Our story

Duke Capital began as Duke Royalty, which was admitted to AIM
in 2017. Two years before, our founders Neil Johnson and Charlie Cannon Brookes created a company with a mission to bring the UK market an innovative direct lending model for the lower mid-market.

Building the base of equity capital from world-class institutions to create a private credit investment company from the ground up has ensured we have discipline in our investments. What we created was a team in both Canada and the UK which forged a unique solution for the SME funding gap while providing shareholders a highly stable dividend stream.

In 2024, Duke Royalty became Duke Capital. Our new name further allows the Duke team flexibility to pursue growth while adhering to our enduring values of capital preservation, attractive dividend yield, and providing upside from exits.

Admission to AIM in 2017

Highly Experienced Team

Unique Investment Product

Differentiated Hybrid Financing Partner

Our Causes

As part of Duke Capital’s Responsible Investment (ESG) Policy, we believe in being good corporate citizens in the communities we operate in and giving back to charities and good causes. Much like the genesis of Duke Capital itself, bringing a Canadian charity to the European stage is in keeping with the ethos of our firm.

We support the Terry Fox Run UK which has our CEO and CFO on its organising committee. Terry Fox is a Canadian hero – the 22-year-old amputee ran 3,339 miles over 143 days (averaging a marathon a day) across Canada in 1980 raising money for cancer research after cancer had taken his right leg. He had to stop before he finished his Marathon of Hope, as cancer had spread to his lungs, and he died the next year. After a 14 year absence, thanks to Duke Capital executives, the Terry Fox Run is now back annually in Central London and has raised over £250,000.

All money raised stays in the UK for one of the world’s most influential cancer research organisations, The Institute of Cancer Research.

We also support Home-Start Richmond, Kingston & Hounslow (RKH), a London charity that provides vital support to families in crisis during the important early years of raising a child. Their trained volunteers offer compassionate, non-judgemental, and confidential support to local families navigating the many ups and downs of parenthood. Home-Start RKH is there to help families through their most challenging times by putting a trained volunteer on the doorstep of every family that needs them. By supporting parents and carers, Home-Start empowers them, building confidence and resilience so that children can thrive. Last year they provided 4,321 hours of support to 286 families.

Core Values

Our core values provide the foundation of our Responsible Investment (ESG) Policy.

Transparency

We treat our partners and stakeholders with honesty, integrity, fairness and respect, contributing to strength and longevity of our relationships. This extends to the transparency of our governance and investment process.

Accountability

We are accountable to each other, our stakeholders, our portfolio companies, and the communities where we do business. We aim to be responsible investors and a good corporate citizen.

Creativity

We believe change is the only way forward and seek out different perspectives to meet business challenges and situations. Ours is a flexible financial solution designed to meet the evolving needs of small to mid-sized business owners.

Teamwork

We collaborate and support each other and our partners, as we recognise the value of diversity of thought in problem solving and innovation, and support diversity within our team.

Focus

We have a focused approach to investing. We aim to interact with all our portfolio companies in a focused and efficient manner keeping things as simple as possible.

Rigorous Investment Process

Our investment committee is made up of highly experienced investment and private credit professionals.

Each potential partner is assessed by the committee, which is independent of Duke’s senior management, against our investment criteria and our Responsible Investment (ESG) Policy.

Leading Due Diligence Partners

Duke Capital works with world-class commercial, financial and legal due diligence partners to ensure the highest standards of due diligence are adhered to in the investment process.