Thames Valley: The biggest corporate finance evening in a big year for deals in the south

“It’s been a very big year for dealmaking,” announced David Murray, publisher of The Business Magazine, as he welcomed guests to the 2016 Thames Valley Deals Awards at the Royal Berkshire Conference Centre.

Total 2015 deal values in the UK were up 20% on 2014 (itself a good year for deals) and globally 2015 was the best ever year for M&A. By volume the top UK deal adviser was Grant Thornton; with Gateley and Shoosmiths tied as top legal adviser.

In the south east, the most active financial adviser was BDO with 28 deals and Shoosmiths’ activities in 38 deals made it the foremost legal adviser*.

2015 was also the year of the ‘mega’ IPO, explained Murray, with major stock market flotations by Thames Valley companies Softcat and Sophos, with the latter achieving the largest ever tech IPO in London **.

Apart from all the vibrant deals activity, which prompted another huge sack of entries, the Thames Valley Deals Awards judges also noted a fresh trend in the region – a much larger number of deals in the over £25 million bracket.

“We are constantly aiming to refine these awards so that they reflect the market, so we will segment the Deal of the Year category further next year. We will include a Large Deal award, for deals over £100m, and at the other end, we aim to introduce an SME Deal of the Year for deals under £10m,” announced Murray.

“And, we also plan a Young Dealmaker category for deal originators and leaders under the age of 35.”

But, although welcome news, revamping award categories next year was not the celebration for which 300 guests had dressed up in their formal finery this year. It was the eagerly awaited announcement of the 2016 award winners that was creating the tangible energy of expectancy in the room

Murray thanked the judges “for their diligence and knowledge, without which the process of sifting through over 400 entries would be beyond us all.”

And, he asked those attending to thank the sponsors – BCMS, Gateley plc, Grant Thornton, HMT, HSBC, Penningtons Manches, PwC, Taylor Made Computer Solutions, UBS and Wilson Partners –  “for making the Deals Awards campaign happen.”

Then Murray welcomed to the stage the host and celebrity guest for the evening – the versatile television sport, news and game-show presenter Mark Durden-Smith – to get things underway. Awards took place throughout the evening, between courses of the gala dinner.

As is tradition at the Deals Awards, the one certain winner was the event’s chosen charity – Brain Tumour Research. Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer … yet figure in just 1% of the national spend on cancer research. Deals Award diners showed their generosity through personal donations, which raised a total of £3,214.60.

A list of the winners can be found on the Thames Valley Deals Awards website here.

*Experian/Corpfin

**PwC