Granville Baird Capital Partners has hired Andy Bate as an investment executive in its Manchester office, in a move that is said underlined its continuing commitment to UK regional investment opportunities.

Bate previously worked for KPMG Corporate Finance in Manchester. He will help Roy Farmer, head of the team, to find and manage growth opportunities in the north of England. Such investments currently account for about a third of the firm's 29-strong company portfolio.