Jonathan Brod
Partner

Jonathan has 16 years experience in private equity, investment banking and entrepreneurship which he draws upon to add value to all aspects of Next Wave’s activities. Jonathan divides his time between investment, portfolio management and driving Next Wave’s growth.

Jonathan started his investment banking career early, starting at Hill Samuel (which became Close Brothers) at twenty, and then worked on over £1 billion of M&A transactions over seven years at Close Brothers, leaving in 2002 to found the Next Wave Group.

Jonathan partnered with Stephen Walls in 2004, and the team raised its first external private equity fund in 2006 (first close February 2007). Jonathan has been responsible for the strategic direction of the group, raising four LP funds to date, securing over £60 million of funds under management and building the Next Wave team. Having successfully transacted over 65 growth capital transactions with a value over £2 billion to date, often involving and solving great complexity, Jonathan brings judgement, experience and insight to Next Wave’s activitites. Jonathan also ensures consistent governance standards and the implementation of Responsible Investment practices across the portfolio.

In 2002, Jonathan identified a structural shortfall in the supply of growth capital to service companies in the Pan European lower mid-market. With Stephen, he has positioned Next Wave to serve that large demand; to invest in and create market leading businesses built for longevity, to deliver superior Investor Returns.

Jonathan was educated at Harrow School and Oxford University, where he read Geography (specialising in the human impact on the physical environment). He has founded several businesses as well as Next Wave, including Essential Escapes and Tots Too, a market leading luxury family travel brand, and The Bold Pub Company. In 2006, Jonathan led Next Wave’s origination and execution of the $400 million acquisition of Courts Caribbean with Actis and Regal Forest Holdings.

Jonathan is an active Investor Director on many of Next Wave’s portfolio companies, including SPA Future Thinking, Petainer, Secured Group and ITI. He is a member of Next Wave’s Investment Committee.