Name: Niall Carroll.

Title: Managing director, ACT Venture Capital.

Education: Honours degree Electrical Engineering, University College Dublin, graduate of Stanford University's senior executive programme, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants, Fellow of the Institute of Bankers in Ireland.

Background: Varied career, including working with General Electric in the US, six years in PA Management Consultants in Ireland. After leaving PA he joined Allied Irish Investment Bank (the investment banking arm of AIB, later renamed AIB Capital Markets). In 1975 he became managing director of AIB Venture Capital and of Allied Combined Trust, AIB's private equity subsidiary. Later held directorships in a number of other AIB subsidiaries. Resigned from AIB in 1994, to establish ACT Venture Capital with some AIB colleagues. He is currently chairman of Barlo and holds several other directorships.

Hobbies: Skiing, cricket.

Why he is in the news: ACT announced yesterday that it has raised £80 million for its 1999 private equity limited partnership (ACT) fund.