Solent Deals Awards 2022 finalists revealed

Finalists have been announced for the return of the Solent Deals Awards being held at the Hilton at the Ageas Bowl on 24 March this year.

Award sponsors and independent judges assessed over 230 entries from banks, lawyers, private equity houses, dealmakers, accountants and corporate finance specialists – across 14 award categories to decide their finalists.

The highlight in the local corporate finance calendar, the awards dinner will have over 300 dealmakers in attendance who will be able to cast their votes on the night to decide who wins the small, mid-range and large deals of the year.

Popular TV presenter Mark Durden Smith, famous for his rugby coverage on Sky, ITV and Channel 5, will also be returning – back by popular demand.

Visit the event website >>

The headline sponsor for this event is UBS and category sponsors are Azets, Barclays, Biscoes, Blake Morgan, CMA Recruitment, James Cowper Kreston, Meridian Corporate Finance, Pangea Life, Paris Smith and Shawbrook Bank

Peter Laurie, Senior Adviser at awards organiser The Business magazine said: "Despite the uncertainties of the last 18 months, the deals market has been very active and entries were of a very high calibre. I'd like to thank our sponsors and judges and in particular, our independent judges who reviewed all nominations to ensure the selection process was fair – we are hugely grateful for their input."

The finalists . . .

Large Deal of the Year (over £50m)

• CT Automotive Group IPO
• Data Techniques sale to North Group
• Harwood Wealth Management Group takeover by Hurst Point Group
• MBO of Austin
• Solent Global merger with Humble Group

Mid-range Deal of the Year (£10m-£50m)

• Halo Accident Repair Centre sale to IRS Group
• Imperial Car Supermarkets Group sale to Cazoo
• Lucketts Holdings sale to National Express Group
• MBO of GHG Solutions
• Onecom acquisition of Olive
• Talley Group sale to Direct Healthcare Group

Small Deal of the Year (under £10m)

• Growth capital investment into Outpost VFX
• MBO of Corrigenda Group
• MBO of Keytek Group
• Ski Weekends acquisition of Flexiski from Hotel Plan UK
• Team Healthcare Acquisitions sale to Bespoke Health & Social Care
• Terence O'Rourke Employee Ownership Trust

Bank of the Year

• Barclays Bank
• HSBC UK
• NatWest
• Santander
• Shawbrook Bank

Banker of the Year

• Ben Hyslop – HSBC UK
• Carey Moore – NatWest
• Sharon Murphy – HSBC UK
• Eleanor Thomson – Barclays Bank
• Jo Whatley – Hildart (prev. Santander)

Corporate Adviser of the Year

• Ian Barton – Quantuma
• Sami Fairris – KPMG
• Rob Holmes – Azets Corporate Finance
• Stewart Lambert – James Cowper Kreston
• Nigel Le Bas – Grant Thornton
• Philip Mettam – Meridian Corporate Finance
• Darren Miller – FRP Advisory
• Stuart Williams – James Cowper Kreston

Corporate Finance Team of the Year

• Azets Corporate Finance
• FRP Corporate Finance
• James Cowper Kreston
• Meridian Corporate Finance
• PKF Francis Clark

Due Diligence Team of the Year

• James Cowper Kreston
• PwC
• RSM

Law Firm of the Year

• BDB Pitmans
• Blake Morgan
• Moore Barlow
• Paris Smith
• Shoosmiths

Lawyer of the Year

• Richard Atcherley – Paris Smith
• Amanda Brockwell – Paris Smith
• James Hawkeswood – Blake Morgan
• Oliver Kelly – BDB Pitmans
• Stephen Porter – Shoosmiths
• Mat Wilson – Blake Morgan

Management Team of the Year

• CT Automotive
• Halo Accident Repair Centre
• Haskins Garden Centres
• LeMieux
• Lucketts Travel
• Onecom
• Serocor

Non-Bank Lender of the Year

• Arbuthnot Commercial Asset Based Lending
• BOOST&Co
• MSP Capital
• SME Capital
• ThinCats
• Triple Point Investment Manager

Private Equity Firm of the Year

• BGF
• Equistone
• LDC
• Livingbridge
• YFM Equity Partners

Young Dealmaker of the Year (under 35)

• Hattie Hole – Meridian Corporate Finance
• Michael Macintosh – KPMG
• Louis Nutland – Azets Corporate Finance
• Prabin Sunar – Meridian Corporate Finance
• Reuben Taylor – Quantuma