Howard Sharp

Observer
DISC Type : ci

Owner at Gainsborough Capital Limited

London, England, United Kingdom

Overview

Howard Sharp is a highly experienced private capital advisor with a 35-year career in leveraged finance and private credit. He has held senior leadership roles, including Chairman and Co-Head of Private Credit at Alcentra and Partner at Park Square Capital, creating and managing direct lending strategies. He is a graduate of the University of Exeter and is fluent in English and French.

Beyond his professional focus, Howard shows an interest in philanthropy and supporting charitable causes. He also maintains a connection with his alma mater, the University of Exeter, where he is listed as a supporter.

He was recognized as Specialist Lender of the Year for two consecutive years (2014 and 2015) for pioneering the use of unitranche financing in European buyouts.

Personality Overview

Example Seeker

Curious

Value Driven

They often ask many questions and rely heavily on information and documentation.  They can sound friendly and charming but can quickly change gears to become inquisitive and probing. They are generally good communicators and can be hard to convince.

Topics They Care About

Private Credit
He has extensive experience leading private credit activities in Europe and often speaks on its market dynamics, including partnerships between banks and private credit managers.
Direct Lending
He has a track record of successfully creating and managing direct lending strategies and funds for prominent firms like Alcentra and Park Square Capital.
Leveraged Finance
His career is built on a foundation of leveraged finance, having held senior roles at GE Capital and RBS, where he managed large origination and sponsor coverage teams.

Media Appearances

Howard has no verified media appearances

Work History

10-2025
Owner at Gainsborough Capital Limited
11-2022 - 10-2025
Chairman and Co-Head of Private Credit at Alcentra
7-2020 - 11-2022
Head of Origination at Alcentra
1-2016 - 5-2020
Partner and Head of Mid-Market Direct Lending at Park Square Capital
5-2013 - 9-2015
Head of Origination and Sponsor Coverage at GE Capital

Education

1983 - 1987
BA Hons from University of Exeter
1976 - 1982
High School from Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 37 Location : London, England, United Kingdom Job Level : N/A Designation : Owner at Gainsborough Capital Limited
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Insights For Selling To Howard

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Help them understand the risk aspect fully while inspiring confidence
  • Ask them questions to understand their needs better while staying affable
  • Share testimonials from known people and give multiple examples of product value

DONT's

  • Don’t rely excessively on your relationship with them to win the deal
  • Don’t brush off any concerns, take all questions seriously
  • Don’t be too objective but make sure to pad your storytelling with data points

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Howard is

  • Clear proof of product value matters to them, followed by others' testimonials and rapport.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Howard

  • They are practical and friendly, don't expect a clear-cut response often.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Howard move?

  • They like to perform full analysis and can take time to make any decision.
  • Can Howard take some risk or not?

  • They systematically evaluate all decisions and are unlikely to take many risks.

You And Howard

Personality Compatibility


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