Aidan MacMillan
Investor at Focal
Aidan MacMillan
Investor at Focal
Glasgow, Scotland
Overview
Work Experience
Investment Director
2023 - Current
Investment Director with Par Equity LLP in Edinburgh from April 2023, having joined in December 2018. Responsible for originating, performing diligence on and executing technology venture transactions and monitoring and managing follow-on funding requirements of portfolio companies. Responsibilities include: - Equity fundraising - Deal origination and sourcing - Deal structuring & term sheet negotiation - Investment appraisal, financial modelling and due diligence - Preparation of investment committee papers - Portfolio management, including acting as a board observer on a number of portfolio company boards - Investor relations and reporting - Portfolio company M&A and exit management Key transaction / board director/observer experience: - Current Health: $11.5m Series A in Nov-19 and $43m Series B in Apr-21, sold to Best Buy Health for $400m in Nov-21 - DeltaDNA: sold to Unity Technologies in Sep-19 for $53m - Optoscribe: $4.3m growth equity rounds across 2020/21, sold to Intel Corporation in Jan-22 - Symphonic: $3m Series A in Mar-19, sold to Ping Technologies in Oct-20 for $31m - Advanced Electric Machines (AEM): $29m Series A in Nov-23 - Phlo: $11m Series A in Mar-24 - Integrated Graphene: $4.5m Seed in Nov-20 and $10m Series A in Jun-22 - Speech Graphics: $2.2m Seed in Mar-20 and $7m Series A in Oct-21 - Cyacomb: $7m Series A in Mar-21 - Plotbox: $5m Series A in Mar-21 - Artus: $4.3m Seed in Oct-21 and $6.8m Series A in Sep-23 - SamsonVT: $5.1m Seed in Dec-21 - Re:course AI: $4.3m Seed in Dec-22 - Machines With Vision: $3.5m Seed in Feb-22 - Aveni: $3.7m Seed in Apr-22 - Neuranics: $2.3m Seed in Sep-23
Senior Investment Manager
2021 - 2023
Senior Investment Manager with Par Equity LLP in Edinburgh from April 2021, having joined in December 2018. Responsible for originating, performing diligence on and executing technology venture transactions and monitoring and managing follow-on funding requirements of portfolio companies.
Investment Manager
2018 - 2021
Investment Manager with Par Equity LLP in Edinburgh from December 2018. Responsible for originating, performing diligence on and executing technology venture transactions and monitoring and managing follow-on funding requirements of portfolio companies.
Partner VC
2023
Delighted to represent Par Equity as a Partner VC Fund for Focal, Europe's leading open access demo day.
Transaction Services Assistant Manager
2018 - 2018
-Assistant Manager in the Edinburgh Transaction Services team carrying out financial due diligence for corporate and private equity clients for mergers, acquisitions, divestments and listings and other transaction-related work, with a particular focus on Technology, Industrials and Business Services. -I was heavily involved in business development in the Industrials and private equity spaces. -Transferred from the London to the Edinburgh Transaction Services team in March 2018. -Fully qualified as a Chartered Accountant (ACA) in September 2018.
Transaction Services Assistant Manager
2017 - 2018
-Assistant Manager in the London Transaction Services team carrying out financial due diligence for corporate and private equity clients for mergers, acquisitions, divestments and listings and other transaction-related work. -I worked on a range of buy-side and sell-side cross-border transactions across Technology, Industrials and Business Services. -During my time in the London team, I spent 6 months working in Amsterdam performing sell side due diligence and carve out financials support on Akzo-Nobel’s €10.1bn cross-border divestment of its Specialty Chemicals business to The Carlyle Group and GIC. -I was heavily involved in business development in the Industrials space and I also sat on various private equity account teams. -Exam-Qualified Chartered Accountant (ACA) in November 2017.
Transaction Services Senior Associate
2016 - 2017
-Senior Associate in the London Transaction Services team carrying out financial due diligence for corporate and private equity clients for mergers, acquisitions, divestments and listings and other transaction-related work. -I worked on a range of buy-side and sell-side cross-border transactions across Technology, Industrials and Business Services. -I was heavily involved in business development in the Industrials space and I also sat on various private equity account teams.
Transaction Services Associate
2015 - 2016
-Associate in the London Transaction Services team carrying out financial due diligence for corporate and private equity clients for mergers, acquisitions, divestments and listings and other transaction-related work. -I worked on a range of buy-side and sell-side cross-border transactions across Technology, Industrials, Energy & Resources and Financial Services. -I was heavily involved in business development in the Industrials space and I also sat on various private equity account teams. -Completed 2 month secondment to TMT Audit where I assisted in the audits of Hearst Magazines, Trinity Mirror, Zegona Communications and the FTSE250 satellite giant, Inmarsat.
Summer Audit Intern
2014 - 2014
I completed the Summer Vacation Scheme within Deloitte's Investment Management & Private Equity Audit Group in London. I helped perform audits on a number of Deloitte's largest IMPE clients including Octopus Investments and Ingenious Group and gained exposure to the audit process, developed a better understanding of financial statements, and conducted research on the differences in accounting policies (UK GAAP, US GAAP, and IFRS). Throughout the internship, I was able to meet with individuals from the firm within all service lines. I gained an insight into the Transaction Services business within Corporate Finance through meeting representatives from the service line.
Tax Process Assistant
2013 - 2014
Worked full-time during the Summer gaining exposure to International Executive Services - providing tax advice and compliance services to clients who are engaged in international assignments, immigration and other global mobility arrangements. Alongside my 3rd year studies, I worked part-time in IES as well as assisting the other tax functions such as Private Client and Corporation Tax.
Summer Private Equity Intern
2013 - 2013
Worked directly with a partner in the firm gaining exposure to the valuation process, deal execution with client interaction and portfolio evaluation, covering a number of deals/companies in different sub-sectors over the time I spent at Nevis. Nevis Capital - Private Equity/Entrepreneurial Growth/Venture Capital specialised in acquiring small manufacturing and engineering firms throughout the UK.
Spring Investment Banking Intern
2013 - 2013
Gained exposure into the various functions of the Investment Banking Division including Mergers & Acquisitions, Financing and Corporate Finance Advisory Groups, with insight into the Global Investment Research and Merchant Banking Division/Principal Investment Area, Goldman Sachs’ private equity arm. Explored various transactions, such as M&A, IPO's, and LBO's, for example. Took part in various case studies focusing on past deals and investment structures, in which valuations and financial modelling had to be undertaken. Presented my team's findings to a panel of managing directors. Completed Accounting and Valuation Bootcamp ran by AdkinsMatchett&Toy Financial Training.
Summer Finance Intern
2012 - 2012
Completed a 10 week internship in the finance department of Scotland's largest football club. Gained exposure to football finance, financial forecasting and budgeting, management accounting, financial analysis, financial modelling, financial reporting, share analysis and corporate finance. Was able to work on a number of projects from building accounting/financial models to completing reports on various opportunities and strategies the club was looking at.