Accountancy firm Smith & Williamson’s Bristol-based corporate finance team has completed three significant national and international deals worth a combined £100m-plus as market activity continues to recover.
The firm said the trio of transactions reflected a growing appetite from trade and private equity buyers for high-quality businesses.
Smith & Williamson corporate finance team’s Martyn Fraser, Iain Lownes and Matthew Pearson led on the recently-completed deals.
Matthew Pearson advised MxP Partners, a private equity firm based in London, on its £80m acquisition of Blackpool-based Amber Taverns, which owns and operates 85 pubs in the North of England.
Martyn Fraser advised on the sale of Information Management Group (IMGROUP), a London-based specialist information management and business intelligence consulting firm and Microsoft UK Country Partner of the Year, to Hitachi Consulting Corporation, the global management consulting and IT services business. Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.
Iain Lownes was the lead adviser to the vendors of Bedford-based Creative Graphics International Limited (CGI) on its £11m Buy-In/Management Buy-Out backed by London-based Mobeus Equity Partners.
Martyn Fraser said: “We are seeing an increase in activity levels as confidence returns to the wider economy.
“Demand for high-quality businesses remains strong with both private equity and corporate buyers. The Bristol team was delighted to have helped its clients secure these transactions and we look forward to working with others to realise their growth plans and exit strategies over the coming months.”
The 10-strong, Bristol-based corporate finance team works on advisory projects for local and national clients spanning fundraisings, mergers and acquisitions and strategic advice. Smith & Williamson is among the UK’s top ten 10 accountancy firms, according to Accountancy Age magazine, with around 170 people in its Bristol office.
Pictured, from left: Iain Lownes, Martyn Fraser and Matthew Pearson
