Thames Valley: All the winners revealed at prestigious Deals Awards
The ongoing strength, confidence and vibrancy of the Thames Valley’s dealmaking community was the subscript of the headline-making awards to worthy winners at this year’s high-profile Thames Valley Deals Awards (TVDA).
All 79 finalists could regard themselves as champions of their professions – the cream of the region’s corporate finance, business management, legal and banking services providers and advisers, explained Peter Laurie, head of client relations for The Business Magazine, as he welcomed 370 guests to the Royal Berkshire Conference Centre in Reading.
Their professional competence and confidence was to the fore, within a mixed year of M&A activity. “There were some mega deals, and activity in the first nine months was at record levels, before taking a hit in the fourth quarter as corporate confidence began to be affected by Brexit and other global headwinds,” he explained.
Following a survey by The Business Magazine carried out through all the firms in the region, the TVDA judging process was enhanced this year by the addition of five independent judges adding their varied experience and widely informed insight alongside the sponsors’ judges.
“I chaired the Judging Panel this year and was struck by the fairness and diligence of all the judges. It was an excellent process and I would like to thank all 16 judges who took part,” stated Laurie.
David Murray, The Business Magazine publisher, added: “Each year, quality deals are originated and completed by advisers based in the Thames Valley, and often the legal advice and funding is also locally sourced.
“Many of the deals showcased by this evening create value not just for the shareholders involved but for the whole Thames Valley, enhancing the reputation of the region as a hotbed of talented innovators and fast-rising businesses.
“Once again, we have focused not just on the advisers but on the ambitious management teams, business founders, corporate boards and investors who make these deals happen.”
Sponsors of the TVDA, the leading corporate finance event in the region’s calendar, were: BDO, Coffin Mew, Crowe, Gateley plc, Grant Thornton, HMT, HSBC, IBB, NVM Private Equity, PwC, Shoosmiths, Quantuma and Quercus Corporate Finance.
Mark Durden-Smith, the highly versatile and amusing journalist, radio and television presenter of news, sports and gameshows, was again the dealmakers’ favourite celebrity host for this gala awards dinner – now established as the leading corporate finance event in the region outside London.
The TVDA event also raised funds for its chosen charity – Brain Tumour Research – for which diners attending showed their generosity with donations totalling £3,553.80.
THAMES VALLEY DEALS AWARDS 2019 WINNERS
Private Equity Firm of the Year – sponsored by HMT LLP
Winner: LDC
Other finalists: BGF, Connection Capital, YFM Equity Partners, NVM Private Equity
Non-Bank Lender of the Year – sponsored by Quantuma
Winner: Leumi ABL
Other finalists: Beechbrook Capital, PNC, ThinCats, Triple Point
Lawyer of the Year – sponsored by BDO
Winner: Sanjeev Sharma of Shoosmiths
Other finalists: Adam Dowdney, IBB Solicitors; Jeremy Parkes, Field Seymour Parkes; Andrew Peddie, Gateley plc; Sara Valentine, Osborne Clarke; Rob Wood, Osborne Clarke
Young Dealmaker of the Year (under 35) – sponsored by IBB Solicitors
Winner: Sarah Souter of Gateley plc
Other finalists: Kiran Dhesi, Shoosmiths; Gemma Legg, KPMG; Michael Mackintosh, BDO; Paul Tillstone, Grant Thornton; Max Whitehead, BDO
Due Diligence Team of the Year – sponsored by Coffin Mew
Winner: RSM
Other finalists: BDO, Crowe, Deloitte, HMT LLP, PwC, Wilson partners
Corporate Finance Team of the Year – sponsored by HSBC
Winner: Spectrum Corporate Finance
Other finalists: BDO, Grant Thornton, James Cowper Kreston, KPMG, Quantuma
Law Firm of the Year – sponsored by Grant Thornton
Winner: Osborne Clarke
Other finalists: BDB Pitmans, Field Seymour Parkes, Gateley plc, IBB Solicitors, Shoosmiths
Corporate Finance Adviser of the Year – sponsored by Gateley plc
Winner: Duncan Lamb of BDO
Other finalists: Ian Barton, Quantuma; Sami Fairris, KPMG; Clive Hatchard, Spectrum Corporate Finance; Stewart Lambert, James Cowper Kreston; Andrew Thomson, HMT LLP
Bank of the Year – sponsored by Crowe
Winner: Santander
Other finalists: AIB (GB), Barclays, Clydesdale, HSBC, NatWest,
Management Team of the Year – sponsored by PwC
Winner: Wireless Logic
Other finalists: ByBox, Capital Economics, GTK, Martin Audio, PBA (now part of Stantec)
Small Deal of the Year (under £10m) – sponsored by Shoosmiths
Winner: HeleCloud – investment by BGF
Adviser: Wilson Partners. Legal: Osborne Clarke
Other finalists:
Arden Group – acquisition by babble cloud backed by AIB (GB) and LDC
Majenta PLM – acquisition by Cutting Edge Solutions backed by BGF
Royal Berkshire Shooting School – acquisition by James Purdey
Smyle Creative – investment by Rockpool and Chad Lion- Cachet
The Primal Pantry – investment by NVM Private Equity
Mid-Range Deal of the Year (£10m- £50m) – sponsored by NVM Private Equity
Winner: Miles 33 – MBO backed by Ethos Partners
Advisers: Quantuma, First Capital
Debt: Santander
Legal: Osborne Clarke, Gateley plc, Burgess Salmon
DD: RSM, Plural Strategy Group
Other finalists:
GTK, acquisition by Volex plc
Martin Audio, MBO backed by LDC
Mode Print Solutions, MBO backed by Connection Capital
Peter Brett Associates, acquisition by Stantec
Shuttercraft, MBO backed by Beechbrook Capital
The Appointment Group, acquisition by Apiary Capital
UAP, secondary buyout backed by Maven
Large Deal of the Year (above £50m) – sponsored by Quercus
Winner: ByBox – exit by LDC, investment by Francisco Partners
Legal: Osborne Clarke, Shoosmiths, Mayer Brown
DD: Alvarez & Marsal
Other finalists:
Capital Economics, secondary buyout
MWR InfoSecurity, sale to F-Secure Corporation
SDL, acquisition of Donnelly Language Solutions
Wireless Logic, acquisition by Montagu
