Client Stories

Client Stories > Financial Services and related sectors > YFM Equity Partners

YFM Equity Partners is a private equity fund manager which creates value for investors by helping ambitious small businesses grow. YFM is proud to be independently owned by the senior management and investment team.

Business Challenges and Goals

YFM outsources its IT function and recognized that this resulted in a leadership gap in terms of IT strategy, risk, and partner oversight. They approached Freeman Clarke, and, in 2020, hired Jon Tattersall as IT Director. Jon has since been working to create an overall IT strategy, improve management of suppliers, take expert leadership of cybersecurity risk management, address opportunities to improve processes and reporting, and better leverage existing IT investments.

As a private equity firm, YFM finds it crucial to maintain its reputation and remain in regulatory compliance. Thus cybersecurity and information governance have been areas of special focus.

Solution and Business Benefits

Freeman Clarke implemented substantial improvements in YFM’s IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and systems.

YFM’s IT function has improved greatly through Jon’s expert management of suppliers, which saved money and improved service. YFM’s office technology now supports better communication and collaboration within the team, as well as providing time-saving solutions such as expense management and digital signatures.

Freeman Clarke also helped drive systems and process changes to support YFM’s growth, particularly with evaluating software offerings and their integration, as well as completing detailed due diligence on suppliers.

Finally, Freeman Clarke provided expert leadership in information security and delivered a successful cybersecurity accreditation programme.

The Future

YFM has a range of challenging needs, particularly around efficiency, assurance, reporting, and analysis. At the same time, they need to maintain high standards of auditability and to ensure that they remain ever-vigilant to cybersecurity issues. Freeman Clarke’s IT Director will continue to ensure all these needs are met, allowing YFM to focus on creating value for its investors.

“Private equity is a demanding and fast-moving environment, and so we’ve been pleased that the support we’ve received from Jon Tattersall at Freeman Clarke has matched our needs.  Jon has been an excellent addition to our team and has allowed us to improve our management of existing IT suppliers and products and to take a holistic view of our IT and software infrastructure when implementing new systems.”
—Marcus Karia, Partner and Chief Financial Officer, YFM Equity Partners