Prolific GT tops deals league

ACCOUNTANCY firm Grant Thornton is celebrating topping the Experian CorpFin league table as the number one financial adviser to UK companies by deal volume for the fourth year in a row.

The firm, whose national head of corporate finance is Manchester partner Ali Sharifi advised on 128 publically disclosed deals in 2015.

Significant regional transactions last year include advising Palatine Private Equity on its investment in Stockport-based Character World and US investor Riverside on its  investment in Brookson Group.

The Experian CorpFin data shows the UK deal market is the most active it has been since the beginning of the financial crisis producing a 56% increase in total deal value on 2014 and reaching the highest recorded total since 2000.

A 10.3% increase in the total number of deals completed in the market indicates the strength of the economy despite the political uncertainty caused by the general election in the first half of the year.

Ali Sharifi said “We are thrilled to have retained our ranking as number one financial adviser to UK companies for the fourth consecutive year. Our teams’ continued dedication to focusing exclusively on our clients’ goals and their in-depth knowledge of key sector value drivers really differentiates us from the market and this is a testimony to their great work.

“Despite an uncertain start to the year we can see that deal activity has rebounded sharply in 2015. A stable political backdrop and supportive financial and economic conditions underpinned a strong level of M&A in the second half of the year and we are optimistic that deal activity will remain buoyant in the coming 12 months.”