Phoenix Equity Partners takes plaudits at Dealmakers Awards

PHOENIX Equity Partners was the big winner at last night’s Yorkshire Dealmakers awards with the private equity firm’s John Rastrick being named Dealmaker of the Year and the group also scooping the Deal of the Year award for its acquisition of vehicle parts distributor Andrew Page.

Mr Rastrick, on behalf of the firm, also won the Private Equity Provider of the Year award for its involvement in the deal, which saw Phoenix take a majority stake in the Leeds-based firm which valued the business at £100m. The firm also won the Private Equity House of the Year award.

Asked by compere Rory Bremner what had helped get the deal completed, Mr Rastrick said discussions on tax issues had been vital.

Commenting on the market, Mr Rastrick said: “I think it’s tough and a difficult market. However, this market (in Yorkshire) has outperformed the rest of the UK.”

Sean Lippell, of Addleshaw Goddard, who is nicknamed “the Silver Ferret”, was honoured with The Roger Powell Lifetime Achievement award at the annual event, held by Insider magazine.

He said major differences between the Yorkshire corporate scene today and when he started his career were the size of firms and complexity of deals.

Stuart Warriner, of PwC, was named Corporate Finance Adviser of the Year.

The full list of winners at last night’s event, held at Saviles Hall in Leeds, were:

Corporate Finance Advisory Team of the Year, sponsored by Leumi ABL – KPMG

Corporate Law Firm of the Year, sponsored by Sharp Consultancy Financial Recruitment – Hammonds

Private Equity House of the Year – Phoenix Equity Partners

Corporate Bank of the Year, sponsored by Endless – HSBC

Asset Based Lender of the Year – PNC Business Credit (KBC Business Capital)

Mid Market Finance Advisory Firm of the Year, sponsored by Centric Commercial Finance – Park Place Corporate Finance

Corporate Finance Adviser of the Year, sponsored by Cobbetts – Stuart Warriner, PwC

Asset Based Financier of the Year – Alastair Hood, PNC Business Credit (KBC Business Capital)

Corporate Lawyer of the Year – Jonathan Jones, Hammonds

Private Equity Provider of the Year, sponsored by Credit Agricole Commercial Finance – Phoenix Equity Partners

Corporate Banker of the Year, sponsored by Calvert & Fletcher Bespoke Banking Recruitment – Norman Davidson, HSBC

Turnaround / Rescue Deal of the Year, sponsored by PNC Business Credit – Endless for Davy Markham

Deal of the Year, sponsored by Venturexec – MBO of Andrew Page by Phoenix Equity Partners

Dealmaker of the Year, sponsored by Fox Lloyd Jones – John Rastrick, Phoenix Equity Partners

The Roger Powell Lifetime Achievement Award – Sean Lippell, Addleshaw Goddard