EIS Association welcomes new Director General to drive up investment in growth businesses
Business organisation, the EIS Association, representing members from across the EIS industry welcomes Christiana Stewart-Lockhart as Director General.
Taking over leadership of EISA from Mark Brownridge, who remains as a Non Executive Director, Christiana Stewart-Lockhart joins after a decade working at the Institute of Economic Affairs, and brings a deep understanding of business from the political perspective.
Commenting on her appointment she said, “I am delighted to be taking on the Director General role at the EIS These schemes play a crucial part in ensuring that early stage businesses have access to much needed investment, without which many future UK successes would not progress beyond an idea. These companies are the lifeblood of the UK economy and play a key role in job creation and economic growth. The EIS and SEIS have helped to secure the UK’s a reputation as a world leader in innovation. I look forward to playing my part in ensuring that the schemes continue to facilitate this much needed investment and deliver growth to the UK economy.”
The Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS), and the later stage Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) have seen £25 billion of private investors’ money go to create and drive the growth of more than 45,000 businesses since the schemes started 28 years ago
Notes to Editors:
About EISA
The EISA is the official trade body for the Enterprise Investment Scheme. EISA is a highly effective not-for-profit organisation whose core aim is to help early stage businesses obtain the funding they need to grow their business and help drive our economy forward.
SEIS/EIS uses tax reliefs to incentivise private investors who recognise that significant returns are achievable if they are willing to risk their funds by investing in early stage businesses. Early stage businesses often struggle to raise equity finance so EIS/SEIS has established itself as a trusted and crucial source of equity funding. The schemes therefore play an important role in facilitating the smooth flow of risk equity capital from private individuals to early stage businesses.