Surrey's vehicle collections firm Grosvenor Credit Management & Investigations becomes EOT

Business advisory firm Quantuma said it helped deliver the sale of Surrey-based vehicle logistics firm Grosvenor Credit Management & Investigations (GCMI) to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).

The sale of a company's shares to an EOT empowers employees by providing them with beneficial ownership of the company, aligning their interests with the company's long-term success.

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The transaction was delivered by Quantuma's corporate finance experts, managing director Adrian Howells, manager Richard Hill and assistant manager George Fawcett.

The team was supported by Daniel Sladen, managing director and Dominic Lay, associate director from Quantuma’s sister company, K3 Tax Advisory, along with managing director Karl Holmes of K3 Debt Advisory, who secured third-party funding from Allica Bank.

The founder and sole shareholder of GCMI, Ben Lee, realised the majority of his investment and will remain GCMI's managing director to provide continuity.

Lisa Pugh and Nigel Jackson will join him on the board of the TrustCo, acting as trustees of the EOT.
"We are delighted to have delivered this transaction for Ben and his team," said Adrian Howells.

"Employee ownership is gaining recognition as a powerful model for sustainable growth, as well as delivering a tax-efficient solution for exiting shareholders.

"We commend GCMI’s forward-thinking approach in embracing this strategy. We firmly believe that shared ownership will only enhance employee engagement and motivation, supporting GCMI’s continued success in the years to come."

Other well-known examples of EOTs include Richer Sounds and Aardman Productions (the producers of Wallace and Gromit).

Lee added: "This moment marks a significant milestone in our journey, and I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our incredible team and customers who have supported us on this journey.

"I am pleased to continue working alongside the team to deliver GCMI’s strategy.

"I would like to extend my appreciation to the Quantuma and K3 team, who provided exceptional deal support and invaluable guidance in delivering the transition to an employee-owned model."

GCMI, based in Addlestone, was established in 2004 and provides vehicle leasing companies with outsourced services, including vehicle collection, asset recovery, process serving, enforcement and customer tracing.

The EOT was delivered in partnership with sell-side lawyer Rebecca Burford, a partner at Charles Russell Speechlys and Jeremy Hyde, director at Howes Percival, who acted as a lawyer on behalf of the Trust.

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