lent more than £140m since its foundation five years ago.

The deal is the first of many ESF Capital intends to make throughout Europe. It plans to accelerate growth by investing in and underwriting loans on select European P2P platforms and providing operational insight.

Rob Willis, Olswang Corporate Partner, commented: “It has been a pleasure to advise ESF Capital on its set-up and initial fundraise, enabling us to combine our corporate capabilities with our technology and sourcing expertise.  We look forward to advising this quality management team in the future as they’re certainly a business on the rise in the P2P investment community and poised for rapid growth.

Rob Willis led the corporate team on the fundraising, supported by Jamie Larkin, David Whitehead and Matthew Hanson (corporate); Andrew Quayle and Cathy Merry (employee incentives) and Melanie Lane and Amelia Cowell (employment).

Technology & Sourcing Partner, Dominic Dryden, led the team that advised ESF Capital on its technology platform arrangements with the help of Catherine Adam and Emily Dorotheou (technology & sourcing).