Hello

I lead Smith Cooper’s corporate finance division in Birmingham. I have over 20 years of experience advising on transactions in the mid-market. I am passionate about the Midlands and working with local entrepreneurs to successfully drive results for them.

What can I do for your organisation?

I advise clients on raising finance, management buy-outs, corporate disposals, strategic reviews and acquisitions. Smith Cooper has a strong reputation for creating innovative solutions to meet our clients’ aspirations and objectives. We make sure that we drive forward processes to maximise value, swiftly and efficiently, while minimising risk.

Experience counts

I specialise in disposals and strive to set best practice on running processes and accessing international purchasers. I have a proven track record in executing regional, national and global sale mandates.

While my passion is to deliver value for entrepreneurs, owner-managers and SMEs, I have worked with many large corporates and private equity houses and have a full and comprehensive understanding of the corporate finance market.

I am a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and hold the FCS-recognised Certificate in Corporate Finance from the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment, a qualification widely recognised as a standard for investment business.

Prior to joining Smith Cooper, I held senior positions at Deloitte and BDO.

Deeper knowledge

Specialist sectors

  • Automotive
  • Self-storage
  • Telecomms

I have expertise working with clients in a wide range of sectors, notably automotive and specialist engineering, financial services, food and drink, and business services.

My core specialism is in the automotive value chain. I previously led Deloitte’s national automotive corporate finance team, working with OEMs and supply chain manufacturers as well as retail, distribution and leasing businesses.

Personally speaking

I enjoy travelling, music and reading. My recent travels include Istanbul, Amsterdam and Ljubljana. One of my favourite books is Chris Hadfield’s An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth. Chris was famous for covering David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” on his guitar during a space expedition. Being an avid traveller, musician and guitarist, I continue to dream …

I appointed the Smith Cooper Corporate Finance team to create this deal for me. They identified the target, raised the finance and supported me through the whole process. The team’s dedication to getting the deal done was exemplary. Not only were they innovative they also had the tenacity to make it happen. The team involved were highly professional in their dealings with vendors, PE house and primrose management.

Mark Pearson, Former CEO of Gardman Group and Solus Garden & Leisure