28 finance
New advisory board underpins Spectrum’s sector expertise
Spectrum Corporate Finance has added impressive new strength and depth with the formation of a specialist advisory board of business professionals and entrepreneurs from across the region. The Business Magazine’s Alison Dewar reports
ADVISORY BOARD
Chairman Nigel Tipple – shipping, leisure, packaging
Peter Brooks – business and support services and private equity David Cole – healthcare Mike Evans – financial services
Iain Mckenzie – telecoms, software and business services Roger Pedder – retail and consumer
Heather Savory – high technology, regulatory and public sectors
Mark Volanthen – technology, energy, aerospace and defence sectors
Bringing with him an excellent network of contacts across his specialist sectors, Cole is currently chairman of Lighthouse Healthcare, non-executive chairman of CHOICE Care Group, and chairman of Glenside Care Group.
Specialising predominantly in the high-tech and software sectors, Iain Mckenzie says the diversity of expertise on the advisory board, blended with Spectrum’s corporate finance knowledge gives it a major advantage in the business arena.
The advisory board which will work alongside the Spectrum team on deals and opportunities, includes experts in the healthcare, high technology, support services, retail, defence, financial services and software sectors.
Heading the board as chairman will be Nigel Tipple, an experienced corporate financier and businessman, who has been with Spectrum since the firm was established in late 2010. Tipple has previously been CEO of a number of private equity-backed businesses.
Spectrum partner Simon Davies said: “It has always been our vision to put in an advisory board and we are delighted to have attracted such a strong set of individuals. Our aim is to be seen as a specialist adviser with a broad range of skill sets. Having the board’s additional sector experience means we can provide even more valuable insights for our clients.“
Davies and fellow partner Clive Hatchard say both Spectrum and its clients will benefit from the extensive additional networks and contacts that each of the board members will bring.
“We see it as a club where each of the members is well-known, well-connected and hugely experienced, they feel they really belong and want to share experience and contacts. No-one else in the CF marketplace is doing this. We believe it sets us apart and will really add value to Spectrum and our clients,“ said Hatchard.
The move will see advisory board members working with the Spectrum team throughout the deal process to add advice around sector issues
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and introduce industry wide contacts as potential buyers.
Although only officially launched in June, the board has had a positive response from the corporate finance marketplace.
“It is already proving its worth; clients’ reaction is that it is a great idea. They like the fact the board members come at some of the issues from a different angle because they have all been involved in running businesses and understand the specific sector issues our clients are facing,“ continued Davies.
The board members, most of whom were already known to the Spectrum team, have an excellent track record within the Thames Valley and Solent and real insight into the regional marketplace.
Solent-based David Cole, who brings with him more than 30 years’ experience in health, social care, and education, in public and private sector organisations, says he was attracted by Spectrum’s approach.
“They have a very broad range of skills and they are very engaging individuals,“ he said. “I’m particularly looking forward to working with them to help Spectrum win the hearts and minds of management teams, with the combination of my specialist healthcare knowledge alongside their market-leading advisory skills.
“I know what it is like to run a healthcare business, the policy and ideology issues, and I can use my knowledge to help Spectrum navigate their way around these issues and help deals go through.“
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – SEPTEMBER 2012
Having worked with Davies and fellow Spectrum partner Ian Milne previously, he said: “They are a great team and I have absolute trust in their abilities. They believe in bringing in the best people for the job and I feel very comfortable working with them.
“I have been through a number of deals, acquisitions and disposals and I bring the client’s viewpoint. I can empathise and understand what they are going through, providing a different perspective at the table, especially around high- growth, cash intensive, high-tech companies, and the specific issues around software businesses.
“I also have excellent relationships within many of the significant organisations in the region, such as BT, Vodafone and Microsoft, so I am very aware of the trends and developments taking place.“
Mckenzie has been a pioneer in the software and high-tech sectors since the early 1980s, including as part of the management team which sold Datapulse to Mettoni plc for £24.5 million in 2000. After Mettoni went into administration, he was involved in buying the business back from the administrator in a deal supported by business angels. It was recently sold again to a Canadian acquirer for $25m, with Davies acting as adviser.
Details: Simon Davies 0118-9502269
simon.davies@spectrumcf.co.uk www.spectrumcf.co.uk
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