BPE trims board as deals slow

Barclays Private Equity (BPE) has cut its directors from 12 to nine as a result of the buyout industry's slowing deal flow.

Mark Taylor, a director in Birmingham, sent out a letter to investors last week confirming that he had left the group. BPE, which counts Swarfega maker Deb and women's shoes brand Kurt Geiger among its current and former investment respectively, is looking to buy itself out from Barclays. Over 25 years, BPE has invested in more than 350 businesses.