Issue 2 2019

36 Acquisition International - Issue 2 2019 Translink Corporate Finance is one of the world’s oldest and largest M&A and Corporate Finance Advisers, assisting company shareholders with business sales, acquisitions, management buy-outs and investment. In November, the firm was recognised in Acquisition International’s 2019 Global Excellence Awards as the Best Boutique Cross-Border Investment Banking Firm in the United Kingdom. We spoke with Stuart Hands, Managing Director of Translink UK, to find out more about the firm’s impressive reputation in this incredibly competitive sector. Contact: Stuart Hands Company: Translink Corporate Finance Website: www.translinkcf.co.uk Global Experts in Corporate Finance Advisory pecialising in mid-market advisory services, and with over 600 experts in offices around the world, there can be little doubt that Translink Corporate Finance is an industry goliath. Indeed, since the 1970s, the firm has become one of the most trusted of advisors, swiftly gaining an enviable reputation for its hard-earned and truly global expertise. More than anything, Translink’s enduring success finds its roots in the firm’s impressive dedication to achieving results, as Stuart explains further: “We specialise in achieving exceptional results for our clients. Our ability to operate internationally with thirty offices globally means that we can guarantee the ultimate buyers, sellers and investors in processes that would be just impossible to achieve from the UK alone, and which has significant benefits for our clients.” This ability to source buyers and sellers globally proves to be a distinguishable quality for Translink, serving to distance themselves from any potential peers and competitors. “For a sell-side process, we have the ability to find and bring parties into the process that have deep pockets and, in many cases, unknown to the seller and are highly unlikely to be engaged from the UK due to language, culture and business protocols. These buyers promote competitive tensions in a process assisting greatly in achieving the optimum price and terms for our clients. “For buyers, we source off-market targets; ‘rough diamonds’ perhaps that are not part of an ongoing sale process but are willing to explore a possible sale that has significant benefits on the process and the price of the target, significantly increasing the probability of success away from the pressures of an auction sale process.” Working alongside private company owners for sales and both private and public companies for acquisitions, Translink has created a robust worldwide network of local expert advisers and contacts, quickly creating strong rapport and trust that - naturally – achieves quick results for their clients. “We are often referred clients by other advisers, primarily because we have a global reach that really delivers. We maintain a strong digital presence and so are frequently contacted directly by clients. Translink also has an active marketing team making direct contact with acquisition targets, potential sell-side clients and also MBO clients.” Moreover, Translink recognises that its network is one of the firm’s strongest assets, as Stuart moves on to discuss. “We are a multi- disciplined team with global expertise wherever and whenever we require it. Our staff and colleagues are a team and the team is the S firm. We work incredibly closely with each other in the UK and with our colleagues around the world on a daily basis, much more so than any other firm I am aware of, we know this because it is remarked upon by those that have seen it in operation.” Ultimately, moving further into 2019, Translink is seeking to increase recruitment efforts to support continued UK expansion. “We want to grow the UK team further with both senior advisors and junior members. We particularly want to attract Senior Advisors that can augment our team for a specific transaction or number of transactions. They may have held senior roles in industry or practice and having made the move away, have one or more transactions to complete that we can greatly assist with.” “Sourcing team members with the vision and origination skills in our market is key for us. Many say they can originate deals, but outside of the support of an accountancy practice for example, ultimately find it a very different skill set from that to which they are more accustomed.” Nov18813