DEALMAKER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by:
Winner: Darren Thompson Meridian Corporate Finance
Deals Awards activity continued with professional evaluation by the informed industry audience voting in the hall to decide the final three awards.
Individual keypad voting was weighted by the judging panel's prior evaluation of the nominees, to avoid undue influence by the guest-list demographic.
The four nominees for this award created something of a doubles-match within a singles competition between top dealmakers from two well- known firms; Simon Davies and Ian Milne of Spectrum Corporate Finance and Michael Barcia and Darren Thompson of Meridian Corporate Finance.
Simon Davies is passionate about achieving the full potential on business sales, buyouts and acquisitions. He is hands-on throughout to ensure the best outcome for his clients. He established Spectrum Corporate Finance with two other founders and in the past year completed the sale of Clearwater and a further eight deals.
Spectrum colleague Ian Milne is an experienced corporate and structured finance banker with 25 years of pedigree, having worked with both Bank of Scotland and NatWest. He has been based in the south for 20 years, working both the Solent and Thames Valley patches as MD of Spectrum. He was voted Solent Dealmaker in 2008.
Meridian's Michael Barcia has been in CF since 1996, advising on over 200 completed transactions/investments. Barcia founded Meridian in 2002, and has previously won CF Adviser at these awards in 2014 and 2015.
Barcia's colleague Darren Thompson has been extremely active in the Solent CF market and has had another prolific year of dealmaking,
businessmag.co.uk THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH COAST – JULY/AUGUST 2016
personally leading 11 CF mandates and investment transactions during the qualifying period. This is in addition to his board responsibilities with Meridian's investment portfolio, which includes the amazing success stories of LoveHolidays and Blis.
Irwin Mitchell partner John Riddick stood ready to present the award trophy to the winner – Darren Thompson.
After being ‘elected' to receive the award, Thompson said he felt “immensely honoured and appreciated by my peers in this region”.
So what's the winning recipe?
“I think it's just a combination of being very experienced and practical in getting deals done in the most efficient away without scoring points, while keeping the needs of your client foremost in your mind at all times.”
He was also quick to praise the support of his colleagues at Meridian in helping create “the go-to corporate finance house on the South Coast”.
“A lot of people in London give quality advice, but we also really care about the region and business environment we work in, and we work collegiately with other professional advisers in the area, which is key. If you buy into them, they buy into you, and the result is a great deal for the client, and that's what matters.
“It is a great place to work and the quality of advisers down here is just superb, and that's why great deals will always be done in the south.”
He has won the title before, but added: “I don't think you can ever rest on your laurels.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52