A financial services company, founded and controlled by a Waterford born and reared businessman, has just agreed to sell a controlling stake in its business to a private equity group that manages over €2 billion of committed capital.
Martin Dunphy’s Marlin company is regarded as Britain’s leading purchaser and manager of consumer debt. Since inception in 2002, Marlin has negotiated and purchased over 65 portfolios with a value of approximately £1 billion.
Also a specialist is litigation-based recovery, the sale of a controlling interest in Marlin to Duke Street Ltd, a mid-market private equity group that is growing its financial services platform, has created much interest in business and financial circles.
Born and reared in Poleberry, Mr Dunphy was educated at St Declan’s National School and De La Salle College before winning a soccer scholarship to the United States. His parents, Vincent and Nellie, are lifetime members of Waterford Golf Club. His father was a goalkeeper with Waterford FC during the 1960s while his mother is a former All Ireland golf champion who played off a 3 handicap. He has two brothers, Vinny who lives in Ballincrea and Michael in Maryland.
A talented sportsman, Martin Dunphy won a Munster medal and lost an All Ireland final with De La Salle in Gaelic in 1982. As goalkeeper, he was one of three Waterford schoolboys on the under 15 European football championship winning team in France in 1982 with Bohemians’ Richie Elliott as coach. He played local football with Bohemians and Johnville before commencing his studies at George Mason University in Virginia.
See The Munster Express newspaper for full story.
