Octopus Ventures’ CEO Erin Platts gains additional role as CEO of Octopus Investments

Octopus Investments announces the appointment of Erin Platts as Chief Executive Officer of Octopus Investments, subject to regulatory approval from the Financial Conduct Authority. Erin will also continue in her current role as CEO of Octopus Ventures, creating a dual leadership position across two of the Octopus Group’s core businesses: 

• Octopus Investments, the UK’s largest provider of Venture Capital Trusts and Business Relief qualifying investments, as well as the UK’s largest investor in AIM-listed companies. By helping investors to achieve their financial goals, Octopus Investments also channels vital funding into the backbone of the British economy — ambitious small and medium-sized businesses that drive innovation, create jobs, and power growth. 
• Octopus Ventures, one of Europe’s most active venture capital investors, which has supported more than 200 early-stage businesses, including Zoopla, Secret Escapes, Depop, Swiftkey and Graze. 

Since joining Octopus Ventures as CEO in January 2025, Erin has brought significant pace and momentum to the business, with a view to expanding its pan-European venture capital offering to more founders than ever before.  

Prior to Octopus, Erin spent nearly two decades at HSBC Innovation Banking (formerly Silicon Valley Bank UK), where she became a trusted partner to entrepreneurs and investors while scaling the bank’s UK operations. Erin is a proven leader with extensive experience building and scaling financial services organisations that support innovation and entrepreneurship.  

Her appointment to lead Octopus Investments alongside Ventures reflects her ability to deliver strategic clarity, operational excellence, and long-term value across diverse investment businesses.  

By uniting the leadership of both businesses under Erin, Octopus will benefit from a coordinated strategy, closer alignment between retail investment and venture capital, and greater opportunities to scale impact for both investors and entrepreneurs. 

Erin Platts, CEO of Octopus Investments and Octopus Ventures: 

 
“Octopus as a Group is bold, ambitious and fuelling the next generation of entrepreneurs across the country. However, it’s Octopus Investments that provides the engine room for it all. The opportunity to work cross functionally with this talented group of people, to build on our market position and power us on our next stage of growth, is very exciting to me. I plan on keeping my eye on the prize: providing a world class experience for the people that trust us with their money and the founders that trust us with their ambitions.” 

Simon Rogerson, CEO and Co-Founder of Octopus Group: 
 

“Octopus Investments is a business that, at 25 years-old, continues to embrace change. We are always evolving our strategy and expanding into new areas to reach our full potential. Erin is exactly the kind of leader the business needs to fulfil these ambitions. As she has already proven in leading Octopus Ventures, she’s as straightforward as she is business minded. She also absolutely lives and breathes customer service and the importance of the Octopus culture.” 

Octopus Group has a track record of building businesses that combine strong commercial success with a clear sense of purpose – today it manages billions on behalf of investors while backing industries that are transforming the future.