Southampton: Simon Davies joins Grant Thornton

Grant Thornton has appointed one of the South’s leading corporate financiers – Simon Davies joined the firm as a partner on 1 January.

Davies is highly experienced having qualified as a banker in addition to being a corporate finance accountant, with over fifteen years experience in the local market. He has also built up his own business and personally gone through a disposal so he understands the corporate finance sector from all sides. Therefore he has a unique insight into the real issues affecting both shareholders and management teams alike. Some of his recent deals include the disposal of businesses that are ‘household names’ in the local business community, such as the sale of Jayhards plumbers merchants to City Plumbing and the MBO of Sunseeker Sales Group.

Adrian Smith, regional head of corporate finance for Grant Thornton in the South said: “I am delighted Simon is joining the firm. We have ambitious plans to invest and grow our team across the region, which now comprises some 30 corporate finance specialists based in Southampton, Bristol and the Thames Valley. Simon has a very strong and successful track record in the Southampton and Thames Valley markets and his recruitment is an important part of this continuing investment."

Davies said: “Grant Thornton on the South coast has a good critical mass of experienced people as well as the strength and depth that comes with a national firm and international network. I believe this puts us in a unique position to really deliver what the local market needs. "

“Corporate finance activity across the South is buoyant. There is potential for all sorts of deals – acquisitions, disposals and flotation's – of all sizes. But the market is competitive. The firms that will thrive will be the ones that can identify and then originate deals. Our strategy is to leverage our in-house research team to do just this and take opportunities to business owners, venture capitalists and other financial backers.

“I am looking forward to joining Grant Thornton and working alongside the team so we all achieve our true potential.”

Simon Davies is 42 and married with four children. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and of the Chartered Institute of Bankers.

He began his career with a Big 4 firm where he qualified as an accountant before moving on to join Bank of Scotland. He then joined another Big 4 practice and set up a corporate finance team in the Thames Valley before starting his own business – DHD Corporate Finance. This grew to have 13 employees and two offices and was sold in October 2001 to Tenon Group plc.