finance
Be ready to react positively during the Brexit era
United States founding father Benjamin Franklin supposedly said: ‘Fail to prepare; prepare to fail’ and Tallat Mahmood believes those words are now even more pertinent as UK businesses approach the opportunities and challenges of the Brexit era, writes John Burbedge
SMEs and entrepreneurial owner-managers are generally underprepared when it comes to considering acquisitions, business sales, or the raising of growth capital, says Mahmood, the new director of corporate finance at accountancy firm MHA MacIntyre Hudson.
enable me to tap into the heart of this region’s predominantly tech business- base, a sector I am passionate about*.”
Mahmood’s career includes the creation of his own hi-tech company and more than a decade of general corporate finance experience in London and the South East, much of it working within the TMT sector both as an adviser and equity investor. “I ‘get’ technology, understand the tech space and what it takes to build up such businesses.”
Mahmood aims to work closely with his Reading-based TMT colleagues to ensure MHA MacIntyre Hudson’s corporate finance offering satisfies the firm’s growing level of client interest and activity.
MHA MacIntyre Hudson has already created a general Brexit guidance for its clients, but Mahmood says the Reading office CF advice will be more detailed and tailored from the commercial perspective for relevant Thames Valley sectors (especially TMT) and individual clients.
Ultimately, this can waste time, money and cause untold disruption to a business – not least one involved in a future complex deal process, being experienced for the first time and inevitably Brexit- influenced.
Businesses will need to ‘know their numbers’, understand their markets and to have positioned themselves to react positively to the possibilities that Brexit may bring, Mahmood states.
With his move to MHA MacIntyre Hudson in Reading, Tallat Mahmood feels he is personally well-prepared and ideally positioned to help clients with corporate finance (CF) advice and assistance.
Living in Reading, Mahmood’s appointment ties in well with his regional awareness and TMT sector knowledge. “My move to MHA MacIntyre Hudson will
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“At the moment, even more than anything Brexit may throw up, the core business fundamentals – good management, cashflow, recurring revenue etc – are key, but poor preparation may lead to businesses not getting the deals they want.”
Mahmood believes the sourcing and monitoring of quality company data is one way SMEs can improve their preparedness – and future business prospects.
“Better data leads to better management decision-making. From a CF perspective, reliable accurate data now plays hugely within the deal-making process. Quality information helps make deals quicker and smoother.”
Today the quality of that data capture often highlights the better performers within a sector, Mahmood noted.
Despite funders paying more attention to the level of European exposure of UK businesses in the coming years, Mahmood doesn’t expect Thames Valley CF activity to reduce significantly.
“But, businesses will need to be better prepared, well in advance, about their corporate finance requirements and that’s where I see our advisory roles increasing, providing informed views on likely Brexit scenarios and the management steps businesses should be thinking about or taking now, so they are prepared for any eventuality.
“There is now a huge focus on the Thames Valley, far more than ever before. We are definitely on people’s radar. Talent is concentrating in this region and contributing to the future growth of our businesses here.”
With CrossRail, Heathrow expansion and Reading’s new science park on the horizon, business opportunities in the Thames Valley are increasing exponentially, added Mahmood. “For me, it’s an exciting place to be.
“The Thames Valley now has its own identity. From my personal CF experience I know that not only UK PE houses, but also US, Far Eastern and Asian funders are aware of the positive signs from this area. They see the Thames Valley as the breeding ground for innovative companies that are creating something unique and adding value.”
Reading office 0118 9503895
Tallat Mahmood 0118 9040241 07921 455879
tallat.mahmood@
mhllp.co.uk
* Reading and Bracknell make up one of 27 identified UK clusters with the highest density of digital technology firms – Tech Nation 2016.
Hi-tech businesses in the towns turn over £10 billion a year – second only to London.
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – MARCH 2017
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