A natural partner for the Mansion House Compact

Place-based impact is our foundation

Unlike asset managers retrofitting regional credentials, Mercia was founded to address the UK’s regional funding gap. Our national footprint, deep local networks and embedded investment teams have enabled over £1bn of capital to be deployed into regional SMEs.

Investing where it matters

More than 80% of equity investments are into companies headquartered outside of London and the South East. We support sectors critical to the UK’s future: Clean Tech, Life Sciences, AI and Deep Tech.

Scalable, institutional-grade model

Mercia delivers impact at scale across EIS, VCT, LP fund structures and institutional mandates. We are backed by the British Business Bank and trusted by pension funds, insurers, family offices and local authorities.

Driving growth: Mercia’s commitment to UK private assets

Why Mercia? Why now?

Mercia Asset Management PLC plays a vital role in the UK’s investment landscape, backing high-growth, ambitious regional businesses. With a strong track record and nationwide reach, Mercia is uniquely positioned to turn local innovation into national success.

In a recent chat, CEO Dr Mark Payton sat down with new Head of Institutional Distribution, Dean Heaney to explore why Mercia presents such a compelling opportunity for institutional investors—from consistent performance and strong returns to real-world impact across the UK economy.

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Sustainability and stewardship in action

Responsible investment lifecycle

We embed ESG from pre-investment to exit using a materiality-based approach (SASB aligned). ESG risks and opportunities are assessed at Investment Committee and linked to Mercia’s investment guiding principles, which align with the UN SDGs.

Measurement, transparency and accountability

We track KPIs across carbon emissions, job creation, diversity and governance and report annually through ESG_VC to the BVCA.

82% of equity investments in FY24/25 contributed to Mercia’s guiding principles and UN SDGs.

Corporate commitments

Signatory to:

  • UN Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI)
  • Investing in Women Code
  • Women in Finance Charter

Plus full adherence to the QCA Corporate Governance Code and annual employee training on key ESG policies.

Operational sustainability

  • Reporting GHG emissions since 2022
  • 100% carbon offset annually
  • Committed to net zero by 2050
  • EV salary sacrifice scheme for employees
  • ‘Mercia Spirit’ volunteer and charity programme
  • DEI principles actively promoted internally and across the portfolio

Delivering on the promise of private markets

  • Strong inflows, sustained momentum

FY24 saw record fundraising, including organic inflows that reflect confidence in our model, strategy and track record. We are well positioned to channel further institutional capital into underrepresented UK regions.

  • Real-world impact

Our capital has helped create and support over 12,000 high-value jobs and accelerate innovation across the UK’s key growth sectors.