Access to Finance: Confidence is key for deals

BUSINESS confidence and the regional deals market are being undermined by continuing predictions of economic doom, a panel of experts say in TheBusinessDesk.com’s Access to Finance supplement in association with Barclays.

Instead of struggling, many well-managed businesses have refocused in the last two years, and are now looking at growth opportunities, but are being discouraged from making positive decisions by too much negativity in the print media and rolling news channels, the panel agreed.

Michael Hartig, head of the Manchester team at Barclays said: “Lots of businesses are doing well but they turn on the TV and think ‘we must be the outrider’.

“We need more of these companies to say how well they are doing. The pipeline on the face of it is starting to build but sentiment is not helping matters.”

Damian Waters, regional director of the CBI in the North West, said the storm over executive pay and overly negative coverage of business was raising eyebrows overseas.

“Our Washington office is incredulous.They wonder what’s going on in
the UK and ask why we are so anti-business,” he said.

There was positivity from the panel, which included dealmakers, private equity investors and lawyers, regarding overseas trade buyers looking to buy assets in the UK.

Mike Reeves, managing director at Clearwater Corporate Finance in Manchester said: “If we look to India and China – that’s where interest and inward investment will come from.  Over the next few years we will see more China businesses making a move for businesses over here.”

Gregg Davison, corporate partner at Pinsent Masons, added: “The entrepreneurial spirit is quite alive with overseas buyers. With them, deals can be quickly done whereas UK buyers lack that confidence. “

Click here to download our Access to Finance Supplement produced in association with Barclays.