The key to a successful acquisition – and other hot topics at our SME strategy seminar
TheBusinessDesk.com and JMW are holding a seminar looking at key strategies for ambitious businesses.
Caroline Grant who runs the Slalom Manchester business will be speaking. Slalom is a purpose led global business and technology consulting organisation. It has a ~120 strong team in Manchester that help local customers in the North West dream bigger, move faster and build better tomorrows.
Caroline has an 18 year global career in business and tech consultancy. She started her career delivering large scale technology programmes for customers in the Energy and Natural resource space then pivoted towards new Cloud based Tech and analytics programme management, client account leadership and then portfolio and practice management.
She is keen to talk about how AI is now starting to dominate the type of support that Slalom now offers it’s future and existing clients and Caroline is excited to talk about what trends she is seeing from her customers in this space.
The impressive line up of speakers also includes Leah McGimpsey who leads private equity backed APEM, which with backing from WestBridge has grown from a small consultancy into a £60 million turnover Group employing over 600 scientists and technical specialists in the UK, Europe, USA and Australia.
A former Team GB water polo player, she has developed and launched the group’s five- year growth strategy focused on the quality and scientific integrity of the Group, and delivered a pipeline of complimentary M&A opportunities, culminating in its recent acquisition of Aspect Ecology – it’s sixth in 2 years.
Since receiving private equity investment from WestBridge in 2019, APEM has seen its revenue grow.
Based in Stockport, APEM started out as a small niche consultancy in 1987 and has grown to a global environmental consultancy, working for clients across Europe, the US, Australia, and Asia, with offices in the UK, Ireland and the United States.
In 2021 APEM acquired Woodrow, an environmental and sustainability consultancy based in County Sligo, Ireland and in February 2022 bought AQUAFACT, then GoBe Consultants.
APEM’s chief strategy officer, Leah McGimpsey, said a £50m funding package has given the business additional debt capacity through an accordion facility from Tikehau Capital, with an additional £7.5m working capital facility from Virgin Money to accelerate its ambitious growth strategy.
Marc Yaffe is the Managing Partner of JMW having been appointed to the role in November 2022. He has played a pivotal role in the growth and development of the firm over the last 10 years with the firm now having some 750 members of staff and a turnover of £75m across offices in Manchester, London and Liverpool.
He is a prolific networker and well known across the Manchester business community. More recently he has become actively involved in the growth of Padel across the North West and is involved in a number of initiatives to promote the sport. More recently he has been appointed a Governor at Manchester Grammar School and is a former pupil.
