ADVISERS: ROTHSCHILD
ROTHSCHILD acted as the financial advisor to The Garden Centre Group and to lender Lloyds Banking Group.
Majid Ishaq, a London-based managing director at Rothschild, led the team.
Ishaq told City A.M. that Garden Centre was attractive because of its mid-market position and its middle class customer base.
The chain owns about 70 per cent of the properties from which it operates, Ishaq said, saving it money on rent and meaning it avoids the regular negotiations with landlords which are faced by many high street retailers.
Ishaq has worked on a series of private equity deals including Bridgepoint’s acquisition, in December last year, of online cycling retailer Wiggle, which counts former Asda chief executive Andy Bond among its investors.
Ishaq also worked on one of the landmark deals of 2010, when Pets at Home was bought by private equity firm KKR for £955m.
He was part of the Rothschild team which worked for Bridgepoint, the seller. A spokesman for Terra Firm said the buyout firm did not hire a bank or lawyer specifically for this deal.