News
Charity run for Lindsey Lodge Hospice
Marianne Martin is seeking to raise as much money as possible for Lindsey Lodge Hospice where her mum was so well looked after during the last few weeks of her life.
If everyone receiving our weekly email was to donate just £2 then over £5,000 would be raised including gift aid. It takes only a few seconds so make a donation so please donate £2 (more if you can) at www.justgiving.com/MarianneMartin.
Marianne worked at Strategic Corporate Finance between 2000 and early 2008.
Young Dealmaker Award
Success continues for Strategic Corporate Finance whose name was up in lights once again at the South Yorkshire Dealmakers Awards with Victoria Gribben winning Young Dealmaker of the Year.
Greg Barker of Strategic Corporate Finance was also recognised as one of the top young dealmakers in the region appearing with Victoria on the final shortlist of three.
After completing a MSc in Finance, Victoria went on to qualify as an ACA and now, at only 28, she is originating deals and advising clients on a broad range of transactions across the region and further afield. Victoria has won the firm some impressive regional transactions in the last six months and is currently working on a number of corporate disposals, corporate acquisitions, management buy-outs and fundraisings.
The award adds to a collection of honours that Strategic Corporate Finance has won over the last few years including Dealmaking Firm of the Year, Deal of The Year, Corporate Finance Advisory Firm of the Year and Andrew Coates winning Dealmaker of the Year.
Victoria commented “It is a great sense of achievement to win an accolade like this when the results are derived from votes made by your peers across the banking, accounting, corporate finance and legal arenas in South Yorkshire. I really appreciate everyone’s support.”
Digital Exchange acquires Napier IT Group
Digital Exchange, the Sheffield based technology solutions provider, has acquired the Napier IT Group. Digital Exchange specialises in IT networking & support, business telecoms, network cabling, voice & data connectivity and dictation technologies. The acquisition of Napier enhances Digital’s IT support offering and gives Napier’s customers access to the company’s full range of services.
Andrew Coates and Greg Barker of dealmakers Strategic Corporate Finance advised Digital Exchange on the acquisition. Andrew Coates said “This is a great deal for Digital Exchange and for Napier’s customers and keeps Digital on course with their ambitious growth plans”.
Nick Cotton, Digital’s Managing Director, said “The synergies between Napier and Digital were obvious from the start, and following discussions over many months with Napier’s owner, Mike Smalley, a deal was struck that involved purchasing 100% of the issued share capital. It’s very much business as usual as far as Napier’s customers are concerned; they will continue to be serviced by the same technical consultants as before in the manner in which they’ve become accustomed. However, supporting all of that will be the larger infrastructure of technical expertise within Digital Exchange, plus a broader range of technology-based products & services”.
Mike Smalley commented “A key factor in choosing the company which would be able to buy Napier, was that the new owners would not change the ethos of the company, would retain and develop the staff, and satisfy customer support requirements at least to the level that had previously been enjoyed. We believe that Digital meet all these criteria and that our customers can look forward to a happy business relationship for many years to come.”
James Wilson, the Investment Manager at Creative Sheffield, Sheffield’s development company, said “It’s great to see such a well regarded Sheffield company strengthening its portfolio. This acquisition shows that Sheffield’s extensive digital sector is continuing to thrive and prosper. Businesses have confidence in the digital organisations that operate here.”
New ownership of award winning nursery
Cliff Nursery Silkstone has been bought for an undisclosed sum by Julie Herbert in a management buy-out from its owner Alpha Plus Group.
The nursery, which was recently rated as “Outstanding” by Ofsted, provides care for children aged between 6 weeks and 5 years old.
Sheffield firms Strategic Corporate Finance and Ironmonger Curtis acted as lead deal advisers and legal advisers for Mrs Herbert respectively.
Andrew Coates of Strategic commented “This is a fantastic opportunity for Julie and her team – the nursery has flourished under her management and this can only continue now it is an independent business.”
Since joining Cliff Nursery Silkstone as Head in 2005, Julie – a qualified teacher and Early Years Professional – has successfully doubled the size of the business in terms of session numbers and firmly established the nursery as one of the best in the region.
Julie spoke of the deal “Having no experience previously of buying a business it was comforting to have the support and expertise of Strategic Corporate Finance and Ironmonger Curtis. They made a potentially stressful process smooth and exciting. We are all now looking forward to continuing to provide high quality nursery education in a loving and caring environment”
Six nominations for Dealmaker Awards
Strategic Corporate Finance has been short listed for 5 awards at the South Yorkshire Dealmakers Awards. The winners will be announced in June 2010.
The categories in which we are on the short list for an award are:
Corporate Finance Advisory Team – Strategic Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance Adviser – Andrew Coates, Strategic Corporate Finance
Mid-market Deal – Armson Darwent Shaw (Management Buy-Out) – Strategic Corporate Finance
Dealmaker of the Year – Andrew Coates, Strategic Corporate Finance
Young Dealmaker – Greg Barker, Strategic Corporate Finance
Young Dealmaker – Victoria Gribben, Strategic Corporate Finance
Two deals in the last four days
During the last 4 working days Strategic Corporate Finance has completed two acquisitions for clients; a management buy-out and a corporate acquisition.
Further details are to follow.
Armson Darwent Shaw
Andrew Fletcher has completed a management buy-out of Armson Darwent Shaw, the Sheffield trading division of Armson & Partners Limited in Derby. The Sheffield practice is one of the leading independent firms of Quantity Surveyors in the region.
Sheffield dealmakers Strategic Corporate Finance acted as lead deal advisers and steered the buy-out to a successful completion in less than 3 months.
The business was established over 20 years ago as a Quantity Surveying practice. Over the years it has developed a full range as a Construction Cost Consultancy, Project Management and Building Surveying services for public sector bodies, private clients, architects and construction companies.
Andrew Coates and Victoria Gribben of Strategic Corporate Finance negotiated the transaction, raised the finance and project managed the buy-out to a successful completion. Funding for the buy-out included facilities from the Royal Bank of Scotland and from UK Steel Enterprise.
Andrew Coates of Strategic commented “This was a challenging deal in many respects made possible by all those involved working closely together to complete the buy-out.”
Since joining Armson Darwent Shaw in 2007 as Managing Director of the Sheffield office, Andrew Fletcher has overseen the doubling of the turnover during a difficult economic climate.
The existing Sheffield team, including the original founders Richard Shaw and Tony Darwent, are in full support of the buy-out and will continue to provide a comprehensive and professional service to Sheffield office clients.
