Private Equity

Styles & Wood Holdings Limited

In December 2005 the Private Equity team completed the recapitalisation of Styles & Wood, the UK’s leading independent retail services business, in a deal supported by Royal Bank of Scotland.

The recapitalisation follows the strong growth in the business since Aberdeen led a secondary buy-out from 3i in May 2004. The transaction permitted a full return of Aberdeen’s original investment alongside the acquisition of a further stake in the business.

Styles & Wood provides a full range of property related services from planning and fit-out to ongoing property management services. For the year to December 2005 the business had a turnover of £170 million, this is anticipated to grow strongly from further development of the service side of the business together with enhancement of the business’s ‘Customer for Life’ philosophy.

The business was originally formed in 1966 but the current management team originated in 1994 and set about transforming the business and arguably the industry. Styles & Wood has combined service performance and innovation to help change the way retailers buy store development. The company has grown to become the market leader in the provision of Property Services to the retail sector.