Dwell buyout wins inaugural Deal of the Month

DEALMAKER Andy Gregory’s debut in his new role with private equity firm Key Capital Partners for the buyout of furniture group Dwell, has won TheBusinessDesk.com’s inaugural Deal of the Month award.

Six out of our panel of 10 professionals from the corporate finance and legal community voted for the Dwell deal,  as it saw off competition from the sales of Route Development Group and InforMed to win the August title.

Mr Gregory, pictured, who joined Key Capital in May after six years with ISIS Equity Partners in Manchester, worked on the Dwell deal with his Birmingham-based colleague Owen Trotter said: “It is fantastic to get this recognition from the market for this transaction.

“The Dwell deal was interesting in that it is a business with great potential for growth and job creation in quite a challenging sector. It came too at a time when there are not many deals being done.”

Gregory leads Key investment in Dwell 

Deal of the Month is a celebration of excellence in corporate finance in the North West. The award is bestowed on the buyout, IPO, takeover or restructuring, that in the opinion of the judges, really stands out.

The panel of judges comprises: Jonathan Boyers of KPMG; Jodi Birkett Deloitte; Colin Gillespie PwC; Ken Williamson, Ernst & Young; Jonathan Watkins DLA Piper; Nigel Barratt, Hurst; Roddy Kilpatrick, Yorkshire Bank; AJ Karwa, Grant Thornton and  Graham Small of Lewis Hyamson Small. It is chaired by Chris Barry, Editor of the TheBusinessDesk.com in the North West. 

Keith Melling of Naptens, one of the judges who voted for Dwell said: “It is good to see investment in the retail sector still taking place and that there is an appetite from private equity firms to provide support where banks are reluctant to do so.”

Another, Grant Thornton’s AJ Karwa said: “This was PE deal that had a cash out element to it and was completely funded by equity. The development capital will facilitate job creation. It is good to see Andy get his first deal away with KCP.”

Graham Small of LHS added: “I think this is a deal that potentially sends out a wider message.  Despite the severe and well publicised downturn in the property market, we have a furniture retailer which is still considered by a private equity house to be investable with plans for expansion and growth.

“It is very encouraging to see a business that is so closely allied to the property market making headlines for the right reasons.”

Interested in deals information? Click here for our North West deals table.