History

1996

Myra Tabor begins investing in secondary and distressed debt within the work out group of the Royal Bank of Scotland, and indeed investing in the first European high yield bond. This led to her founding Special Investments Group, a newly created investment group within the Bank in 1997, building the business from inception to €800 million assets under management. Assets comprising principally secondary non investment corporate debt and equity linked securities.

2003

Cognis Capital was founded with Myra Tabor becoming Chief Executive.

Mandate was awarded by Royal Bank of Scotland to manage a €378 million portfolio of assets comprising high yield bonds, distressed debt and special situations.

Hedge fund launched, Cognis 1 Fund with initial $20 million seed capital provided by J P Morgan, Strategic Partner of the Fund. Fund established to invest principally in Europe in non-investment grade corporate debt in performing, stressed and distressed credits along the capital structure, growing to €450 million AUM.

2009

Simon Jones joins Cognis Capital. Formally founding member of Talbot Hughes McKillop, a specialist firm set up in 2001 to provide both lenders and corporate debtors with experienced leadership in financial and operational restructurings and other event driven special situations, in order to meet ithe increasing complexity of turnarounds and restructurings resulting from the advent of the European High Yield market in 1997 and the proliferation of loan funds.

2011

Recovery Fund, Ffenics 1 Fund is established. The fund's strategy focuses on medium to long term holdings in private equity style special situations and illiquid credit investments.

Simon Jones becomes partner.

2013

Cognis Credit Opportunities Fund launched.  The fund's strategy focuses on non-investment grade corporate credit (performing, stressed and distressed) across the capital structure, targeting mispriced opportunities where returns are driven by attractive yields and capital appreciation through fundamental credit improvement and credit events.

2016

Increasing focus on Special Situations within later stage Venture Capital. Strong increase in the number and funding of UK ventures in recent years but exits significantly below expectations with management often lacking the experience and skills to overcome the associated financial and strategic hurdles; set against a backdrop of diverging objectives of individual founders and shareholders.