Oakley Capital Investments has appointed veteran fund manager Christopher Samuel as chair designate.
The move marks a strategic step to strengthen governance and build on the firm’s recent FTSE 250 inclusion.
Samuel, currently chair of Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust and a non-executive director at Quilter, will formally take over as chair of the Oakley board in March 2026 following a planned transition period.
He joins alongside Kiernan Bell, a corporate governance and restructuring specialist, who will also become an independent non-executive director.
Both appointments take effect on 17 November 2025, subject to shareholder approval at the company’s 2026 AGM.
The announcements accompanied Oakley’s Q3 trading update, which showed portfolio valuations holding broadly steady despite market headwinds.
Net asset value per share stood at 730p, down 1.5% from June, while total shareholder return rose 9.4% over the period.
Interim chair Steve Pearce said the new appointments would enhance the board’s depth and leadership experience as the company enters its next phase of growth.
Samuel said he joins the firm “at a time of real momentum”, adding that the board remains focused on addressing the discount to NAV at which shares trade and improving the company’s market rating.
Oakley Capital Investments, a listed private equity vehicle, provides exposure to funds managed by Oakley Capital, which invests in unquoted pan-European businesses across the technology, education, consumer and business services sectors.
