On Tuesday 14 October, 2025, Castelnau Group announced that they have secured a £65m revolving loan facility from Shawbrook, a leading UK financial institution. The listed closed-ended investment company specializes in equity investments in thriving UK small to mid-cap private companies.
The purpose of the loan is to refinance an existing line of credit, cover associated costs, and make significant cost savings that will support future investment opportunities. This is a landmark deal for both parties, as the loan amount is the largest to date and the day-one drawdown was over 90% of the facility.
Under the management of Phoenix Asset Management Partners, Castelnau takes a long-term investment approach to deliver strong returns for its shareholders. The company aims to foster value creation by removing short-term pressures and encouraging rational capital allocation within its portfolio companies.
Castelnau was introduced to Shawbrook by Ben Handler from Liberum, who was aware of the bank’s Fund Finance offering and their expertise in structuring complex transactions. Shawbrook’s Specialty and Fund Finance team delivered a record-breaking 3-year revolving credit facility, secured against the portfolio’s net asset value. This innovative solution has enabled Castelnau to reduce costs and optimize their capital structure for future opportunities.
Richard Brown, CEO of Castelnau Group, expressed his satisfaction with the partnership with Shawbrook, stating “We are extremely pleased to have secured this facility from Shawbrook, which doesn’t just reduce our ongoing costs, but helps to normalize our capital structure.” He also commended Shawbrook’s approach, saying, “Throughout the process, Ismail and the team at Shawbrook distinguished themselves by being pragmatic, commercial, and highly responsive—a partnership approach that sets them apart from traditional banking peers and delivered a great outcome for all parties involved. We look forward to broadening our commercial relationship with Shawbrook going forward.”
Ismail Farhat, Director of Specialty and Fund Finance at Shawbrook, also expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, saying, “Castelnau’s strong business model and track record gave us the confidence to structure a flexible facility for this dynamic investment company. We look forward to partnering with Castelnau’s management team as they strengthen operations and pursue further growth.”
