Rainmaker of the Year champions resilience of NW investor market
The Manchester-based managing director of global investment bank GCA Altium, Simon Lord, hailed the resilience of North West investor market in the face of economic and political uncertainty in after being crowned Rainmaker of the Year 2017 at a glitzy award ceremony for the region’s corporate finance sector last night.
GCA Altium acted as financial adviser to shareholders of hospitality and hotel management company Guestline in securing investment from The Riverside Company.
It also acted as exclusive financial adviser to Mitrefinch, one of the UK’s leading developers of human capital management software, on its major investment from private equity house LDC.
In the climax to the event, sponsored by financial recruitment specialist Michael Page, at the Midland Hotel in Manchester, Lord joked: “I think to get this is very pleasing, but it might be a mistake.”
But he went on to say: “We’ve done some great deals, like the Mitrefinches and Guestlines of this world. But equally there’s been some other which have shown the strength of the local investor market in supporting high quality deals.
Lord said the businesses in the North West would continue to be unfazed by the political and economic uncertainties thrown up as a result of the inconclusive general election last week.
He said: “You’re in no better community to deal with anything that’s adverse in macro conditions because we deal in micro events and there are so many good businesses and so many good advisers that we will continue to feed each other and we’ll all continue to thrive.
“There’s probably about 15 private equity houses with boots on the ground and we get the guys from London coming up regularly and I think that will continue to grow the market.”
And he also paid tribute to his colleague Dominic Orsini, who was involved in the Guestline and Mitrefinch deals, as he was crowned Rising Star of the Year for the second year running.
“He’s a rock star,” said Lord. “But so are the rest of the team.”
Orsinis told the packed audience of more than 200: “The Guestline deal was super competitive, it drew attention from investors all across the UK.
“It was pretty challenging and there was a bit of a spotlight on us. Mitrefinch, we worked with that business for about two years to get it ready.
“I’ve absolutely no idea (why he won the award two year on the trot). I am very proud and genuinely surprised, especially when you see the competition in the room. I think it comes down to the team.”
