Faster pace

When did you decide to train as an ACA?

My career path to chartered accountancy was pretty conventional. I had enjoyed business studies at school and went on to study accounting and finance at Nottingham Trent University. I saw that the ACA was a well-recognised qualification that could open a number of doors, which was a real attraction. In November 2012, I joined the private client tax team at Crowe in Cheltenham. A friend was already at Crowe so I knew the firm had a good reputation for its culture and training. At the first opportunity, I switched to audit, to access the firm’s structured training programme and undertake my ACA.

What were the challenges in training for an ACA?

There are definitely sacrifices to be made in terms of free time, but I knew what I had signed up for. I had already decided to train in Cheltenham rather than London, thinking that less distraction was probably for the best. The pros outweighed the cons: I knew the qualification would accelerate my career progress; I had a relevant degree, which helped with the exams, and gave me some exemptions in the earlier stages; the exams helped with theoretical knowledge and best practice; and the practical side of the training gave me a great grounding in how to deal with real-world situations.

When did you make the move into corporate finance?

I wanted to move to an area where I could add more value to clients and that was forward looking and faster-paced. At the time, there were no such openings at Crowe so I joined WK Corporate Finance (now part of Azets) in October 2017. There were around seven in the team, and it had a more boutique-type feel to it. I started in transaction services, predominately undertaking financial due diligence on private equity deals. Within a year, I moved into lead advisory and was given quite a lot of responsibility from day one, with my first advisory deal a debt-funded MBI. I enjoyed my time there, but when two partners left to join Crowe in July 2022, I followed as a director in lead advisory.

What is your role at Crowe?

Crowe already had a lead advisory team when I rejoined, but the partners saw an opportunity to build out the corporate finance function. It’s great being part of something that is moving forwards and backed at a senior level. There is a strong sense of teamwork, both within corporate finance and the wider organisation. I provide sell-side and capital raising advisory services to the SME market, with a focus on transactions between £10m and £50m. My time is split between live transactions, deal origination and business development, and managing the team. We are sector-agnostic advisers, but my focus has been on the healthcare and life sciences market, particularly outsourced pharma services.

I work very closely with my clients during the course of a transaction, from the preparation stage of developing my understanding of their business and the market in which it operates through to completion. For most of my clients, it’s the first time they have been through the process, so they definitely need a bit more hand holding and assurance along the way. The work is very project driven, with each project being different to the last and consequently providing new learning experiences and challenges. There’s always some level of negotiation that keeps you on your toes.

What transactions stand out for you?

The sale of Southwood Research, a provider of pre-approval regulatory science services to the pharma and biotech industry. In March 2019, it was sold to ProPharma Group, which at the time was a portfolio company of Linden Capital Partners. The deal gained significant market interest and we received a number of offers. It was my first cross-border transaction – the buyer was headquartered in the US and backed by US private equity. This added complexity in terms of documentation, time zones, client management and numbers of points of contact. It was a sizeable deal conducted at a fast pace.