We work with a number of external partners to facilitate and manage a range of Corporate Finance related activities.  Internally, we focus on assisting businesses – typically in the start up to £2m turnover bracket.  Our Corporate Finance Partner qualified as a Chartered Accounant in 1988 and has a wealth of experience, ranging from a Corporate Finance Partner with a prominent national accounting practice to a senior management position within an international bank. He has also worked in Insolvency and Private Equity. He is a well-known and highly respected member of the professional community in.

We can be instrumental in all aspects of the acquisition process, whether the acquisition is being made by a trade buyer or by a management team set up for the specific purpose of making the acquisition (a management buy-in, or MBI). We are often involved in all aspects of acquisitions from target identification (Through its extensive contacts within the corporate finance arena or via our targeted research) through to valuation and negotiation, deal structuring, funding, due diligence and project management to successful completion.

The process of “Buying a business” can be quite different where the management team, or indeed family members seek to buy the business from its owners through a management buy-out (MBO). Although in many cases the result can be a much friendlier deal with some element of vendor funding, care needs to be taken to keep relationships between the key players intact. We recognise that there can be sensitivities involved, particularly during the financial negotiations. During this period, it is able to encourage all parties involved to maintain their perspective on the final objective.

The sale of a business, whether family or privately owned, is often the most important transaction the business owners will ever make. After years of hard work, the time-consuming process of realising full value can be both stressful and emotional.
We recognises the need to make this process as smooth as possible. We agree a strategy at the outset and keep business owners and their other advisers fully informed of developments at all times. We maintain a clear focus on identifying prospective purchasers with competing strategic interests to maximise the final value. We constantly drive the project so that the owner is able to concentrate on protecting the very asset being sold.

Due Diligence is an information-gathering process designed to provide the buyer, and investors with an accurate picture of the company being acquired.
We have provided both buyers and funders (including several major UK banks) with financial due diligence reports for many years. Providing clear summaries of the conclusions and recommendations is a measure of our aptitude for helping clients to understand the information they really need.

Access to finance is an essential element of many corporate finance transactions; we particular acquisitions, MBO's and MBI's. We have the skill and expertise to present the key business and financial information to potential funders properly and succinctly such that they will recognise the opportunity to support the acquisition process. We frequently liaise with organisations from high street banks through to private equity firms to provide a full range of options:

• Bank loans and overdrafts
• Commercial mortgages
• Buy-to-let residential property funding
• Debtor finance – factoring and confidential invoice discounting
• Trade finance – import finance, letters of credit, stock funding etc.
• Hire purchase and leasing
• Private equity - development and venture capital
• Business Angel finance

Strategic Planning and Business Plans

Subtly different, these plans represent the future of the business. Whether prepared for the purpose of obtaining funding or presenting the potential and aspirations of the business, there needs to be a good balance between realism and confidence.
We work with clients to help them understand where the business is now, where they can take it and what they should do to achieve the maximum. We have the expertise and networks to ensure the plan for the future is a plan to succeed.