Marion Bernard

Marion A. Bernard is a Principal at The Firmament Group, where she is involved in all aspects of the Fund’s investment activity with a particular focus on building business across the UK and Europe.

Since 1993, Ms. Bernard has been funding small and medium sized enterprises in the UK with both debt and equity capital. She began her career with Barclays Bank plc, where she worked in the City Corporate Group and the Acquisition Finance teams, before moving to work for 3i plc between 1997 and 2003, where she was involved in a range of deals covering buyouts, growth capital and venture capital.  Marion led The Recycling Fund for Impax Asset Management between 2003 and 2005, before joining NorthStar Ventures as CEO where between 2005 and 2011 she led the successful development of this pre-eminent regional fund management business, focused on making long-term investments in small and medium sized enterprises across the North East and Yorkshire markets.

Between 2011 and 2017, Ms Bernard played a key role in establishing BGF as the largest UK growth capital provider.  As Regional Director for London and the South East, Ms. Bernard was responsible for 39 investments totaling £250m, with 6 successful exits to date – Acro Aircraft, Statesman Travel, Unruly Media, The Exchange Lab, Plastique, and Molecular Products.  She served as a member of the national Executive Committee, Ventures Operating Board, and all Investment Committees since BGF was launched in 2011, and was on the Board of Directors for Unruly, Statesman and The Consulting Consortium.

“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” – Marie Curie