About Downing

Downing LLP

Downing has been a leading innovator of tax efficient products for over 20 years.

Downing commenced business as Downing Corporate Finance Limited in 1986. In 2011, Downing converted its business to a limited liability partnership, Downing LLP.

Downing LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Since 1991, Downing has specialised in structuring, promoting, managing and administering tax efficient products. Downing is responsible for the management of over £300 million of VCT, EIS and IHT relief funds and has raised a total of £1 billion for investment products.

Downing - leading Venture Capital Trust (VCT) Provider

Downing is a leading VCT provider. It manages 14 VCTs, administers 30 VCTs and has raised over £200 million for its VCTs. In 2004, Downing launched its own range of VCTs and, today, these now include the Downing Planned Exit VCTs, Downing Structured Opportunities VCTs, Downing Absolute Income VCTs and Downing Distribution VCTs.

Downing's range of Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs)

Downing Absolute Income VCTs
Downing Absolute Income VCTs are a range of evergreen Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) that seek to provide positive net of tax total returns to investors in all market conditions (after tax reliefs and tax payments). They are VCTs that target positive absolute returns rather than relative out-performance of a benchmark. 75% of the VCT Qualifying Investments target capital preservation by investing in the same types of companies that the Planned Exit VCTs invest in (see below), with the remainder in higher risk/higher return opportunities.

Downing Planned Exit VCTs
Downing Planned Exit VCTs are Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) that have a limited life strategy and focus on investing in investee companies that own substantial assets, over which the VCTs seek to take a charge, or have predictable revenue streams.

Downing Structured Opportunities VCT
Downing Structured Opportunities VCT is a limited life Venture Capital Trust (VCT) which has an investment policy of investing in two distinct asset classes. At the beginning of its investing cycle the VCT invests up to 90% of its funds in institutional Structured Products. This investment allocation will be reduced over the first three years, as VCT Qualifying Investments are made. Over the expected life of the VCT, approximately 50% of the assets will be allocated to investments in Structured Products and 50% in Venture Capital Investments.

Downing Distribution VCTs
Downing Distribution VCTs are Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) that Downing became responsible for managing in 2010. They were originally AIM focused VCTs but now have revised investment policies targeting new unquoted income producing opportunities.

Downing's EIS Funds

Downing manages 12 EIS Funds, which have raised approximately £50 million since 2008. The Downing Low Carbon EIS Funds focus on solar power and wind farm opportunities.