From nursery buy-and-builds to private school consolidation and university mergers, each education sub-sector is responding to its own specific challenges. Jason Sinclair looks at what’s driving activity in this busy UK market.
The UK sits in pole position for VC investment and global M&A is up in value, if not in volume, with dry powder reserves plentiful. Is the race to invest hotting up?
A new guideline from ICAEW’s Corporate Finance Faculty focuses on the cultural and people-related risks and opportunities that need to be considered in a transaction.
The healthcare sector has been busy this past decade. Private equity, corporates, and international investors have all been active – each responding to unique market drivers, regulatory challenges, and evolving public sentiment. Jason Sinclair looks at a resilient M&A sector.
ICG’s sale of Kee Safety to Inflexion and 65 Equity proves that a high-quality business, polished by successive private equity owners, will always command a good valuation, whatever the market conditions. Nicholas Neveling reports.
There have been positive signs for UK M&A so far this year, but what does the future hold? Marc Mullen gets the views of three Corporate Finance Faculty board members.
UK financial services continue to attract investment. Jason Sinclair looks at the drivers behind private equity interest in one of the country’s strongest-performing sectors.
The use of commercial due diligence has been on the rise for private equity buyers in particular. But more than a risk mitigation exercise, it feeds directly into post-acquisition strategy. Jason Sinclair looks at a service line increasingly in demand.
Mobeus Equity Partners’ investment in Active Travel Group was rooted in a conviction that active travel is not merely a trend, but a reflection of changing consumer priorities. Jason Sinclair reports.
Cyber attacks targeting M&A processes can have financial, reputational and opportunity costs for vendors, buyers and advisers. Dealmakers cannot afford to ignore the risks. Nicholas Neveling reports.
Jonathan Szoke joined BDO at the start of 2025 to set up an ESG due diligence offering. It’s been a long journey for the South African, who started out working on a game reserve as a conservationist.
In M&A, the accessibility and rapid evolution of AI is bringing amazing functionality to the masses. But mitigating risks, devising new processes and honing new skills is key, explains Graham Dotchin.
The resource-rich Middle East has long been attractive to investors, but energy transition is now putting M&A activity in the fast lane, as Jason Sinclair reports.
M&A in manufacturing and engineering has felt the force of macroeconomic instability, but subsectors are generating steady deal flow at attractive multiples.
Software developer 15below has soared to new heights with its first M&A transaction, the acquisition of communication platform Airport AI, bolstering its aim to deliver seamless travel. David Prosser reports.
Silvia Rindone, UK and Ireland managing partner for strategy and transactions at EY, talks about how she is redefining the expertise needed to reshape the industry and meet the challenges facing advisory firms.
The latest from ICAEW’s centre of professional expertise in corporate finance, including a round-table discussion on professional and business services, and how to contribute to consultations on the Takeover Code, the Senior Managers and Certification Regime and notifiable acquisitions.
Against a hugely volatile backdrop, the importance of commercial due diligence in the transactions process is ramping up. New best practice guidance to be published by ICAEW will assist all involved in CDD.
The desire to work with entrepreneurs is what spurred ICON Corporate Finance associate director Will Cave to move from business marketing into M&A, specialising in tech deals.
Accelerated M&A is emerging as a valuable tool in uncertain markets – helping companies and investors respond to constantly shifting market conditions.
Despite private equity interest and consolidation in its sector, MHA has chosen another path for growth – raising £98m with a public listing on the AIM market.
Dealmakers have had to cope with uncertainty for several years, but the constantly changing US tariff levels are creating new levels of unpredictability. How is that flowing into M&A valuations?
Resilience and ESG in supply chains have long been a focus for acquirers, but the US tariffs and Middle East troubles have thrust complex issues into the spotlight. David Prosser looks at how firms are mitigating global supply-chain risk in choppy waters.
Fashion may not be the easiest of markets to stitch up, even when shopping for luxury brands, but M&A in the apparel sector is picking up. Jason Sinclair reports.
The good news for business, and businesses looking to grow through M&A, is that the lending environment has turned the tide and moved back to a borrowers’ market. David Prosser talks to the debt advisers overseeing the shift.
Finding a deal structure that ensures alignment between the acquirer and vendors to best position the company for growth is critical, says Andrew Frame of Grant Thornton.
Disruption on a grand scale may be the outlook for the world economy, but when we step back from the noise, what is the outlook for M&A and investment in the UK?
ESG due diligence has evolved from a tick-box exercise focused on mitigating downside risk into a key lever for value creation that’s at the heart of deal processes.
Private equity is targeting UK accountancy firms, attracted by potential for growth and reliable income streams. What deals have been done, and what does the future hold?
Exploring all options for equity partners to ensure alignment for a diverse stakeholder base is key for M&A in the accountancy sector, says Tom Rowe-Jones of LAVA Advisory Partners.
M&A in 2024 might not have given the life sciences and biotech sectors the boost that was expected, but the drivers remain and 2025 is getting off to a good start. David Prosser looks at how the predicted dynamics are now coming into play.
Its effective use of M&A saw education services company Pearson receive the Corporate Finance Faculty’s Corporate Development Award last November. Marc Mullen talks to CFO Sally Johnson about the importance of a clear strategy and how M&A plays its part.
M&A inherently has risks that investors want to mitigate through a deal process. It’s no surprise that warranty and indemnity insurance uptake is seeing an uptick.
What happens when an MBO hits targets well ahead of schedule? Jason Sinclair speaks to WestBridge about how Alpine Fire Engineers went back to the drawing board and added M&A to its plan.
Around the deal table, female representation among corporate financiers has historically been poor. Retaining women and promoting them into senior M&A advisory roles is a long-term mission – and a journey firms are still on.
Oliver Stephens, associate director at Headpoint Advisors, is firmly focused on delivering market-leading international M&A advice to mid-market companies across the UK.
To make an investment work the people are key, something that has long been recognised by private equity. So what can management due diligence bring to the party? Jo Russell reports.
After a challenging period for dealmakers and advisers, transaction activity in the South West and Wales is now moving in the right direction. Nicholas Neveling reports.
