Corporate Finance Lunch 2026
Join us for our annual Corporate Finance Lunch on Thursday 12th February 2026.
We welcome you to a jam-packed afternoon comprising firstly of our panel session of industry leaders as they review the past years' deals in the North West, our speakers will provide commentary and analysis, with insights into the market for the year ahead.
After lunch, we have our fireside chat with a key speaker in as they will reflect on their remarkable careers, sharing pivotal moments, challenges, successes in the North West within the M&A market.
AGENDA
11.45 - Arrival, registration, networking, and drinks reception
12.30 - Welcome
12.35 - Panel session one
13.25 - 2-course lunch, to include a drink
14.25 - Fireside chat
15.00 - Event close and depart
Please click the link HERE for our pro-manchester Annual Corporate Finance Review 2024, 2025 will be available early 2026 shortly before the lunch.
In association with Experian market IQ, rather than simply looking at the deals done in Manchester, Experian takes a different angle, examining instead those deals that Manchester-based advisers have worked on, irrespective of the location of the parties to the transaction.
A great networking opportunity with over 450 people from corporate finance, private equity, and financial and professional services.
Members
£75+VAT per person, £725+VAT per table of 10, £870+VAT per table of 12
Non-Members
£100+VAT per person, £975+VAT per table of 10, £1170.00+VAT per table of 12
Sponsorship opportunities are available from just £2000 +VAT. Please email [email protected] for further information, or download our sponsorship brochure here.
About the Speakers:
Warren co-launched UK accountancy business Sumer in 2023, seeking a new challenge. As its CEO, he has orchestrated Sumer’s rapid growth through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions of small and medium-sized regional firms. The private equity-backed company achieved a turnover of £100 million within a year, and today encompasses over 2,400 accountants, financial advisors and skilled support staff.
Sumer has ambitious expansion plans, shaped by Warren’s zeal for championing community-based SMEs, and the accountancy profession as a whole. He is a Fellow of the ICAEW, and a published author and media contributor.
Chartered accountant Warren Mead has almost 30 years’ deep experience in financial services, professional services and fintech. His career at KPMG spanned 26 years, reaching Executive Committee level positions, including Head of Strategy & Transformation, and Chief Operating Officer, Clients & Markets.
Warren lives on the South coast of England with his husband and two children. At the weekends, he is most likely to be seen freezing on the side of a football pitch or with his head stuck in a trashy novel.
David Moore is the Founder and CEO of Axon Moore, a finance recruitment firm supporting ambitious businesses across the North of England. Since 2001, he has grown it into a trusted partner connecting senior finance talent with high-growth companies. Earlier this year, Axon Moore secured investment from CorpAcq to accelerate UK expansion, with David leading this strategic partnership. Alongside Axon Moore, he is a Partner at Arete, a private equity firm, and an early investor in THG. He is also an NED at Chillblast and has held several non-profit board roles. David is passionate about building businesses, backing talent, and driving growth.
A qualified management and chartered accountant James became a corporate finance partner at KPMG at 33. In 2002 he set up Dow SchofieldWatts. In 2008 he established a private equity fund PHD. James led the flotation of DSW Capital on AIM in December 2020. James was CEO of DSW until last year. James remains a director of DSW Capital and is chairman of PHD.
James has also written professional guides and books on his investment heroes Warren Buffett and Michael Porter.
James is also an ironman triathlete and his hobbies include salsa, painting and pickleball.
Aziz is a Partner who supports ambitious management teams to grow their businesses, he also leads LDC’s Healthcare sector team nationally.
Aziz has led a number of LDC’s investments including Uinsure (Insuretech) Omniplex (Digital Learning), PAM (Occupational Health) and Avantis (EdTech), as well as working on LDC’s investments in Cora Health, MSQ Partners and Marmalade Games.
He has also led the successful exits of Pure Cottages to Sykes, Stroma (TICC) to Phenna and Giacom (Cloud services) to DWS.
Prior to joining LDC, Aziz was a Partner at Deloitte in M&A advisory and advised on a large number of mid-market private equity and private company transactions across a range of sectors in the UK, Europe and in the broader UK/US corridor. Aziz also spent three years based in Dubai where he led Deloitte’s M&A advisory team across the Middle East.
Interested In The Event?
If you’re interested in attending, you can book online here.
For any further enquires about this event, contact [email protected]
