Jeff Caplan

I joined Transversal, a Self Service Knowledge provider at the early funding stage following the investment by Thinkventures. I have helped grow this wonderful SaaS business through the dotcom burst to profitability and beyond. Our success is measured and experienced by our clients including Barclays, the BBC, Marks & Spencer, Ofcom, Mothercare, Royal Mail, Nissan, RBS, Direct Line and many more. I still get a buzz when a prospective clients' eyes light up when they 'get it' for the first time.

I joined this $80m Internet focussed early stage VC backed by www.provequity.com and Freeserve in 2000. We invested in a number of businesses though perhaps the most promising proved to be Transversal, whom I subsequently joined. I held a dual role at Thinkventures, analysing new ventures as well as advising investee businesses. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of the dotcom era, witnessing both extremes of a market life cycle in rapid succession.

Having successfully traversed the private to public business transition, I wanted to broaden my experience further and harness the learnings from this unique journey. In 1996 I therefore established a strategic management consultancy. The best known of my clients were BAT, for whom I helped establish a European business. In 2000, when approached by John Morris, the CEO of Thinkventures to join, I was enthused by the opportunity to work with such a high calibre team.

Some 18 months following the acquisition of MVD, I was appointed to the Main Board of The Gardiner Group Plc in 1992, a £100m T/O European Security Distribution business, listed on the London Stock Exchange. Following my appointment to the Main Board, we merged two core businesses, broadening the focus and reach of The Gardiner Group. I subsequently held full P & L responsibility for the enlarged Division. The Gardiner Group was later acquired by Honeywell-ADI and remains the market leader.

I joined this early stage European Security Distribution (family) business straight from University. Initially performing a sales role, I was forced to take the helm in 1988 when my father suffered a stroke. One of my first strategic decisions was to implement a Rapid Growth Plan in 1989, successfully increasing net profit from £100k to £1m in 3 years. This led to us being approached and acquired by The Gardiner Group Plc in 1991 at which time I undertook Group responsibilities whilst continuing to run MVD