Woodford returns with new firm targeting Acacia life sciences portfolio

New role as CIO of WCM Partners

Neil Woodford has returned 16 months after the collapse of Woodford Investment Management with the launch of a new investment firm, which is working alongside Acacia Research to "advise" on an illiquid and unlisted portfolio of life sciences companies once owned by the Woodford Equity Income fund (WEIF).

Woodford will serve as CIO of WCM Partners, which will be based in Buckinghamshire and Jersey, serving institutional and high-net-worth investors. Woodford investors potentially in limbo for further 12 months The Acacia life sciences assets were part of "Portfolio B" in the WEIF liquidation process, with a £223.9m agreement struck between the firm and specialist broker PJT Park Hill in June to package up 19 assets, including Theravance Biopharma and Oxford Nanopore. WCM said in a statement that the assets "will form the cornerstone of a new strategy to rebuild the Woodford investme...