Review of the M&A funding market in the North West – Views from a cross-section of local funders

Jeremy Cole, partner, has more than 21 years of corporate finance experience, working with successful businesses. Jeremy trained as a Chartered Accountant with Spicer & Oppenheim (now Deloitte & Touche) before joining PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1989, in Manchester. He spent 3 years working in PWC’s Silicon Valley office in San Jose, California, in the mid 1990’s, working closely with entrepreneurial technology and life science companies and venture capital funds.

He joined North West accountants Hurst & Company as a partner in 1997 to set up a corporate finance division, which he ran successfully until 2001, when he was approached by independent corporate finance firm TMG to join them as a partner.

In July 2002 Jeremy decided to establish his own corporate finance firm and set up Cole Associates.

Jeremy specialises in management buy-outs and buy-ins, corporate acquisitions and disposals, raising finance and due diligence. Jeremy invests a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm into each client’s transaction and enjoys a close working relationship with clients.

Paul Ellaby is partner and Head of Corporate at Trowers & Hamlins’ Manchester office. Paul has many years’ experience of advising on a broad range of corporate legal matters. He advises companies, their shareholders and directors at every stage of a company’s life-cycle from start up, through growth and acquisition, to succession and flotation.

Formerly CEO of Enterprise Ventures ahead of its acquisition by Mercia. Jonathan has led and managed a substantial portfolio of successful private equity and venture capital investments. A significant proportion of this portfolio lies in the less affluent regions of the UK, where success has been achieved not only through the generation of attractive financial returns, but also through the jobs that have been created in growing SMEs, making a sustainable and long-term contribution to the UK economy.

Gareth is a Director in the Strategic Debt Finance team at Lloyds in Manchester where he is responsible for originating and executing debt-led event driven transactions across the North having previously spent several years in both Edinburgh and London. Gareth has over 10 years’ experience in debt financing across restructuring, corporate and private equity deals and has led on deals with a total value in excess of £3bn during that time ranging from lower mid-market bilateral lends to club and syndicated deals with FTSE 100 plc’s

David joined Elysian in 2015 and is based in Manchester. After qualifying as a chartered accountant, David spent 3 years in the corporate finance team of PwC advising on a variety of MBOs, buy and builds and trade sales. He moved to 3i in 1999 and spent 13 years with the business culminating in running the Manchester office. During this time he completed a range of investments from small MBI’s to larger take privates and portfolio acquisitions.

David then joined the Business Growth Fund in 2012 to help establish the business and make midmarket investments across the north.

David has a degree in accounting and finance from Liverpool John Moores University.

• 20 Years plus financial services experience, majority in asset based lending sector.
• Recognised deal-maker with a proven track record in deal origination, driving business growth in numerous senior roles.
• Previous roles include Commercial Director Shawbrook Business Credit, Executive Sales Director Centric Commercial Finance, Regional Director
• GE Commercial Finance. Stuart also held roles at Davenham, Barclays & Lloyds Banking Group.