TRANSACTIONS

GHF Advisory has advised the shareholders of Finyx on a deal with Ekwithree Investments to take a stake in Finyx, to help provide the company with the funds to grow the business over the next 5 years and beyond.

 Finyx is a leading IT Management Consulting firm delivering sustainable digital and technology-enabled change to prestigious private and public sector organisations. Ekwithree is the management company for the E3 growth fund which has been established by successful entrepreneurs with a proven track record of building a global B2B service provider. The team at Ekwithree bring the financial means, know-how, ability and experience to help Finyx to scale and internationalise the business.

The deal positions Finyx as a “Platform Company” with a growth plan that includes investment in organic and non-organic growth. Over the coming years Finyx expect to see opportunities to grow their footprint across additional industries such as utilities and infrastructure, additional services including AI, Data and Cloud, and additional geographies, for example expansion into the EU.

The Ekwithree Leadership team said: “We have been thoroughly impressed by the outstanding professionalism and integrity of the Finyx leadership team. Their service offering, which addresses the increasing market demand, their strong reputation, and their strategic growth plan, all align perfectly with our values and vision. The market Finyx operates in is both dynamic and full of potential, and we are eager to explore the exciting opportunities for future growth and development together.”

The Finyx Leadership team said: “This partnership brings valuable expertise that will accelerate our expansion and strengthen our market position. With increased scale we can gain market share in new sectors and geographies and deliver bigger projects with material impact to our clients. Our tag line “small enough to care, big enough to depend on” summarises our aspirations for the firm and our differentiated cultural DNA. We will maintain the focus we have today but will be able to provide a wider range of services.”

Commenting on the role GHF Advisory played in the transaction, Phil Stewart, MD of Finyx, said: “Many thanks for your sage advice, expertise and steady hand through this complex transaction. We couldn’t have done it without you – and look forward to working with you in the future.”

GHF Advisory advised Bluprintx on securing a significant private equity investment from Palatine, a leading mid-market investor.

This investment is pivotal in supporting Bluprintx’s next phase of growth, enabling the company to expand its digital transformation services and continue its ambitious buy-and-build strategy. Palatine’s experience in scaling businesses within the technology sector will further enhance Bluprintx’s ability to innovate and serve a growing global client base. The partnership will also fuel Bluprintx’s expansion into new markets, including strengthening its presence in the US, Europe and Australia.

Lee Hackett, founder and CEO of Bluprintx, said: “Palatine’s backing is instrumental for Bluprintx as we continue to expand the services we offer to our customers. With this partnership and the subsequent acquisition of ITG Commerce, we are fortifying Bluprintx to give our customers direct and strategic support toward commerce objectives. We are expanding our pool of expert practices while making Bluprintx more accessible across the globe with stronger bases in the US and Hungary. It is the next step in our journey toward providing global enterprises with a full suite of digital transformations, and I am looking forward to working with both Palatine and with our new colleagues joining the Bluprintx Group from ITG Commerce.”

Discussing GHF Advisory’s role in the transaction, he added:

“Ed was already advising us on the acquisitions we continue to make and had successfully helped us complete the transaction with Definitive Results earlier in the year and was at the heart of the ITG Commerce process throughout. When it came to setting the business up for the next phase of growth, it was clear that we needed a similar level of third party insight and support to help us navigate the process. Ed has been instrumental in the deal with Palatine, advising us on all elements of the transaction process, working closely with the Bluprintx team and our other advisers, and interacting well with Palatine to ensure a successful outcome.”

Ed Groome, Managing Director of GHF Advisory, said: “This is a great outcome for everyone involved. Palatine is the ideal PE partner for Bluprintx given its experience in the sector and in buy & build. Combining the acquisition of ITG Commerce with the investment from Palatine made this a fairly complicated process but it’s been enjoyable and is great to have been a part of. Seeing both deals complete really sets the group up for the next phase of growth and I wish the Bluprintx, ITG Commerce and Palatine teams all the best with delivering that, almost certainly with some more M&A to come!”

GHF Advisory advised Bluprintx on its acquisition of global commerce business, ITG Commerce.

The acquisition, which brings ITG Commerce and its employees into the Bluprintx Group, strengthens Bluprintx’s offering in commerce to provide customers with more value, expanded services and greater coverage.  ITG Commerce represented the ideal opportunity for Bluprintx as a global commerce business with significant delivery capabilities and a proven track record.

The move sees Bluprintx incorporate ‘Commerce’ as a core practice, representing its importance in today’s enterprise environment. The expansion of Bluprintx’s commerce capabilities enables the company to deliver integrated solutions that connect to Adobe and Salesforce strategies. With a vision to support vendors and their customers equally, stakeholders across vendor-customer projects will have more opportunities to leverage Bluprintx’s operational and strategic expertise spanning a broad scope of digital transformation projects.  

Lee Hackett, Founder and Group CEO of Bluprintx, said: “We have previously used GHF Advisory to support us with an acquisition and it was fantastic to have Ed’s advice on the second deal we’ve completed this year. Ed has shown fantastic enthusiasm throughout this process and his drive to push the deal forwards and over the finish line has been invaluable. The coordination and project management of the process has been hugely important too as it has meant my focus has been on the business and the future integration, which it’s so important to get ahead of to really build value. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Ed and the team to anyone contemplating an acquisition.”

Ed Groome, Managing Director of GHF Advisory, commented: “I’ve really enjoyed working with Lee and the Bluprintx team on this second acquisition this year. The acquisition strengthens Bluprintx’s offering by incorporating Adobe Commerce as a core practice, cementing the company’s position as a leading Adobe partner, and continuing the global expansion with additional presence in the US and a core team now also in Hungary. I know the combined group will thrive and continue to offer world class digital transformation to its clients.”

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome advised Dartmouth Partners Ltd, a rapidly-growing, boutique recruitment consultancy, on its minority investment from Literacy Capital plc.

Dartmouth Partners is a leading recruitment firm that partners with ambitious, forward-thinking companies to help them recruit rising stars and future leaders. Founded in 2012 by Logan Naidu, the company has become the market leader in placing graduate to director level staff in the financial services, legal and corporate development and strategy sectors. Dartmouth Partners has offices in London and Frankfurt and ambitious plans to add new locations in the foreseeable future.

Partnering with Literacy Capital will support Dartmouth’s geographic and sector expansion and the company’s continuous investment in growing and developing its current teams.

Discussing the investment from Literacy Capital, Dartmouth’s CEO, Logan Naidu, said, “We’re greatly looking forward to working alongside them, disrupting the recruitment market and helping to achieve our ambitious goals and helping build our clients’ businesses.”

Literacy Capital’s Chairman and former Capita CEO, Paul Pindar, commented, “We look forward to working with Logan and the Dartmouth team. Logan has terrific ambition and the business has great potential. The next few years are likely to be a very exciting journey and we will provide all of the support that we can.”

Discussing the transaction, Ed Groome said, “It’s been a pleasure working with Logan and the team at Dartmouth to help them find the right solution for the next, exciting stage of the company’s growth. With Equiteq’s knowledge of this market, we were able to identify Literacy as the ideal partner to support their ambitious growth plans.”

Logan Naidu added, “Ed and the team have provided superb support throughout the past few months and, in Literacy, have found us an excellent partner for the next stage of growth.”

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome advised the innovative software testing consulting firm, The Test People (“TTP”), on its merger with Centre4 Testing, a specialist provider of software testing services.  Livingbridge, the mid-market UK private equity firm, invested in Centre4 Testing in February this year and remains a major shareholder in the merged group.

After a successful relationship spanning many years, TTP and Centre4 Testing will merge to create the largest, fastest-growing, privately-owned software testing company based in the UK. The organisation now offers a 350+ strong, UK-based team, providing a seamless transition between on & offsite testing and first-class expertise in the fields of technical, automated and performance testing. With offices in Leeds, Manchester, London and Brighton, The Test People & Centre4 Testing can also offer clients an even greater local presence.

TTP Managing Director, Gav Winter, commented: “The Test People has always had the desire to become the UK market leader in software testing so we couldn’t be more excited about the opportunities that our combined organisation creates; to meet the increasing demands of our clients, offer even greater career development for our people and to really start to change the UK software testing industry for the better on a much larger scale.”

Ed Groome, who led the deal team at Equiteq, said: “It was a pleasure working with Gav and his team on this transaction. The TTP shareholders have created a fantastic testing consultancy; merging with Centre4 Testing is the next step in that exciting journey. The enlarged business, with backing from Livingbridge, is well positioned for growth and set to consolidate its position as the UK’s leading software testing company.”

Gav Winter added: “Equiteq guided us through the process with a highly pragmatic and supportive approach, protecting us as individuals and ensuring the deal itself was done with the highest amount of collaboration possible.”

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome advised GBR Phoenix Beard Holdings Ltd, the specialist property consultancy, on its acquisition by Savills UK.

The combination of Savills and GBR Phoenix Beard will create a leading advisory firm in Birmingham, with a particularly strong position and client offering in property management, agency, building surveying and investment. With a reputation for providing high quality consultancy, property management, agency and transactional services, GBR Phoenix Beard is an independent, owner-managed business which operates nationally from offices in Birmingham, London and Leeds.

Its specialist teams cover commercial property management, office and industrial agency, investment, residential management, building consultancy, lease consultancy, rating, and health and safety services. The firm manages properties across the UK on behalf of retained clients including Columbia Threadneedle Investments, Standard Life Investments, Calthorpe Estates, Wesleyan and Scarborough Group, whilst the award-winning office agency team acts for a diverse base of clients such as M&G, Ballymore, CEG, Bruntwood, L&G and Ediston.

Talking about the acquisition, Mark Ridley, CEO of Savills UK and Europe, comments: “This acquisition is a unique opportunity to further strengthen our national multi-sector offer providing high quality staff and a first class client base with a strong level of recurring income.”

Simon Farrant, Managing Director at GBR Phoenix Beard, adds: “We are genuinely thrilled to be joining Savills, which reflects the high esteem in which our business and our team are held. Savills full-service business, global presence and highly developed infrastructure bring significant opportunities for staff and clients alike. This is a pivotal moment in GBR Phoenix Beard’s fifty year history and we are excited by the compelling proposition offered to our longstanding clients.”

Barry Allen, Head of Savills Birmingham, says: “Savills has an established reputation on both a national and regional platform and this acquisition will further strengthen both positions. The combination of the two businesses and our existing market relationships and expertise will create an impressive force in the market. I am very much looking forward to working with the GBR Phoenix Beard team to drive our already strong presence in Birmingham and the wider Midlands area to a new level.”

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome advised Suiko, a pioneer in lean approaches, oni ts acquisition by Turner & Townsend in a move that will see it embed the benefits of lean thinking into the delivery of capital programmes. The acquisition positions Turner & Townsend as the first independent construction consultancy to offer lean expertise at all stages of project delivery and into operations.

For nearly two decades, the Bath-based Suiko has been at the forefront of applying lean management techniques across a range of industries. First developed by Henry Ford and perfected by the global carmaker Toyota, lean strategies help large organizations to radically improve efficiency and collaboration – and minimize waste.

Founded in 1997, Suiko takes its name from a Japanese word for ‘performance’ and specializes in fostering operational excellence by helping its clients to increase performance and profitability. Its innovative approach has seen it deliver efficiencies for a string of global and household-name brands, as well as several leading construction contractors.

The integration of Suiko’s cross-industry experts into Turner & Townsend will create a unique proposition for the construction sector – allowing clients embarking on capital programmes to embed tried and tested lean techniques right from the start.

Vincent Clancy, Chief Executive Officer of Turner & Townsend, says: “The acquisition of Suiko is a step change for Turner & Townsend. The integration of lean expertise not only strengthens and differentiates our offering, but will also drive substantial progress in how programmes and projects are delivered.

Andy Marsh, Managing Director of Suiko, added: “Suiko and Turner & Townsend have a history of working together successfully, which shows the compatibility of our organizations and confirms the appeal of our combined expertise. Suiko built its reputation through the delivery of sustainable efficiency for a wide range of global brands, making us natural partners with Turner & Townsend. Our decision to join forces now is about the right fit, the right product, and at the right time. We’re hugely looking forward to becoming part of Turner & Townsend and building on our combined strengths to deliver better outcomes for more clients across more sectors.”

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome advised The Biotech Quality Group (BQG) on its sale to international engineering group, Assystem S.A.

From offices in Belgium, Switzerland and France, BQG specialises in performance management and regulatory compliance in Europe’s pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Since it was founded in 2011, it has developed a range of bespoke methods and tools aimed at increasing the maturity and transforming the practices of the (bio)pharmaceutical industry, reducing time to market and production stoppages, and effectively managing and remedying crisis situations. Assystem’s Energy and Infrastructure division specialises in the operational aspects of commissioning, certifying and validating drug and biopharmaceutical production lines, allowing manufacturers to comply with regulatory requirements.

The acquisition of BQG significantly moves Assystem forward in the implementation of its Life Sciences strategy of becoming a European leader in the areas of commissioning, certification, validation and regulatory compliance in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries in Europe and at further developing its Life Sciences engineering activities.

Fabrice Dekoninck, co-founder and CEO of BQG, said “I am delighted and proud that our company is joining the Assystem Group. We share the same project-focused culture in a highly-regulated industrial environment as well as the ability to work closely with our clients based on a true relationship of trust. The combination of our teams and expertise will enable us to offer the market a one-of-a-kind service offering, with integrated solutions across the whole drug lifecycle. Philippe Kalmbach, co-founder of BQG, added “We chose to work with Equiteq because of their deep expertise in the consultancy sector. Throughout the process, the team was on hand to support us and provide insight to facilitate a successful completion.”

Ed Groome commented “This is a significant transaction for BQG which leverages the commercial, technical and organisational synergies between BQG’s activities and Assystem’s existing operations in the Life Sciences sector. The transaction enables BQG to strengthen its position in its current markets, expand its services to provide clients with an end-to-end offer to address the major industry challenges, and creates a strong platform for future growth into new markets.”

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome advised P2 Consulting on a management buyout led by the existing management team and supported by Lonsdale Capital Partners.

London headquartered P2 provides senior project management support to international blue chip clients that are undertaking significant change initiatives. P2 has grown significantly year-on-year since being established in 2013 and currently generates revenues of around £10m, principally from clients in the financial services and consumer/retail sectors. With Lonsdale’s investment and wider support, P2 intends to accelerate its growth by expanding into new sectors and geographies, and capitalizing on attractive acquisition opportunities in a fragmented space.

Commenting on the deal, P2’s Managing Director, Douglas Elliott, said, “This is a very exciting new phase for the P2 business. With Lonsdale as our partner for growth, we look forward to achieving our ambition to become the world’s leading project and programme management company. We also look forward to taking advantage of significant growth opportunities whilst retaining our absolute focus on clients and our commitment to delivering the best possible outcomes for them.”

The founders will remain very involved with the business, with Pip Peel assuming the role of Chairman. Regarding Equiteq’s role in the transaction, he stated, “[they] ran a comprehensive process and, guided by them, we concluded that a private equity backed MBO would give the best outcome to shareholders, management and the company going forward. Ed introduced Lonsdale and we immediately recognised their experience and the cultural fit would make them the ideal partner.”

Ed Groome, who led the Equiteq team, commented, “Pip and his co-founders have built a very impressive business in a short space of time with deep expertise in project and programme management and a growing blue-chip client base as a result. With so much change and delivery required in today’s large corporates, P2, led by an impressive management team, is ideally placed to capitalize on the opportunity. Lonsdale’s investment enables management to take a greater role in the business and for the founders to realize some of the value they have created to date. We thoroughly enjoyed working alongside the team and believe that, in Lonsdale, we have found the ideal partner to help management realize their ambitions.”

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome advised Certeco, a business technology change consultancy, on its merger with P2 Consulting, the leading project and programme management consultancy. The deal is backed by Lonsdale Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on the lower mid-market.

Certeco is one the UK’s largest business technology change consultancies, providing specialist consultancy services to corporates in industries like banking, insurance, public sector, education and media. Certeco focuses on bringing certainty to business change programmes, helping clients with business restructuring, regulation and digital change.

Ed Groome and the Equiteq team had previously worked with P2 Consulting in 2016, advising the shareholders on a management buyout supported by Lonsdale Capital Partners. With Lonsdale’s investment and support, P2 continued its growth towards realizing its ambition to become the world leader in project and programme management.  Certeco approached Equiteq looking for an investment partner to further accelerate growth. Recognising that Certeco and P2 have a highly synergistic service offering and a complementary blue chip client base, it was clear that, together, a combined business would more rapidly accelerate to achieve the strategic objectives of all parties.

Augusto Negrillo, Chief Executive Officer of Certeco comments: “The transaction with P2 comes at just the right time in our growth trajectory. We have actively been seeking an investment partner to achieve our strategic ambitions.”

Ed Groome, who led the Equiteq team commented, “We have now advised on a number of transactions in this sub-sector of the consulting market. Having worked with P2 and Lonsdale in the past, we were uniquely positioned to advise Certeco on the merger. The two teams are highly complementary in terms of their market offering – combining them into a single, enlarged entity will undoubtedly drive more rapid value creation.”

Regarding the advisory team’s role in the transaction, Adam Ripley, Chairman of Certeco, stated, “They have expertly helped guide us through the process. With their sector knowledge, they quickly understood our business and what would drive value in a transaction. They already knew P2 and Lonsdale and, when they introduced them to us, it was apparent the strategic and cultural fit would be beneficial to both organisations.”

Pip Peel, P2 Chairman, added: “This is a great deal for us and we’re excited by the opportunities the enlarged business creates.– it’s a great deal for all parties.”

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome advised the shareholders of Aecus Limited, on its sale to The Hackett Group Inc.

Aecus is an award-winning European consultancy that helps clients optimize business process outsourcing (BPO), IT outsourcing (ITO) and robotic process automation (RPA) through benchmarking and implementation consulting. At the foundation of Aecus’ value offering is more than 15 years of quantitative market data on BPO and ITO agreements. This data is expected to be highly complementary to The Hackett Group’s broad expertise in global business services, and The Hackett Group’s data and insights regarding best practices to drive process-level efficiency and regional labour rates.

Discussing the transaction, Aecus Managing Director Rick Simmonds commented, “We are really excited by this – joining The Hackett Group represents a fantastic move forward for Aecus. The strength of The Hackett Group’s brand combined with the breadth of complementary services will enable us to serve our clients even more effectively and will provide our people with greater professional opportunities.”

David Dungan, The Hackett Group Vice-Chairman and COO, said of the transaction: “The Aecus acquisition is expected to significantly enhance our ability to support clients’ efforts in RPA, which is a critical element… There’s tremendous synergy between our two organizations.” David Ketchin, Managing Director of The Hackett Group’s European Practice, added: “We are delighted to welcome the respected Aecus team into our practice. This enhances the value that we can deliver to our clients at any stage of the outsourcing lifecycle.”

Ed Groome commented, “Completing this transaction is a great case study of how to support owners and meet their objectives by advising on the optimum value development plan and facilitating transactions through international M&A processes. In Hackett, we achieved a very satisfactory outcome for all Aecus shareholders and ensured the business is well placed to continue its growth.”

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome led a team that advised the founders of Acutest Limited on the sale of their business to Capita plc. Acutest is a leading IT systems testing consultancy, which focuses solely on testing software, business processes and IT, enabling its customers to achieve the benefits of technology-enabled change faster. The company’s customers range from start-ups through to blue chip multinational organisations. Acutest was founded by Tom Norris, Barry Varley and Lee Farman in 2002. The founders and the Acutest team will operate within Capita plc’s IT Professional Services division.

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome advised The NAV People (TNP) on its management buy-out, which was led by the existing management team and backed by investment from FPE Capital.

TNP is a leading value-added reseller of Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Dynamics 365 enterprise resource planning software, providing software, implementation and support services to mid-sized corporate clients, primarily in the UK. FPE is a private equity investor specializing in making investments into dynamic, growth companies in the lower mid-market in the UK. FPE is partnering with the existing TNP management team, which will continue to be led by CEO, Ian Humphries. Paul White has joined the business as non-executive Chairman. Paul was formerly Microsoft UK’s lead for the Dynamics product suite and brings 25 years’ experience in Microsoft Dynamics and broader Enterprise Software.

Ian Humphries, CEO of TNP, said: “We are very pleased to be in partnership with FPE who have shown a great understanding of our business model and enthusiasm to assist us in growing the business. FPE’s significant experience in enterprise software and with scaling businesses will help us to drive TNP to the next stage of growth.”

David Barbour, Managing Partner at FPE, commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with Ian and his team. TNP’s growth has been impressive in recent years, whilst its strong focus on team culture and service quality has driven industry leading customer satisfaction levels. We see TNP as uniquely positioned in the Microsoft ecosystem and look forward to driving the shift towards the next generation of the Dynamics NAV product set.”

Discussing the transaction, Ed Groome, Managing Director of M&A in Equiteq’s London office, said, “With a strong record investing into software and business services companies, FPE are the ideal partner to support Ian and the management team in the next period of growth for the company. It’s an exciting period of change across the Microsoft ecosystem and TNP is now exceptionally well positioned to exploit the opportunity.”

Ian Humphries added: “Throughout the process, Ed and the wider Equiteq team have understood our objectives and our concerns and guided us to make the right decision. Their introduction to FPE looks to be a pivotal moment in the TNP journey.”

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome advised Orbium, a business and technology consultancy to the financial services industry, on its acquisition by Accenture, a leading global professional services company.

Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Switzerland, Orbium has more than 500 employees and offices in more than a dozen cities across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the United States. Its clients include global tier-one banks, premium wealth managers and private banks. Orbium is the largest services provider for the Avaloq Banking Suite – a leader in digital and core banking software for the banking and wealth management industry, used by more than 150 banks and wealth managers worldwide. Orbium helps private banks and wealth managers improve their performance by aligning their business strategy with their operating model and technology architecture.

Michael Spellacy, Senior Managing Director and Head of Accenture’s Global Capital Markets practice, commented, “The wealth management industry is moving from high-cost, inflexible in-house and legacy solutions to packaged core platforms, software-as-a-service and business process outsourcing, which provide the modern open architectures required to deliver the new digital services the industry demands. As the leader in Avaloq implementation, Orbium has a unique combination of management consultancy, technology and program-management resources and capabilities that will enable us to accelerate and scale our services to the wealth management industry globally — bringing efficiency and enhanced customer experience to the next generation of wealth managers and their clients.”

Samir Gherbi, a partner at Orbium, said, “We are tremendously excited about the new opportunities that we will be able to bring to our clients and our people by becoming part of Accenture. In leveraging Accenture’s leading-edge capabilities, we will be able to significantly expand the reach and scope of our market solutions. Accenture and Orbium share a common focus: our clients’ success.”

Ed Groome, Managing Director of M&A in Equiteq’s London office, said: “It’s been a pleasure working with the Orbium partners and wider team. They have built an impressive business. With Accenture’s highly complementary offering, the team will be able to accelerate the next phase of its growth. We are excited about their future.”

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome advised JCRA, one of Europe’s leading financial risk management advisory firms, on its sale to Chatham Financial, a global financial risk management advisory and technology firm. Backed by Connection Capital since August 2017, JCRA’s sale has delivered attractive returns to the investor base of the private equity firm.

JCRA is a market leader in its field in the UK and Europe with an enviable international reputation, providing hedging and financial risk advice, including interest rate and foreign exchange advice.

After the combination, Chatham and JCRA will collectively serve over 3,000 clients and advise on more than 20,000 transactions with a notional amount in excess of $700 billion each year. The merged firm leads the industry in financial risk management expertise, transaction volume, and technology—providing clients access to the data, tools, and advice they need to manage financial risk.

JCRA’s Chief Executive Officer, Jackie Bowie, will join Chatham as Co-Head of Europe and commented: “We’re enthusiastic about the future. The combined team’s knowledge of the European markets, now supported by Chatham’s leading technology platform, will raise the bar for what clients expect when transacting in the debt and derivative markets.”

Regarding Ed Groome and the wider team’s role in the transaction, Ms Bowie added: “We have known the team for quite a few years and they had engaged with JCRA early on other aspects of preparation for exit. The team was on hand throughout the process and provided guidance to help us reach a successful conclusion.”

Miles Otway, Partner at Connection Capital, said: “JCRA’s sale to Chatham is a good deal for all concerned. Chatham is an excellent home for the business and will provide new opportunities for JCRA’s employees, as well as the resources to grow the business further in the EMEA region.” Commenting on the advisory team, he added they “showed commitment and determination throughout a complex transaction process. As a shareholder group, we were pleased to have their input and support.”

Ed Groome commented: “JCRA is an extremely high-quality advisory business which has an exciting future. We are delighted to have supported the management team, Connection Capital and the wider shareholder group throughout the sale process and wish Jackie and the team all the best for the future.”

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome advised Access Partnership, a global policy advisory firm to the technology sector headquartered in London, on its £13.1m minority investment from Mobeus Equity Partners, a leading UK-based private equity firm.

Access Partnership provides advisory services to many of the world’s largest technology companies on matters ranging from data policy to infrastructure regulation and compliance; Mobeus’s investment will enable the consultancy to expand its services both geographically and to the growing number of verticals affected by changing data rules.

Multinational firms not previously considered technology companies are increasingly affected by the scale and scope of regulatory and technology change. Access’s positioning at the heart of these complex issues coupled with its deep understanding of both policy and technical aspects of dataflows and data delivery systems has driven the company’s rapid growth, with revenues doubling over the last three years. The business manages its international service offering from offices in the US, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. This operational scope enables Access to serve its world-leading multinational client base wherever their policy needs arise.

Gregory Francis, Managing Director at Access, said, “Access is uniquely placed to capitalise on the significant market opportunity driven by regulatory and technology change. Having got to know the team at Mobeus, we are delighted to partner with them to make this happen.”

Freddie Bacon, Mobeus Investment Manager, said “We are excited to support Access as it continues its high-growth trajectory across international markets, underpinned by strong dynamics that favour the innovative solutions it offers. Access’s combination of technical skill, policy knowledge and extensive market experience sets them apart. Mobeus has built a strong relationship with the senior management in advance of this transaction and we are delighted to be partnering with Greg and his high-calibre team.”

In his previous role as Managing Director at Equiteq, Ed Groome advised Nicholas O’Dwyer, the Dublin-headquartered engineering and environmental consultancy, on its sale to RSK, a leading integrated environmental, engineering and technical services business.

Nicholas O’Dwyer provides water engineering, environmental engineering and civil and structural engineering services to public and private sector clients. The company was founded in 1932 by Nicholas O’Dwyer, a previous chief engineering inspector in the Department of Local Government and former president of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland. Over the past 88 years, it has transitioned into one of the largest independently owned engineering consultancies in Ireland. The company employs more than 200 staff across Ireland (Dublin), the UK (Newry and Birmingham), and Africa (Tanzania and Zambia).

RSK’s CEO Alan Ryder said: “Nicholas O’Dwyer’s excellent reputation, long history of success and position as a market leader in Irish water services make it an ideal business to welcome into the group. Nicholas O’Dwyer will expand RSK’s engineering capabilities and help to solidify our presence in Africa, so we are looking forward to exploring new opportunities.”

Richard Crowe, Managing Director of Nicholas O’Dwyer, commented: “Joining the RSK group boosts the capacity of Nicholas O’Dwyer to continue growing by giving us access to diverse talents and resources across the group and enabling us to provide a wider range of services to our clients. We share with RSK a commitment to solving our clients’ problems and a focus on a can-do approach to clients’ needs. This is an opportunity for us to develop skills and experience of talented people further through working on new and interesting projects in diverse disciplines.”

Ed Groome said: “We are very pleased with the outcome for the shareholders and wider team at Nicholas O’Dwyer. RSK’s complementary services and geographic coverage will create a number of synergies which will result in new opportunities and accelerated growth for the business. We wish Richard and the team every success moving forward as part of the enlarged RSK group.”

Consulting M&A, supported by GHF Advisory, advised Ecuity, the consulting experts in energy, mobility and environmental policy, on their acquisition by Gemserv. Ecuity’s extensive expertise in energy, mobility and environmental policy complements Gemserv’s established role as a manager of high-profile projects in the energy and other sectors.

James Higgins, Ilias Vazaios and Dave Sowden, Partners in Ecuity, who all take up senior positions in the combined business, said: “Becoming part of Gemserv offers an incredible opportunity to see evidence-based insight delivered through new transformational programmes and interventions. Over the last 10 years, we have helped clients across many sectors grow their businesses and position themselves better for policy and regulatory change. That has given us valuable insight which we can now deploy at scale by joining forces with Gemserv. Becoming part of a larger organisation will also offer greater career development opportunities for our talented and committed team”.

Alex Goody, Gemserv’s Chief Executive, said: “Climate change is an existential threat to our way of life. Organisations must adapt, bringing forward progressive policy and new business models, and acquiring Ecuity reinforces Gemserv’s position as a leader in supporting clients with the transition to net zero. We have been looking for the right match to meet our growth ambitions and to support our purpose of tackling social and environmental challenges. Ecuity is a great fit in terms of services, clients and the impact we want to have in transforming markets in the face of dangerous climate change”.

Discussing the advisory team on the deal, James Higgins, added: “They did a great job taking us through their process, including bringing other advisors in on legal and tax, to complete an outcome that works really well for shareholders, staff and clients.”

E4Tech, an energy and sustainability strategy consultancy specialising in innovative and disruptive low-carbon technologies, has been acquired by the world’s largest pure-play sustainability advisory firm, ERM. In May 2021 KKR, a leading global investment firm, announced it was acquiring a majority stake in ERM.

E4tech’s fast-growing team of 35 employees, based primarily in the UK and Switzerland, join ERM’s 1,600 experts in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. The acquisition will enable ERM to leverage E4tech’s unique capabilities to support its clients globally. The leadership team of E4tech join ERM as partners.

E4tech helps businesses and governments identify transition opportunities through the next generation of technologies designed to decarbonize key sectors of the economy. This includes new and emerging types of energy, alternative energy storage solutions, low-carbon chemicals and applications of these technologies in the transport, power generation and other energy intensive sectors.

Discussing the deal advisory team, Adam Chase, one of E4Tech’s 3 shareholders, said: “With their knowledge of the consulting market, and the environmental and renewables sector in particular, [they] were able to quickly help us to present the business to the acquirers in the best possible light, and lead us through the whole transaction to a great outcome for shareholders, acquirers, staff and clients.”

GHF Advisory, via a partnership with Quercus, advised the shareholders and management of Hunter Healthcare Resourcing Ltd, a fast-growing healthcare and life sciences recruitment business, on a management buy-out supported by Agathos Management LLP.

Hunter Healthcare is a London-headquartered, specialist healthcare recruitment business that places interim and permanent candidates into roles in the NHS, private healthcare and life science sectors. Hunter is known for its niche sector focus, high calibre candidates, depth of market knowledge, and the strength of its relationships with clients. Hunter has developed an exceptional position in healthcare recruitment for non-clinical roles, with revenues growing to £44m in the current financial year. Agathos’s investment will facilitate the management buy-out of Hunter Healthcare and support the senior leadership team in delivering ambitious growth plans.

Charles Oakshett, Partner at Agathos, commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with Ben, Damian and the team at Hunter. The business has consistently delivered an excellent service to clients seeking to attract the best talent in the market, and as a result has achieved rapid growth. We see an opportunity for Hunter to build its core business with its existing clients and candidates whilst also breaking into new, growing markets.”

Discussing the outcome of the transaction, Ben James, CEO, said: “We were in a fortunate position to have choice in who our private-equity partner could be, and it was clear early on that Agathos’s values, business ethics, operational experience and their genuine interest in our needs set them apart. We have worked incredibly hard to build Hunter to the business it has become, and we are hugely excited about what our exceptional team can deliver over the coming years as we pursue continued domestic and international growth along with personal choice for our employees and shareholders. We’re delighted to be joining forces with Charles, Will and the wider Agathos team.”

Ed Groome commented: “I’m delighted with the outcome of this process, for both the exiting shareholders and the management team who are going on to partner with Agathos for the next stage of their exciting growth journey. To echo Ben’s comments, we were pleased to have choice in the private equity sponsor to back Ben and the team, and I’m sure that Agathos will prove to be an excellent partner. It’s been a pleasure working with the Hunter team throughout the process and I wish them well for the next chapter.”

Commenting on Quercus’ role in the process, Gavin Johnstone, founder of Hunter Healthcare, said: “Ed and the team guided us through the transaction process and his knowledge and experience were a key factor in ensuring a successful outcome, which all the shareholders are delighted with.”

Ben James added: “Ed at Quercus was exceptional – being my first transaction, his knowledge across the entire life cycle of the process was invaluable and without his support this deal would not have happened in the way it did.”

We are delighted to have had the opportunity to support the founders of GoBe Consultants, the leading environmental consultants in the UK’s growing offshore renewable market, in their acquisition by the APEM Group, a world-class environmental and geospatial consultancy. GoBe’s team of 45, operating from offices in Devon and Glasgow, will join APEM’s team of over 300 staff. APEM themselves completed a management buyout in 2019 backed by private equity firm WestBridge.

GoBe provide informed and accurate advice as well as undertaking technical tasks, sharing their in-depth knowledge, and understanding of the consenting process for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) in particular. A driving factor in the decision-making process for Tim and Steve was the access to a large, international team to be able to deliver even more high quality strategic and project-specific planning and environmental advice.

APEM and GoBe have collaborated on many developments in the past, so the joining of forces is a meeting of minds and skills in its purest form. APEM Group’s CEO Dr Adrian Williams said: “We’ve worked with Steve, Tim and the rest of the team at GoBe for several years now so I’ve known for a while that together we’d be the ‘Dream Team’. I’m super excited by this move and believe that the coming together of two such highly respected organisations will provide an offering that is truly unique in the market.”

Discussing the advisory team on the transaction, Steve Bellew, one of the two GoBe founders said: “Their experience and advice ensured we achieved an optimal outcome whilst their knowledge, support and diligence ensured the process proceeded smoothly through the due diligence and final transaction process.”

Via its long-term partnership with Vivero, GHF Advisory is delighted to have supported ClearPeaks, a global specialist Business Intelligence, Analytics and Data Management consulting firm, on its strategic sale to synvert, a group of successful full-service Data and Analytics consulting companies.

ClearPeaks is the sixth company into the synvert group, creating a combined business of over 450 consultants in Data Engineering, Data Analytics and Cloud Consulting at 11 locations across Europe, the US, and the Middle East, and with over 250 customers, making it a truly global Data Analytics group.

ClearPeaks is a specialist consulting firm delivering services and solutions in “Everything Data” – Business Intelligence, Advanced Analytics, Big Data & Cloud and Web & Mobile Applications. Founded in 2000, ClearPeaks has been a trusted partner to its customers in over 15 industry verticals and functional areas, with operations spanning Europe, the Middle East and the United States.

ClearPeaks services are based on the latest market-leading enterprise technology platforms and are delivered by a dynamic team of expert consultants. Their strength lies in their ability to efficiently deliver customer insight and value, gained through our decades of experience with real-world challenges.

Gordon Cardiff, founder and Managing Partner of ClearPeaks, said: “We are very happy to be part of the synvert group. This really is a win-win-win opportunity – for our customers, our employees and our technology vendors.Our group goal of passing the 1,000 employee mark, consisting of pure data and analytics experts, positions us in an exclusive band of high quality implementation partners with specialties in all leading edge technologies and with industry vertical and functional core business knowledge to offer to our customers.The synvert executives are like-minded in terms of customer focus, employee satisfaction and delivery quality commitment which has made our integration so natural and fitting.”

Ed Groome, supported by Augusto Negrillo of Vivero and Jacqui Sim of Growth Path Partners, advised the founders of LACE Partners, the leading consultancy in the HR transaformation space, on its minority investment from Mobeus, a specialist investor in the UK SME market, with expertise backing and growing human capital businesses.

LACE was founded in 2014 by Aaron Alburey and Cathy Acratopulo, after successful careers at international consultancies. LACE has since established itself as a specialist leader in the HR consulting market, with an impressive client list consisting of large corporates and multinational clients. LACE leverages the experience and thought leadership of its highly skilled staff base to support CPOs and CHROs and their HR teams to deliver on their strategic aims.

The investment from Mobeus represents the first external investment for LACE and will enhance its offering to People functions across all industries. It comes at a point when the HR transformation market has significantly grown and will support LACE in expanding the capability and scale of its practice areas, to deliver against the increasing demand for its services, through organic and acquisitive growth.

Discussing the transaction, Ed Groome said: “It’s been a pleasure working alongside Aaron and Cathy and the wider LACE team to help deliver this transaction. Given the market opporutnity and LACE’s impressive track record, it was clear that external funding and a supportive partner would provide an opporutnity for a step change to LACE’s growth. Mobeus were able to demonstrate their experience early in the process and will undoubtedly be a great partner in the next stage of LACE’s growth.”

Describing the team’s role in the transaction, Aaron and Cathy commented: “We have been working with the team on assessing our strategic options and growth strategy and have been impressed by the sector knowledge and corporate finance experience that they have shown. The transaction experience and insight into private equity has really helped us navigate the process and the support and advice we have received has been critical in securing this fantastic outcome.”

GHF Advisory, in conjunction with Consulting M&A, advised Alex Coburn, the owner of cyber security business ThreeTwoFour, on the company’s acquisition by Node4, a cloud-led digital transformation Managed Services Provider backed by Providence Private Equity.

ThreeTwoFour is renowned for its extensive suite of information security services, including programme delivery, cyber strategy, risk and control assessment and governance. Its strong experience across the financial services sector and expertise in M&A Cyber Due Diligence, broadens Node4’s reach and expertise, adding further capabilities to the Node4 solutions and services portfolio.

Alex Coburn, Founder of ThreeTwoFour, commented: “We are delighted to join forces with Node4, whose reputation for customer-focused excellence is second-to-none across the UK technology industry. By integrating our expertise and Node4’s existing services portfolio, we are confident that we can deliver market-leading security and risk solutions for enterprises and SMEs alike.”

Discussing the advisory team on the deal, Alex Coburn added: “Ed and Bruce were extremely supportive and flexible throughout, and were assertive in looking after the interests of ThreeTwoFour, both in the short term as we got the deal done, but also ensuring that the working relationship after the transaction will maximise value for everybody involved: not just us, but also the new owners, and our clients.”

A team led by Ed Groome advised the shareholders of NASH Maritime on the company’s sale to APEM Group, a portfolio coimpany of Westbridge Capital.

NASH Maritime are the specialist shipping, navigation and maritime risk consultancy, whose offering to the global offshore wind and maritime infrastructure sectors is in high demand with the growth in that sector. APEM Group is a leading global technical consultancy providing expert advice to clients in a wide range of industries including water, renewables, power and utilities, marine and ports, transport, construction and development.

Jamie Holmes, co-founder of NASH Maritime said: “Joining the APEM Group is an exciting next step in the journey for us at NASH Maritime and so a huge thank you to Bruce and Ed for their excellent support and good humour throughout. Bringing their trusted expertise in at the earliest stages was invaluable and, in particular, their proactive guidance throughout due diligence and into deal completion helped minimise disruption to the ongoing business and ensure a great outcome. Highly recommended!”

Through its partnership with Consulting M&A, GHF Advisory supported the sale of GCC, a leading Microsoft and Sage Business Applications Solutions and Managed IT Services provider, to Xperience Group, the Bowmark Capital backed digital solutions specialist that has grown organically and through acquisition to over £30m in revenue.

GCC is a leading Business Applications Solutions (ERP and CRM) and Managed IT Services provider, supporting over 600 clients in complimentary sectors to Xperience including: Not for Profit, Professional Services, Wholesale, Distribution and Financial Services.

Ed Groome, who led the completion of the transaction, said “It’s been a pleasure working with Chris and the wider GCC team over recent months, initially to find the best buyer for the business and then to deliver the completed deal. Xperience is the ideal home for GCC, with a deep market knowledge and an appetite for growth that will ensure GCC’s customers and employees thrive.”

Chris Harthman, CEO at GCC, said “Bruce and Ed helped ensure we found the best buyer for GCC to secure its future and optimise the outcome for all parties. Their continued support and advice throughout the due diligence and execution phase was second to none.”

GHF Advisory advised Bluprintx on its acquisition of Definitive Results, the Virginia-based marketing automation business.

Empowering global enterprises to achieve improved productivity, revenue growth and people growth, this latest acquisition further enhances Bluprintx’s ability to align people, workflow, technology, and data for growth-focused businesses.

As an Adobe, Hubspot, Oracle and Salesforce partner, the acquisition of Definitive Results bolsters Bluprintx’s existing marketing automation and cross-platform capabilities. Expanding Bluprintx’s team of certified consultants, Definitive Results brings additional Marketo Certified Experts, Hubspot and Eloqua certified individuals. 

Lee Hackett, Group CEO, Bluprintx said: “With a growing client base in North America, it was strategically important for us to increase our footprint in the region, and ensure we have the right expertise on the ground. Bringing the geographical reach and marketing automation capabilities we needed, Definitive Results are also an excellent fit culturally. We are both tightly aligned around the game changing outcomes that Bluprintx delivers – productivity improvement, revenue and people growth. Like us, Definitive Results are focused on delivering these outcomes, have deep technical expertise and build long-term relationships with their clients.”

Founded in 2012, Definitive Results has established a high-profile and long-term client base. Carly Schrager, CEO, and team have become part of the Bluprintx family: “We’re looking forward to exploring new and exciting opportunities to work with our existing clients, tapping into the expanded technology expertise that Bluprintx brings to the table,” comments Carly. 

Discussing the transaction, Ed Groome said: “This has been a fantastic transaction to work on, with some clear growth potential and cross-sell synergy opportunity for the combined business providing a real opportunity to drive value.”