The announcement on September 12 that SVG Capital is set to be acquired by fellow private equity investor HarbourVest Partners marks the beginning of the end of the group's tumultuous history.

The move, in which HarbourVest appears to have gained control of at least 51.2% of SVG's shares, means SVG - one of the UK's best-known and longest-serving private equity investors - is likely to go into run-off.