Corporate Finance Mid-Year Review

Laura McMorland is a Partner in the Corporate team at the full-service corporate firm, Bermans (Solicitors), in Manchester, with corporate law experience since 2006 both in-house and in private practice.  Having spent 13 years of her career in Aberdeen, the Oil and Gas Capital of Europe, Laura’s client base is now across a wide variety of sectors (including tech, charity, social housing and manufacturing) and her practice involves M&A, private equity, reorganisations, share options (EMI’s, EoTs) and other general corporate work.

Jane is a Senior Director in the Debt Advisory team at Alvarez & Marsal – one of the fastest growing,  global,  multi-disciplinary professional services advisors.

Based in Manchester, Jane heads up the UK mid-market leveraged debt team which focuses on advising Private Equity and management teams of private equity backed businesses,  across multiple sectors, on debt raises of between £10 – 150m to support acquisitions, growth strategies and refinancings.

Prior to joining Alvarez & Marsal in November 23, Jane spent 4 years at EY leading the debt team across the North and Midlands and prior to that had a career in banking with Virgin Money, Lloyds Banking Group and AIB.

Dean has over twenty years of experience in the investment industry. In his role as an economist, he is responsible for formulating the macroeconomic views for Europe and the UK and translating this into investment strategies across the fixed income and currency markets. He joined UBS in 2014 and prior to this held positions as an economist / strategist at HSBC and Barclays. Dean holds a Masters in Economics from the University of London, and is a CFA® and CAIA (Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst) charter holder.

James is a Partner in Cowgills Deal Advisory team. He has considerable transaction experience, advising on over £500m of deal value and has been recognised for multiple awards, including winning emerging dealmaker at last year’s Northwest Insiders and previously shortlisted for Rising Star at the Rainmakers. James has experience in a variety of businesses and industries across the region, but his key focus is the healthcare sector. James works with shareholders on their respective growth journeys to help navigate some of the challenges and pitfalls to achieve best value.

Tarifa leads the UK Transactions/Due Diligence team at Forvis Mazars. With over 20 years’ experience, Tarifa has been a proud Manchester resident for 18 years, working at a Big 4 firm and making Partner at Forvis Mazars in 2020

Tarifa has been involved in around 200 deals on the buy and sell side, for corporates and investors, and numerous cross-border transactions (including the US and Europe). She has worked with SMEs through to listed organisations, and provided strategic advice, pre-sale readiness and business reviews, financial due diligence, completion mechanisms and SPA, and post-deal considerations.

Bod works with businesses to help them understand and access the capital markets.  This includes both the public capital markets via IPO, and also the London Stock Exchange’s new private capital markets.  He is responsible for both the Main Market and the AIM growth market in the North.

Prior to joining the LSE, Bod was with investment bank Rothschild for 18 years, advising businesses and entrepreneurs on IPOs, capital raising, private equity, mergers and acquisitions.

Andy leads the MHA Corporate Finance team nationally, with a day to day focus on the North West, being a Founding Partner of their Manchester office.  He sits on the Baker Tilly EMEA Strategy Group as MHA is the UK member of Baker Tilly to accelerate cross-border transactions.

As a member of the MHA Board, Andy was part of the team who led the IPO of MHA in April 2025, named by Bloomberg as London’s biggest IPO of 2025 with an IPO on the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market.

Nicola Merritt is the Founder and CEO of Cortus Advisory Group, a visionary force in M&A, business, and leadership, driven by a passion for doing things differently. With over 25 years of experience, Nicola has advised on 250+ M&A transactions. From qualifying at KPMG to founding Cortus Advisory Group, Nicola’s journey is defined by entrepreneurial grit, authenticity, empathy, and a relentless drive for excellence. Dedicated to transforming the business landscape, Nicola champions innovative solutions and creates an environment where leadership is human, the culture is inclusive, and equitable opportunities are non-negotiable.

Dan Freed is a Partner at YFM Equity Partners, where he works closely with ambitious management teams to help scale their businesses. He focuses on originating and executing new investments, bringing 25 years of experience across private equity, corporate finance, strategy, and corporate development. Dan offers a broad and balanced perspective on growth and value creation, supports several portfolio companies at board level, and has led YFM’s investments into Manchester-based businesses Vypr, FourNet and Think Energy Group.

Chiara is a Director at Cavendish, a leading investment bank for ambitious and entrepreneurial businesses. She has over 20 years of M&A experience and previously worked as part of Deloitte’s M&A team, advising on strategic domestic and cross-border transactions for corporates, private equity houses, and owner-managed businesses.

At Cavendish, Chiara leads the execution of M&A transactions and capital-raising initiatives, supporting business owners and investors in achieving their strategic goals. She is passionate about helping entrepreneurial businesses unlock value and successfully navigate the challenges of complex deals.

Harry is a Partner based in the Manchester office and co-leads the investment team covering the North West. Prior to joining BGF in 2017, Harry worked in Dubai for the Varkey Group, where he focused on education investments around the world. He began his career at Deloitte working in Corporate Finance, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant.