From a music degree to corporate finance – what prompted that?
Halfway through my music degree at the University of Bristol, I still had no idea what I wanted to do. I have a logical mind, so I thought I’d try accountancy. I was incredibly fortunate to get an internship at Mitie Plc in Bristol, which I really enjoyed.
I joined the audit department at KPMG in Bristol in 2013 and started training for my ACA. The training was extremely helpful, enabling me to navigate through complex discussions with clients. It still stands me in good stead today.
I spent three and a half years in audit and decided that I enjoyed the more commercial aspects of accountancy and finance. M&A felt like a natural trajectory. I joined KPMG corporate finance, in the firm’s sector-agnostic team, working on mid-market M&A transactions with a value up to £100m.
In June 2018, I moved to the North East, transferring to KPMG’s M&A team in Newcastle, where my focus was on transactions in the power and utilities sectors. It was a completely different experience and the transactions were much larger.
What was your next move?
A pretty rare opportunity arose to lead in-house M&A at Mayborn, the baby and toddler product company that owns the Tommee Tippee brand. My role was as lead on strategic partnerships and acquisitions. I did day-to-day M&A activity around strategy, researching potential opportunities and working towards partnerships and acquisitions. I learned so much about how a corporate approaches an acquisition, which was an invaluable experience.
Why did you return to advisory?
I loved my time at KPMG, working with entrepreneurs and owner-managers, so I decided to get back into advisory work. I joined Ryecroft Glenton as corporate finance senior manager in April 2020. I lead transactions in the £5m-£50m value range, alongside our partners and supported by the rest of the corporate finance team. We’re sector agnostic, but we have significant experience in healthcare, technology, engineering and manufacturing, and human capital.
What do you enjoy most about working at Ryecroft Glenton?
A big benefit of working at a smaller, independent firm is that we can be flexible and creative in how we look at things. I’ve advised on buy-side and sell-side transactions, and both strategic equity and debt fundraising.
Working on many different types of transactions means that our team has a wealth of experience and can appreciate how each individual is looking at a transaction. Working closely with our clients in the region, seeing them day to day and having a better understanding of what’s important to businesses here is incredibly beneficial – London is a financial centre of the UK, but M&A happens everywhere.
I’ve undoubtedly benefited from the broad experience that my very different roles have given me. They’ve allowed me to see aspects of a transaction that others might overlook.
What’s the most significant deal you’ve worked on recently?
In December 2020, we simultaneously completed an MBO, a £20m strategic fundraise and an acquisition for equality, diversity, inclusion and mental well-being provider eQuality Solutions. I managed the deal process, with Carl Swansbury, our partner and head of corporate finance, leading the deal. It was extremely complicated and I learned a lot – in particular, about helping different stakeholders navigate such a complex transaction when they each may have different drivers. There are a lot of different views and opinions to manage – not just those of our clients.
What are your future plans?
I was promoted to director in April 2021, at the age of 28 – a big milestone for me. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with people who’ve been very supportive and taken the time to help me learn. I’m excited to help other people develop in their careers. It’s my ambition to provide the same support for my team and beyond.
I want to encourage other women into M&A, as there aren’t many of us. I’d love to spur people into doing what I do and for them to see it as an inclusive environment, because I believe that it is.