Simon Webster learnt about the search fund model while studying at LBS and was the first person to raise a search fund in the UK. He persuaded 10 investors to pay him to search for a company to buy. Once he found the right company he raised £3m to secure the acquisition. Simon became the CEO of the company and grew the business through organic growth and acquisitions from £3m to £30m and EBITDA from £0.4m to £2.4m over a 10 year period.  Simon sold the business in 2005 and he remained as chief executive until 2007.
Search funds are now well researched and have delivered an IRR of more than 30%.  Simon is now an investor and mentor of search fund entrepreneurs and he has invested in more than 20 search funds.  Simon is also a founding member of the international search fund conference.  The first conference was held at IESE in Barcelona in 2015 and the second in 2016.
In addition to his search fund activity Simon is a founding partner of Ivy Partners.  Through Ivy Partners and independently Simon has turned around several businesses and now has a major stake in a CRO (contract research orgnisation) providing services to pharmaceutical companies.