History
1 January, 2007
Jessica Shortall establishes the consultancy arm of Catalyst to offer transformational consultancy services to social businesses.
July 2006
Julia Meek joins Catalyst to play a key role in its research efforts in the Social Sector.
October 2005
Sarah Cowie joins Catalyst as Office Manager
Early 2005
Malcolm Gloak (ex-3i) joins Catalyst on a part-time basis to assist in portfolio management of the EFSVF and to develop the Social Sector Fund.
Early 2004
Catalyst conducts a thorough review of its activities and engages in strategic discussions with a wide variety of partners. Conclusions drawn from this analysis prompt the diversification into the Social Business Sector to begin in earnest.
Late 2003
Rod Schwartz begins to assist social businesses in an advisory capacity. Discussions begin which eventually lead to JustGiving.com, Europe’s largest online charitable giving website, appointing Rod to be its Non-Executive Chairman
18 November, 2002
Catalyst launches its first social sector fund in partnership with The Big Issue. Following a detailed study of the broad sector, and Organic Food, Alternative Energy and Education in particular, it secures this mandate in a competition with other venture capital firms. McKinsey, Clifford Chance and Gordon Roddick (ex-The Body Shop) are also strategic partners in this venture.
2 September, 2002
Tim Farazmand joins Catalyst as Director and Chief Investment Officer.
20 July, 2000
Paddy Ashdown (ex-Leader of the Liberal Democrat party and High Commissioner for Bosnia & Herzegovina) joins Catalyst as external consultant with a particular remit to explore the potential for investment in the Education/Human Capital sector.
Early 2000
Catalyst decides to diversify into a new sector and sets out to identify ones which, like financial services, seem destined for radical change, but with the added dimension of generating “social” as well as financial returns
29 June, 1999
Final close of European Financial Services Venture Fund (EFSVF) on roughly £40 million.
15 October, 1998
Catalyst moves into offices at 15 Whitcomb Street, London, having enjoyed temporary offices on Regent Street, in Knightsbridge and initially operating from a spare bedroom in Rod’s flat.
31 December, 1997
IMRO (now part of the FSA) authorises Catalyst to manage the European Financial Services Venture Fund (EFSVF). Marketing commences the following February.
15 September, 1997
Catalyst founded. Oliver Fox-Pitt and Jimmy West join the Board as non-executive directors, later joined by Keith Carby.
Late 1996/Early 1997
Idea for Catalyst Fund Management & Research Catalyst) Limited is conceived by Rod Schwartz, an employee of Paribas, a French merchant bank. He predicts that niche firms will emerge to challenge the dominance of large monolithic financial institutions and that in-depth research will help identify these trends and inform profitable investment. Jussi Laurimaa, Rod’s colleague, is the first to leave Paribas and sets out to build this new-style venture capital firm. Rod joins him in the summer.