M&A Awards 2017

20 Acquisition International - M&A Awards 2017 Langcliffe Merger Connect Blacktrace Best Buy-Side Deal Originator 2017 Dutch M&A Advisory Firm of the Year LangcliffeMerger Connect Blacktrace Langcliffe Merger Connect (LMC) is the UK’s pre-eminent deal origination business. We profiled the firm to find out a bit more about the services they offer to their valued clients. Blacktrace is an award-winning, independent merger and acquisition specialist. We invited Jaap Smits to tell us a bit more about the firm and their achievements. MA170039 LMC is a company which provides access to on-market opportunities to an extensive client base of both domestic and international private equity firms, along with acquisitive corporates. In order to provide this service, LMC liaises closely with ALL UK vendor advisers, including corporate finance boutiques, accountants and the top business brokers, acting on disposal and fund raising mandates. The organisation’s unique service to its acquisitive clients is the provision of significantly more relevant on-market acquisition opportunities than are available from any other source. This is achieved by establishing extremely close relationships with the vendor advisers who are the key partnerships on which the business is based. Once the introduction is facilitated, LMC involves itself in the process to ensure that, where a client wishes, a meeting is arranged as easily and quickly as possible with the vendors. In 2016, LMC’s introductions resulted in the completion of 26 deals ranging from a sub £500k to a £26m platform deal for an overseas private equity firm. The majority of transactions fell in a value range from £3m to £15m. The business operates nationally and internationally, introducing European opportunities to both its domestic and overseas client base. Generally, however, deals continue to be a UK buyer acquiring a UK target. Blacktrace is an independent and specialized M&A advisory firm which offers guidance to medium and large-sized businesses when implementing merger and acquisition transactions, attracting shareholder capital and arranging funding with typical transaction values between €20 and €200 million. Its clients are private equity firms, family businesses, corporations and management teams. The firm is fully committed to its task and adopt a responsible attitude regarding shareholders, directors, managers, employees, customers, suppliers, providers of finance, counterparties and other stakeholders during negotiation processes. A quick glance at Blacktrace’s track record demonstrates that last year was characterised by a diverse set of transactions. An example of this is the fact that Blacktrace advised Dutch market leading digital agency Mirabeau with its sale to the U.S. stock listed Cognizant whilst also advising on baby and kids fashion brand Noppies to international private equity firm Vendis Capital. Although these companies are totally different in operations, the transactions share similarities, which Jaap is keen to highlight. “From the very start, Blacktrace has aspired to focus its strengths on the global market; being the link between Dutch privately owned companies and international financial and Whilst many larger accountancy practices and corporate finance boutiques undertake deal origination activities, this is limited to traditional corporate search work, making LMC unique within the market. To the extent competition exists, it comes in the form of online deal platforms. The firm strongly believes that confidentiality is critical to the M&A process and quality advisers will remain reluctant to utilise such platforms. Furthermore, the firm’s proposition is strongly based on the quality of matches it creates and computer generated results cannot match those generated by the human brain. Recent success has seen LMC’s revenue grow in each of its five years, doubling in size over the last 12 months, and now comprises of 14 full-time members of staff. The business believes very strongly in developing its staff, demonstrated by its eight recent graduate employees. The managing director, Mark Eardley, expects this to continue, as he states below. “Further investment in quality staff and technology enables us to continually strive to improve the offering to our clients and the vendor advisers who underpin everything we do. This coupled with the internationalisation of our business should ensure future growth.” strategic parties who could not have found each other otherwise. 2016 has been a year in which we were able to make the difference for our clients with these specific strengths” Blacktrace recognises that successful cross-border transactions require eyes and ears in places that matter. That is why Blacktrace has increased its efforts to further grow its worldwide network of likeminded M&A boutiques called World M&A Alliance (WMAA). Its current reach stretches from New York to Delhi and from Milan to São Paulo. WMAA works with preferred partnerships, having one member per country. Members share info and pitch together for deals that need an international project team. Blacktrace currently works together on a project in the agricultural sector with its Indian partner. Eager to build on its current success, Jaap and his team are excited about upcoming projects and look forward to delivering high quality service to its clients. “Blacktrace is delighted to receive this award for the fifth year in a row. Last year Blacktrace improved its track record with several high- profile deals. 2017 has begun and is already proving to be a fruitful year, with many projects in the pipeline, whilst we want to continue delivering the highest quality service.” Contact Email: helen.postlethwaite@ mergerconnect.co.uk Address: 7 Drill Hall Business Centre, East Parade, Ilkley, West Yorkshire, LS29 8EZ Phone: 07803 505253 Website: mergerconnect.co.uk MA170041 Company: Blacktrace Mergers & Acquisitions Address: Statenlaan 18, 5223 LA’s-Hertogenbosch Website: www.blacktrace.nl