Heathcote returns to buyouts after 18 months

Jonathan Heathcote, who departed EAC in December 2006, is returning to the private equity market as a partner at Palamon Capital Partners, European mid-market house.

Heathcote left EAC at the same time as Paul Downes and Robert Mason, partner and co-founder respectively, as the firm sought to cut costs.  Under pressure from LPs, EAC, which has now been revived in the form of Milestone Capital, pulled the plug on fundraising to concentrate on exiting the investments from EAC Fund III.

Heathcote now joins Palamon Capital Partners, which invests across Europe from its London headquarters, to develop the firm’s UK investment opportunities.

Louis Elson, managing partner at Palamon, said:  “Jonathan is a seasoned deal maker and, importantly for us, has been deep in the UK market for nine years.”

Palamon, which invests in various markets across Europe, is already active in the UK. Its investments include Towry Law, the independent financial adviser, Cambridge Education, a pre-university tuition provider, and SAV Credit, a sub and near-prime credit card provider.