Hamilton Bradshaw was founded in 2003 by BBC Television's Dragons' Den panelist and CEO James Caan, along with Tristan Ramus and Deepak Jalan. In 2002, Caan had sold off his stakes in Humana International, Recruitment International, and Alexander Mann. These sales allowed Caan to take a "gap year", studying management at Harvard.[1] The sale of Alexander Mann also led to James Caan forming a company that would focus on private equity.[2] While Hamilton Bradshaw and its staff are involved in holdings related to Dragon's Den, most of the company's business comes from other sources and opportunities.[3]
Portfolio
Hamilton Bradshaw's portfolio consists of 44 companies. These holdings are in a range of industries, from finance to leisure. The primary sector is recruitment; nevertheless, Hamilton Bradshaw's portfolio includes firms in fitness, commercial, online recruitment, education, financial services, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, and technology. Also, HB controls Caan's venture capital investments related to Dragons' Den.[citation needed]
Investment criteria
Hamilton Bradshaw directs its focus and investments largely at companies it believes have Unique Selling Points. Along with this, the company looks to invest in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Hamilton Bradshaw attempts to create value by injecting capital into these SMEs and improving their processes.[4]