2024 North West Rainmaker Awards shortlist revealed
The shortlist has been revealed for the 2024 North West Rainmaker Awards.
More than 40 judges from across the region’s corporate finance sector met in Manchester to review the deals from the last 12 months, and to decide which teams and individuals have had the biggest impact.
The winners will be announced on Wednesday, July 3 at the Midland Hotel in Manchester. For more information and to book your tickets, visit the Rainmaker Awards website.
Michael Page is the headline sponsor of the North West Rainmaker Awards, with Dow Schofield Watts, Gateley Legal, Gilbanks, and Rowan also supporting the event. Experian is the event’s data partner.
TheBusinessDesk.com’s North West editor Michael Taylor said: “Thanks to our judges for being part of a lively shortlisting process which ensures the community recognises the outstanding achievements.
“We are looking forward to celebrating the very best of the region’s corporate finance community at the awards dinner in July.”
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The 2024 North West Rainmaker Award Shortlist
TEAMS
Regional Legal Team
Brabners
Browne Jacobson
Hill Dickinson
JMW Solicitors
Napthens Solicitors
Pannone Corporate
National Legal Team
Addleshaw Goddard
DLA Piper
DWF
Eversheds Sutherland
Pinsent Masons
Squire Patton Boggs
Regional Corporate Finance Advisory Team
Cortus Advisory
Cowgills
Dow Schofield Watts
Hurst Corporate Finance
MHA
Rickitt Mitchell
National Corporate Finance Advisory Team
Clearwater International
DC Advisory
EY
Grant Thornton
Houlihan Lokey
KPMG
PwC
VC/Private Equity Team
BGF
Foresight Group
LDC
Palatine Private Equity
Praetura Ventures
WestBridge
Debt Funder Team
HSBC
OakNorth Bank
Shawbrook
ThinCats
TDC
Virgin Money
Asset-based Lending Team
Arbuthnot Latham
Close Brothers Group
Cynergy Business Finance
Praetura Asset Finance
Secure Trust Bank
Shawbrook
Due Diligence Team
BDO
Cortus Advisory
Deloitte
Dow Schofield Watts
KPMG
Saffery
Tax Advisory
Alexander & Co
BDO
Claritas Tax
KPMG
PwC
RSM UK
INDIVIDUALS
Rising Star of the Year
Ryan Brown, Browne Jacobson
Tom Chappell, TDC
Grant Goodwin, LDC
Greg Holmes, Palatine
James Kennedy, Cowgills
Katie Parker, Addleshaw Goddard
Rachael Taplin, Palatine
Changemaker of the Year
Beth Houghton, Palatine
Catriona Lang, Dow Schofield Watts
Nicola Merritt, Cortus Advisory
Lucie Mills, NorthEdge
Rebecca Rennison, EY
Lizzy Tindall, Eversheds Sutherland
Rainmaker of the Year
Claire Alvarez, Foresight Group
Giles Chesher, Squire Patton Boggs
Sam Davies, Cowgills
Gary Davison, TDC
Andrew Feeke, MHA
Michael Loudon, Clearwater International
Nicola Merritt, Cortus Advisory
DEALS
Private Equity Exit of the Year
Anthesis acquired by Carlyle, with Palatine reinvesting
Eversheds Sutherland, Lazard, Deloitte
MSQ sold by LDC to One Equity Partners
Squire Patton Boggs, Houlihan Lokey, LDC, One Equity Partners
ONFAB sold by Foresight and sold to Savillex
Squire Patton Boggs, Dow Schofield Watts, EC Mergers & Acquisitions, Foresight Group, Savillex
Abbey Logistics acquired by Sitra Group from exiting investors NorthEdge Capital
DWF, KPMG, NorthEdge
Bright Futures Care sold by Livingbridge and management to Charme Capital Partners
Pinsent Masons, Macfarlanes, Clearwater International
Findel Education sold by Endless to Manutan International
Walker Morris, Clearwater International, Endless, Claritas Tax
International Deal of the Year
Bluestones Investment Group acquired Australasian Recruitment
Irwin Mitchell, Muckle, Tompkins Wake, Ryecroft Glenton, Translink Corporate Finance
ProofID acquisition of identity governance and administration integrator Regatta Solutions Group
Squire Patton Boggs, Brunel & Dunn
Trawlers, the acquisition vehicle of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the Chairman of INEOS Group, acquired 25% of Manchester United
Latham & Watkins, Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, Slaughter and May, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Cazenove, Raine Group LLC, Rothschild & Co – Red Football LLC
Instem takeover by ARCHIMED SAS
Squire Patton Boggs, Latham & Watkins, Archimed SAS, Moelis & Company UK, NM Rothschild & Son, Singer Capital Markets Advisory, Stifel Nicolaus Europe
Acquisition of Lookers by Global Auto Holdings
Eversheds Sutherland, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Simpson Thatcher, Numis, Peel Hunt, Jeffries
LBG Media acquisition of Betches Media, a US based media brand
Squire Patton Boggs, Zeus Capital
MSS Products and Bryden Capital aquired by Stellex Capital Management
Collas Crill, Hill Dickinson, King & Spalding, Ogier, Deloitte, HSBC, Jamieson Corporate Finance, KPMG
Small Deal of the Year (up to £10m)
Beth Tweddle Gymnastics sold to Gymfinity Kids
Hill Dickinson, Cowgills, CMS
Five Wealth receives development funding from Foresight Group
RSM, Foresight Group
Contollo Group acquired Abacus Cost Management backed by NorthEdge
BBS Law, Abacus Cost Management, DWF, Hill Dickinson, Alvarez & Marsal, Cortus Advisory, Langtons Corporate Finance, Mazars, Royce Peeling Green, NorthEdge, Claritas Tax
The Bury Black Pudding Company acquired by Panicium
Frontier Development Capital, Shawbrook, Squire Patton Boggs, gunnercooke, DTE Corporate Finance, Hurst Corporate Finance, Bexley Beaumont, Gateley
APEM Group acquisition of Nash Maritime backed by WestBridge Capital
Capital Law, Wallace, Dow Schofield Watts, WestBridge
Management buyout of Resulting IT backed by YFM
Brabners, Hill Dickinson, Alexander & Co, BDO, Blacksquare Advisory, Cortus Advisory, RSM, YFM Equity Partners
Medium Deal of the Year (£10m-£50m)
LDC investment into Uinsure
DLA Piper, Eversheds Sutherland, Deloitte, GP Bullhound, KPMG, HSBC, Santander UK, LDC
TDC supported LDC in its acquisition of a minority stake in Glasgow based, Kick ICT Group
DLA Piper, TDC
Palatine Private Equity Impact Fund invests in Roydon Recycling
RSM, Gateley, Squire Patton Boggs, PwC, RSM, Virgin Money, Sedulo, Palatine Private Equity, Addleshaw Goddard
BGF invests in Purple Wifi
DLA Piper, Hill Dickinson, GP Bullhound, Hurst Corporate Finance, PwC, Business Growth Fund
Waterland Invests in Cumbria Waste Group
Dow Schofield Watts, Waterland Private Equity Investments, Pinsent Masons, Hill Dickinson, DWF
Sales of Depotnet to Everfield, an Aquiline Capital Partners backed software acquirer
CG Professionals, MHA Moore & Smalley, Aquiline Capital Partners
Large Deal of the Year (over £50m)
Acquisition of Lookers plc by Global Auto Holdings
Eversheds Sutherland, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Simpson Thatcher, Numis, Peel Hunt, Jeffries
Castore secured £150m funding from backers Raine Partners, Hanaco Ventures, Felix Capital and MNL Nominees
Addleshaw Goddard, Felix Capital Partners, Hanaco Venture Capital, MNL Nominees, Raine Partners
Apadmi secures investment from CBPE
Weightmans, CBPE, Addleshaw Goddard, Deloitte, PwC, Clearwater International, Alantra
MSQ sold by LDC to One Equity Partners
Squire Patton Boggs, Houlihan Lokey, LDC, One Equity Partners
Anthesis acquired by Carlyle, with Palatine reinvesting
Eversheds Sutherland, Lazard, Deloitte
Click here to book your tickets for the July 3 awards dinner now.
