Will Woodford launch a private equity fund?

WOODFORD

The UK's most famous fund manager could run a closed-ended private equity fund when he launches his own firm next year, allowing him to develop his passion for investing in start-up companies.

While Woodford is likely to launch an equity income fund to cater for his army of loyal followers, expectation is also growing in the industry that he will opt to run a private equity focused fund which would let him nurture start-up companies over the long term. Woodford has run a reasonable weighting to private equity across both his income funds for many years, positions totalling as much as 5% of his funds' AUM at various stages. Mark Dampier, head of research at Hargreaves Lansdown, has met the manager on many occasions and said he would be surprised if Woodford did not consider ...