TRANSACTIONS

GHF Advisory advises CIL, the global growth strategy consultancy, on its acquisition of specialist pricing consultancy, Pearson Ham

GHF Advisory is pleased to announce that its client, CIL Strategy Consulting, has acquired the business and assets of Pearson Ham Consulting, one of the Europe’s best-known specialist pricing consultancies.

The acquisition strengthens CIL’s value creation capability, a core growth area that has seen significant investment in recent years, and adds further depth in pricing and commercial performance improvement.

Pearson Ham has built a strong reputation advising clients across sectors including retail, consumer goods, B2B services and subscription-based businesses. Its team helps organisations improve pricing strategy, delivery and governance, supported by proprietary tools, experienced consultants and long-standing client relationships. The acquisition includes all of Pearson Ham Consulting’s employees, adding around 30 people to CIL’s Pricing team.

While CIL Strategy Consultants remains the main firm-wide brand, the Pricing & Commercial Excellence team will now go to market as CIL Pearson Ham. This gives the pricing practice a clear market-facing identity that brings together the strength of both brands.

Clients of both firms will be able to draw on a broader, connected offer, from market entry and growth strategy through to pricing design, implementation and value creation. With teams across Europe and the US, CIL Pearson Ham will help clients link strategy and pricing more closely, turning sharper insight into practical commercial action.

Jon Whiteman, Managing Partner at CIL, said: “This acquisition reflects the confidence we have in pricing as an important growth area for CIL. Clients are facing more pressure to improve commercial performance, and CIL Pearson Ham gives us a stronger platform to support them across strategy, value creation and pricing.”

Commenting on GHF Advisory’s role in the acquisition, Jon added: “GHF Advisory’s experience in this sector, combined with the team’s hands-on approach to transaction execution and project management, meant they were a natural choice for us when selecting an adviser to help us with this acquisition. Ed and Nicole were instrumental in structuring the deal and moving at pace when it mattered.”

Ed Groome, Managing Director at GHF Advisory, said: “It has been fantastic to work with CIL, one of the leading growth strategy consultancies, to help them build additional scale in a strategic growth area. The Pearson Ham team brings valuable additional pricing experience and capabilities to CIL’s existing offering. CIL will provide a great home for the Pearson Ham team and clients. Congratulations to all parties!”

GHF Advisory is pleased to announce that our client, Selbey Anderson, has completed the sale of Greentarget UK (GT), one of the UK’s leading specialist financial and professional services communications agencies.

GT has been acquired by Infinite, the US-headquartered communications and reputation management firm recently backed by ParkSouth Ventures.

Founded in 2006 and based in the City of London, GT has deep expertise in international financial markets with a multilingual team advising clients across banking, investment management, hedge funds, fintech, and professional services. With the acquisition, GT Managing Director Jeff Watt joins Infinite’s management team and will lead European operations.

The transaction more than doubles Infinite’s footprint in London and positions Infinite as a fully integrated, full service agency for asset and wealth management firms and other capital markets and financial services participants across the UK, continental Europe, and North America.

Jamie Diaferia, Founder & CEO of Infinite, said: “GT’s expertise, senior-led approach and strong culture make them an ideal fit for Infinite.”

Jeff Watt, Managing Director of GT, said: “For nearly two decades, GT has advised some of the most complex and influential organizations in finance. This next step gives our team the opportunity to build on that experience as part of an ambitious international platform, with scale and broader opportunities for our clients and colleagues.”

GHF Advisory advised the GT management team and the company’s shareholder, Selbey Anderson, on the sale.

Discussing GHF Advisory’s role in the transaction, Jeff Watt commented: “Throughout this process GHF Advisory has been a trusted adviser to GT, helping us identify the best home for our business and shape a transaction that supports our strategic priorities and long-term success.”

David Rainbow, CFO of Selbey Anderson, added: “We’re delighted with this outcome and look forward to seeing GT thrive under new ownership. GHF Advisory’s understanding of the GT business, the services and revenue model, and the wider market dynamics, was critical in getting this transaction over the line.”

Ed Groome, founder and Managing Director at GHF Advisory, said: “It has been a pleasure to support Selbey Anderson on this important divestiture. The combination of GT with Infinite creates a powerful platform, establishing the enlarged business as a premier transatlantic strategic communications agency.”

GHF Advisory is delighted to announce that it has acted as the exclusive Corporate Finance advisor to JJC FinTech, on its sale to Bain & Company. JJC FinTech is a London-based boutique financial services consulting and technology firm with deep industry experience in Client Lifecycle Management (CLM) and Anti-Financial Crime.

The transaction enhances Bain’s ability to help global financial services clients improve and accelerate their Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-money laundering (AML) processes and deliver better customer experience.

Discussing the transaction, JJC co-founders Jon May and Jon Wilson commented: “Blending Bain’s world-leading strategic thinking with JJC’s deep practical industry expertise in the financial crime and Client Lifecycle Management domain will help turn clients’ ambitions into real world results.”

GHF Advisory deal team was led by Ed Groome and Nicole Wish, with legal advice from Ilya Alexandrov and Alexandra Nicolls from Wallace LLP. Congratulations to the JJC founders Jon May and Jon Wilson for building a fantastic business and securing a great new home for yourselves and the team.

Ed Groome, Managing Director of GHF Advisory, commented: “It was clear to us from the first discussion with Jon and Jon that there was a very deep and synergistic relationship between JJC and Bain. It’s been a pleasure working with the JJC and Bain teams to turn that into a transaction structure that works so well for all parties. JJC is a fantastic business with deep industry experience and will undoubtedly thrive as part of Bain.”

Commenting on GHF Advisory’s role in the process, Jon May & Jon Wilson, founders of JJC, said: “GHF Advisory has been a true strategic partner on this transaction journey. Their deep understanding of our business and the wider sector, combined with a hands-on and committed approach, meant they advised, challenged and supported us at every step. The team’s strategic guidance was instrumental in us achieving this successful agreement with Bain.”

GHF Advisory advised on the sale of A.I. PR, the London-based luxury fashion PR agency. A.I. PR  has merged with LUCIEN PAGES COMMUNICATION following its acquisition by The Independents, the luxury agency backed by Towerbrook Capital Partners and Banijay Group.

A.I. PR was founded by Adam Iezzi in 2005 and has become known for its curation of industry-leading fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands within the luxury market. A commitment to best-in-class communications, combined with a very personal touch, has ensured the delivery of meaningful PR campaigns rooted in authentic storytelling and activations.

Lucien Pagès Communication is a public relations agency founded in 2006 in Paris with a wide-ranging portfolio of leading brands as well as young emerging fashion and luxury brands that have become industry references. Lucien Pagès Communication joined The Independents in December 2024. The Independents Group is a global collective for industry leaders across brand experience, strategy, design and production for luxury and lifestyle brands. Since June 2023, The Independents Group is backed by Banijay Group and Towerbrook Capital Partners.

Commenting on the deal, Adam said: “I have worked with Lucien Pagès for more than 15 years and I couldn’t think of a more natural partner for the next chapter of my agency. Soon after meeting Lucien, I noticed that we shared common values. A commitment to the highest possible standards of communication, a passion for creativity and a strong work ethic. He became an ally in business and even more a friend. Thanks to Lucien Pagès global reach and the wider network of The Independents, I will be able offer an even stronger service to my clients, while maintaining and strengthening my team.”

Ed Groome, Managing Director of GHF Advisory said: “This has been a great deal to work on. We have secured a fantastic outcome for Adam, ensuring all his objectives were met. Merging with Lucien Pagès, with the support of the Independents, positions the company in the strongest possible position for the future.”

Discussing GHF Advisory’s role in the process, Adam added: “Many thanks to Ed and the wider deal team. He really helped me navigate this process and achieve a great outcome.”

GHF Advisory advised TSG on the successful acquisition of Bristol-based Computer Geeks. This was TSG’s second successful acquisition since the investment from Pictet Group in 2024.

Computer Geeks is a well-established Managed Service Provider driven by customer satisfaction, with a strong focus on the Microsoft ecosystem within cloud, workplace and security, which aligns well with TSG’s service offering and values. The partnership enhances TSG’s managed services platform, strengthens its cyber security offerings, and boosts the company’s presence further in the South West.

Rory McKeand, TSG CEO said:  “We are thrilled to have Computer Geeks join TSG. During our due diligence, we found that the brilliant teams are considered trusted advisors by their clients. Like us, they have a world class NPS score, and our values align with helping ambitious businesses. Computer Geeks is a high-quality modern Microsoft cloud and modern workplace provider that is secure by design. The company became one of a handful of IT companies in its region to achieve National Cyber Security Centre Assured Service Provider status, the endorsement is a testament to Computer Geeks’ passion and expertise in cyber security protection.

Nick Richards, Manager Director at Computer Geeks commented on the deal: “We’ve found an excellent new home for the business and have been really impressed with TSG in all of our dealings so far. We can see clear similarities with our already existing solutions, as well as a portfolio of new services that will benefit our clients.  TSG and Computer Geeks share the same values, employ like-minded individuals and are focused on client satisfaction.  As part of TSG, I am looking forward to ensuring a smooth transition and integration – our clients and employees can be reassured that I will be working tirelessly to ensure this goes well.”

Ed Groome, Managing Director of GHF Advisory, commented: “This is a meaningful deal for TSG building on a history of organic and acquisitive growth. I’m delighted that GHF Advisory was able to play a part in that ongoing journey, helping to bring these great companies together. The combined organisation will go from strength to strength as one of the country’s leading MSPs.”

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 was part of the team that advised the shareholders and management team of award-winning Interactive Workshops in the company’s sale to Cegos. This acquisition consolidates the positioning and activities of Cegos in the United Kingdom, where its teams have been supporting organisations in their transformations for several decades through skills development. Interactive Workshops, which brings together a team of 30 talented people based in London and New York, designs and delivers learning solutions in the areas of leadership development, sales, team building and personal development. The company enjoys a strong client portfolio and supports renowned international companies in their Learning & Development programmes. Cegos UK and Interactive Workshops will merge and Jonna Sercombe, Founder and CEO of Interactive Workshops, will take the helm of the new organisation.

Emanuele Castellani, member of the board of Cegos Group, said: “The acquisition of Interactive Workshops is part of our logic of external growth and strengthens our position in the United Kingdom, a growing market where we have been present for several decades. By bringing together the teams and know-how of Cegos and Interactive Workshops, we wish to capture the full potential of the British market: it is a market which has leading companies in many sectors, is often a pioneer in terms of training and is absolutely key for all our international customers. The presence of Interactive Workshops in New York is also an asset since Cegos has worked for a long time and very regularly in the United States for its clients. I have every confidence in Jonna Sercombe and all the teams to lead this new stage with enthusiasm and success.”

Jonna Sercombe, Interactive Workshops CEO and Founder, said: “It has always been a dream to take our offering global. This merger with the Cegos Group increases our joint global possibilities. It allows Cegos to assert its position in the United Kingdom and the United States and it allows us to access the international network of experts, partners and customers of the Cegos group. Our teams are united around common values, and our offers are extremely complementary. I’m very excited to be part of a best-in-class organisation that is committed to outstanding learning and growth”.

Commenting on the advice throughout the transaction process, Jonna said: “Bruce and Ed were absolutely fundamental to getting this extremely exciting acquisition to happen in the best possible way for all parties. They are brilliant”.

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!”

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.”

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 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 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 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 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 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 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.”