RG Corporate Finance (RGCF) has demonstrated its capabilities as a leading full-service corporate finance boutique, having announced a hat-trick of transactions in the first three weeks of 2022.
The Newcastle based CF boutique announced that it advised on HW Global’s acquisition of London based digital agency Osmii and eQS’ acquisition of Challenge Consultancy, whilst also advising the shareholders of Bristol based eProcurement software business, Market Dojo on the sale of the business to overseas listed Esker, all within the first three weeks of the year.
In addition to RGCF acting as lead corporate finance adviser on each of these transactions, RGCF provided each of its clients with Transactional Tax advice, whilst also carrying out financial and tax due diligence on behalf of eQS and HW Global, enabling each of these transactions to be delivered in-house by RGCF in an efficient and timely manner.
eQS’ acquisition of London based Challenge Consultancy was the fourth acquisition made by the North East based Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) specialist since its MBO and £20m debt raise in December 2020, which RGCF advised on.
Throughout this 13-month period RGCF has advised eQS and its management team on the development and execution of its buy-and-build strategy, leveraging RGCF’s dedicated in-house research capabilities to identify and approach a number of off-market targets, which met the acquisition criteria set by the Board and which included Challenge Consultancy, a business that provides diversity, equality and inclusion training and consultancy services.
As well as acting as Corporate Finance lead adviser on this acquisition, as well as all of eQS’ acquisitions to date, RGCF provided transactional tax advice and carried out financial and tax due diligence.
Carl Swansbury, Partner and Head of Corporate Finance at RGCF, who personally led on each of these three transactions, said: “These transactions highlight the level of M&A activity that we can expect to see continue throughout 2022 in certain sectors, such as Technology, Human Capital, Healthcare and Professional Services. They also demonstrate RGCF’s expertise and ability in developing long-term strategic relationships with clients, with our ultimate focus being the creation and demonstrable improvement of shareholder, or equity value.
“Our full-service CF boutique of 22 talented and experienced CF professionalslast year advised on a total of 42 M&A transactions, which included acquisitions, disposals, MBOs, MBIs and debt/equity fund raises across a range of geographies and sectors, including technology, human capital, manufacturing and engineering, healthcare and professional services.
“2022 represents another exciting year for RGCF, and M&A more generally. We have an exceptionally strong pipeline of M&A transactions for the coming months, which will lead to us advising on a range of high-profile deals that will enhance and help realise the scale-up ambitions of businesses and entrepreneurs in the North East and across the UK.”