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44 DEALMAKER


OF THE YEAR (UNDER £25m) AWARD


SPONSORED BY PITMANS LLP Darren Thompson of Meridian Corporate Finance


WINNER


Above: Winner Darren Thompson of Meridian Corporate Finance Right: Dominic Holland with Darren Thompson and Christopher Avery of sponsor Pitmans


Sponsored by leading Thames Valley and London law firm Pitmans, there were four shortlisted contenders for Dealmaker of the Year (under £25m).


The first of the awards on the night to be voted for by the audience, the finalists were: Duncan Lamb of Grant Thornton – winner of the award for the past two years, Darren Miller of RSM Tenon, Andrew Thomson of HMT and Darren Thompson of Meridian Corporate Finance.


Thompson, a former banker, leads technology-related transactions, among others, and completed deals worth £12m in a tough market at Meridian, the largest independent corporate finance boutique on the south coast. His recent work has seen him act as lead adviser in six transactions in the qualifying period and he also oversees the investment strategy of the firm’s investment fund, Meridian Growth Capital.


Leading Grant Thornton’s corporate finance team in the Thames Valley, Lamb specialises in private equity work in the mid-market. Nominations praised him for being “very strong at recognising what is really key in a deal”, for identifying buyers, and for getting the right price. One nomination said his is the “most proactive team” in the local workplace.


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Miller, who moved to RSM Tenon from Deloitte in 2010, was primarily shortlisted for his work on last year’s sale of Chilworth to DEKRA SE. He was applauded for a “highly professional” approach in this and other transactions.


Thomson, who had already shared the title of Corporate Finance Adviser of the Year, was recognised for leading some key deals in the past year, notably Basildon Chemicals disposal to KCC, and the sale of Netmums to Aufeminin Group. Nominations said he leads a team which “has strength and punches above its weight” and that he had succeeded in “extracting an offer that exceeded shareholders’ expectations”.


The audience was given just 15 seconds to vote and it was Darren Thompson’s name which flashed up as the winner, stepping forward to be presented with his award by Christopher Avery, managing partner of Pitmans.


Thompson said: “I was really delighted to have been voted for by other professionals in the CF community at the Deal Awards – it is those kind of awards that really matter.


“Meridian work really hard to ensure that we keep the accountancy, legal, finance and tax advisory aspects of all deals as local as


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – MAY 2012


possible and as such, whilst our deal flow is very often national, we work with other quality professionals ‘on patch’ to complete our deals.


“My business partner Mike Barcia and I, have hopefully now developed a reputation as dealmakers, who are inclusive of so many more firms and individuals, than just the Meridian team. The relationships that we have with the local business community are truly reciprocal and we really enjoy what we do and what we have achieved.


“Now in our 10th year, we are the largest independent CF boutique in the south and work with a number of PE houses in the areas of TMT and insurance in particular. Here’s to another 10 years working in a market where we genuinely feel proud to be part of.”


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