Endless founder named Dealmaker of the Year

ENDLESS founder Garry Wilson was named Dealmaker of the Year last night at the Insider Yorkshire Dealmakers Awards as the take private of SSP scooped Deal of the Year.

An audience of 920 people saw Mr Wilson dedicate his award to his late colleague Phil Tate who tragically died in a snowboarding accident earlier this year.

Endless, the turnaround and buyout fund launched by Mr Wilson and Darren Forshaw three years ago, was named Private Equity House of the Year while teams from Deloitte, Hammonds, Addleshaw Goddard and Barclays celebrated Deal of the Year which saw quoted Halifax-based software company SSP bought by a US group for £198m.

The Roger Powell Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Alison Legg, the retiring transactions services partner at KPMG.

Former serial Dealmaker of the Year winner Martin Jenkins was named Corporate Finance Adviser of the Year while his team at Deloitte won Corporate Finance Advisory Team of the Year.

Mr Wilson was presented with a jeraboam of champagne from Appeal PR and will receive a £2,000 bespoke suit from Yorkshire-based Hemingway Tailors.

Dealmakers Awards Winners

Corporate Finance Advisory Team of the Year, sponsored by Fox Lloyd Jones: Deloitte

Corporate Law Firm of the Year, sponsored by Lloyds TSB Acquisition Finance: Eversheds

Private Equity House of the Year, sponsored by Whitehead Mann: Endless

Corporate Bank of the Year, sponsored by Clarion Solicitors: Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets

Asset Based Lender of the Year, sponsored by Mazars: Barclays Commercial Finance

Mid Market Advisory Firm of the Year, sponsored by Sharp Consultancy: Park Place Corporate Finance

Corporate Finance Adviser of the Year, sponsored by KBC Business Capital: Martin Jenkins, Deloitte

Corporate Lawyer of the Year, sponsored by Invest in Bradford: Yunus Seedat, Addleshaw Goddard

Private Equity Provider of the Year, sponsored by Kleinwort Benson: Colin Stirling, Spirit Capital

Corporate Banker of the Year, sponsored by Calvert & Fletcher Bespoke Banking Recruitment: Dave Harris, Royal Bank of Scotland

Asset Based Financier of the Year, sponsored by Rapport Events: David Culpan, GMAC Commercial Finance

Young Dealmaker of the Year, sponsored by Eurofactor: Giles Taylor, KPMG

The Roger Powell Lifetime Achievement Award, in association with Royal Bank of Scotland: Alison Legg, KPMG

Deal of the Year, sponsored by Gent Visick: The take private of SSP

Dealmaker of the Year, sponsored by Bank of Ireland: Garry Wilson, Endless