The finalists have been chosen in this year’s Business Insider Deals and Dealmakers Awards, with the judging panel selecting the shortlists from a particularly strong field.
The judging process again involved shortlisted entrants attending a short interview hosted by members of the judging panel who put their questions to the businesses and individual entrants.
Up to three representatives from each selected nominee were able to attend the final judging session before the finalists were selected.
Finalists have been chosen in nine categories, with the Deal of Year category being announced on the night of the awards.
Winners are being chosen in categories Acquisitive Company of the Year; Corporate Finance Team of the Year; Emerging Dealmaker of the Year; Early Stage Deal of the Year; Funder of the Year, Sale of the Year; Transformational Deal of the Year, SME Transformational Deal of the Year and Legal Advisor of the Year.
The finalists were chosen by an independent judging panel chaired by Brian Aitken, partner at Nevis Capital LLP.
The finalists in the categories are:
Acquisitive Company of the Year
CYBG – the Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banking Group – which acquired Virgin Money to make the group into a UK-wide bank
Kick ICT – for a series of deals as part of a strategy to build a major ICT businesses
Corporate Finance Team of the Year
Sponsored by CMS
Anderson, Anderson and Brown – The AAB team handled a a number of notable deals over the year across key market sectors including technology, food and drink and energy plus growing the team from its Aberdeen base into the Central Belt of Scotland
BDO – The BDO team advised on a number of key deals over the year including the secondary buyouts of CMS Window Systems and Incremental Group.
EY – The team at EY have been involved in advising on many of the key deals in Scotland over the year from its Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen offices.
Funder of the Year
BGF – the fund made a range of new investments and follow-on deals including a new investment in the Highlands-based care provider the Parklands Group
Clydesdale Bank – The bank’s Corporate and Structured Finance team funded a range of deals including Cyberhawk and Biofilm
Scottish Edge – Over the year Scottish Edge supported 26 businesses with a total investment of £2.65 million
Sale of the Year
Sponsored by Brewin Dolphin
Clyde Blowers Capital – The company sold precision motion drive business Cone Drive to the Timken Company in a deal that gave its investors a top quartile performing return
Enermech Group Ltd – Enermech was sold to the Carlyle Group in a deal that generated a very healthy return for its exiting shareholders
QTS Group – A group founded with a £300 loan in 1992 was sold to AIM-listed Renew Holdings in a deal that aims to increase its market share, footprint and specialist positioning in the rail market.
Emerging Dealmaker of the Year
Sponsored by Shawbrook Bank
Usman Ali, Clydesdale Bank – Usman originated, assessed and executed a number of key deals over the year including winning the mandate in competition against other possible funders
Richard Rainey, EY – Richard was praised for his key role in deals from identifying the buyer through managing the transactions through to signing
Fiona Robertson, Campbell Dallas – Fiona was involved in a number of key transactions over the year and was praised for ‘her in-depth knowledge’ of a transaction and her “understanding of key commercial issues”
Transformational Deal of the Year
John Menzies – The disposal of Menzies Distribution to Endless LLP to transform the group into a pure play aviation services business with a network spanning six continents
Standard Life Aberdeen – Standard Life Assurance was sold to Phoenix Group as part of the parent company’s strategy to transform to a capital light investment business and which developed a strategic partnership between the two groups.
Weir Group – The acquisition of ESCO Corporation was the biggest in the group’s near 150-year history and was a unique value creating opportunity for Weir in the global mining sector.
SME Transformational Deal of the Year
Sponsored by LendingCrowd
Cyberhawk – The secondary buyout of Cyberhawk allowed an orderly change of backers – with Scottish Equity Partners and the Scottish Investment Bank exiting and assured a focus on organic growth including the setting up if a US subsidiary with strong growth prospects.
Incremental – The company completed a transaction that refinanced the business through and MBO and replaced its then backers Maven Capital and the Scottish Investment Bank with Dunedin and that provided investment to accelerate organic growth.
Motive Offshore Group – Motive secured an investment from EV Private Equity which included a significant shareholding in the group and will allow it to increase its global footprint, invest in new building assets for its fleet of rental equipment and provide a sizeable war chest for target acquisitions.
Legal Advisor of the Year
Sponsored by Law Society of Scotland
Addleshaw Goddard – The firm’s Scottish corporate team advising on a number of key deals over the year and was noted for the use of technology in its work.
Brodies – The firm’s work over the year advising on a groundbreaking deal for a major oilfield project, managing an international ‘unicorn; sale and leading a seven-figure crowdfunding raise.
Burness Paull – The team’s work included advising on AIM-listed Springfield Properties acquisition of Walker Homes, the administration of the House of Fraser and Murgitroyd’s acquisition of Chapman IP.
Early Stage Deal of the Year
Novosound – Par Equity was the lead investor in a company that has developed a groundbreaking technique to mass manufacture printable ultrasound sensors.
SEM Energy Ltd – a deal that backs a company building a technology aiming to deliver leading-edge solutions in waste and water treatment
Deal of the Year
Sponsored by ThinCats
The Deal of the Year will be announced on the evening of the Awards.
Insider’s Deals and Dealmakers Awards takes place on Friday 30th August at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central Hotel. For more information and to book tickets please visit https://www.dealsanddealmakers.co.uk/