Uncertainty but Optimism for Benelux M&A June 6, 2023 | City Talk Despite rising inflation, increasing interest rates, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and more, uncertainty remains the biggest issue for M&A dealmaking in the Benelux region in 2023. Nevertheless, the market remains resilient and there are still a lot of opportunities to be had. These were the key conclusions from panellists at a recent event in [...]
Navigating Nordic M&A in 2023 June 6, 2023 | City Talk At a recent event in Copenhagen, panellists met to discuss the headwinds and tailwinds affecting dealmaking in the Nordics. The conclusions? While inflation and higher interest rates will continue to challenge the market, realism and strategic discipline should help drive M&A in the region in the months ahead. Inflation and interest rates The record rate [...]
Startup Spotlight: Jnck Bakery May 17, 2023 | City Talk Jnck Bakery was founded by brothers Sean and Alex Brasill in 2021 as a passion project focused on the UK obesity crisis and lack of healthy food innovation. Seeing an opportunity to create something that makes a positive difference – and tasted good – they created the world’s first HFSS-compliant cookie. Now halfway through their [...]
Dealmakers League: Top M&A Investment Bankers & Lawyers in the UK April 18, 2023 | City Talk By Datasite Who’s leading the pack in the UK among M&A investment bankers and lawyers? Datasite’s Dealmakers League, in partnership with MergerLinks, identifies the top M&A professionals, based on announced transactions they were involved in, across various regions, in 2022. In the UK, the top ten M&A investment bankers came from eight different firms, with [...]
Christmas comes early: PayPoint swoops on savings club Appreciate in £83m ‘earnings enhancing’ deal February 28, 2023 PayPoint has completed its acquisition of Christmas vouchers firm Appreciate Group. The two companies agreed the £83m deal last November and the boards have now finalised the buy-out agreement. The deal with PayPoint, which allows Brits to pay bills at 28,000 convenience stores across the country, involves the incorporation of some of Appreciate Group’s board [...]
Ex-PwC partner denies leaking info to City banker to help Slater & Gordon’s £637m deal January 31, 2023 The former head of PwC’s restructuring business has denied leaking confidential information to a London investment banker that allegedly helped City law firm Slater & Gordon get a better price in a £637m acquisition, a London court heard today. Ex-PwC partner Ian Green is accused of disclosing commercially sensitive information about software developer Quindell’s financial [...]
Bank dealmaking slumped to a five year low in 2022 – will it rebound this year? January 26, 2023 Mergers and acquisitions involving Europe’s top lenders slumped to their lowest level in five years last year as aggressive moves by central banks spooked dealmakers, new research has revealed.
City law firms risk losing talent unless they reduce swelling workloads, research shows January 15, 2023 British law firms could struggle to retain talent if they do not ease workloads that are pushing burnout rates higher, new research reveals. Nearly two in three of UK legal professionals have experienced burnout as a result of their work despite the sector stepping mental health support, a new survey out earlier this week of [...]
EY builds £2bn war chest to fund M&A spree for newly-separated consulting arm January 8, 2023 EY is creating a $2.5bn war chest to finance acquisitions of consulting businesses as it pushes ahead with plans to spin off its advisory arm into an entirely separate firm. The Big Four accounting firm is setting aside a sum of $2.5bn (£2.07bn) to fund an M&A spree for its newly-separated consulting arm, with a [...]
Hogan Lovells and Shearman & Sterling in ‘merger’ rumours that would create world’s fifth largest law firm January 4, 2023 Law giants Hogan Lovells and Shearman & Sterling have hinted a potential merger could be on the table, after stating they are open to opportunities including “discussions with different firms”. The two law firms both acknowledged market rumours they are engaged in early stage talks for a merger that could see them create the fifth [...]