M&A Awards 2015

M&A awards Sponsored by

Best Banking Team 2015 “We got in touch with Partner and Head of M&A Michael Harris, who spoke to us about Howard Kennedy and their work on the recent takeover of Beales, a UK department store chain.�

We spoke to CUI Global about their acquisition of Tectrol Inc, expanding their international footprint and more.

Renowned Middle Eastern business, BRS acquired Travelex earlier this year.

We took a closer at the implications of this major deal.

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welcome to the 2015 M&A Awards

M&A awards

Welcome to the 2015 M&A Awards Now in its fourth year, the Acquisition International M&A Awards has followed and documented some of the industry’s most exciting and significant developments of recent times. Despite this, we can honestly say that 2015 has been one of our most exciting years yet. With the global appetite for acquisitions continuing to increase, professionals and individuals from around the world have risen to the occasion to ensure the success of the many landmark and game-changing deals taking place.

These awards, far from being just about the big numbers behind the biggest deals, look beyond the headlines and focus on the firms and individuals who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring these acquisitions, mergers and transactions to their successful conclusion.

With such widespread and remarkable activity taking place, selecting this year’s illustrious winners was no mean feat.

From the industry’s biggest players to the smaller niche practices making their mark, our dedicated awards team left no stone unturned in ensuring that every single award was handed out solely on merit and that all of our trophies were given to commend only those most deserving for exceptional service over the past 12 months.

So to learn more about the M&A industry’s leading lights and why they are among the cream of the crop in 2015, read on….

contents 6. Howard Kennedy LLP has won Best Banking Team 2015 10. CUI Global inc has won Best US Manufacturing Deal - CUI Global Acquisition of Tectrol Inc. 12. BRS Ventures and Holdings Ltd has won UAE Deal of the Year - BRS Ventures & Holdings Limited for Acquisition of Travelex 14. Intralinks has won Best Global M&A Platform: Intralinks Dealspace® 16. ZebraLC has won Best for Legal Sector M&A - UK 19. 187 Fleet Street has won Best for Serious Fraud - UK 20. Africa Re has won Reinsurance Firm of the Year - Africa 21. Angle Advisors has won Best Cross-Border Investment Banking Firm - USA 22. Arcus Infrastructure Partners has won Best Infrastructure-Focused European Fund Manager 23. Arias, Meurinne y Rodríguez, S.C. has won Antitrust Law Firm of the Year - Mexico & Sustained Excellence in Complex Litigation 2015 - Mexico 24. Avondale has won Best for Transaction Negotiation 2015 – UK award 25. BDO has won Sustained Excellence in Accountancy 2015 – Norway & Best for M&A Due Diligence - Norway 26. Blacktrace has won Dutch Boutique Advisory firm of the Year, for the third consecutive year 27. Brand Potential has won Best Brand Consultancy Firm 2015 - UK & Award for Innovation in Post-Deal Rebranding 28. Cabinet Charles Tchuente has won Best Business Law Firm - Cameroon 29. Camden Associates has won Best for International Financing 2015 - UK 31. Cavendish Corporate Finance LLP has won Best for Mid-Market Sell Side M&A - UK 32. Centum Investment Company Limited has won Most Trusted Asset Management Firm of the Year - Kenya 33. The Chambers Group has won Sustained Excellence in Dispute Resolution - Malaysia 35. Citrus Relocation Services Limited has won Best for London Corporate Relocation 36. CloudOrigin has won Best Systems-IT DD Provider 2015 - UK & Best for Post-Transaction Technology Services - UK 37. Coller IP has won Best IP Training Firm 2015 38. Conduit Consulting LLC has won Best for Strategic Development - USA & Rising Star: CEO of the Year – USA 40. Corsis LLC has won U.S. Systems and Due Diligence Provider of the Year 41. Crystal & Company has won Best Insurance Procurement Initiatives 42. Dartmouth Partners Limited has won Business Valuation Firm of the Year - Canada 43. Dentons has won Best for Electronic Patent Portfolios – USA 44. Diener Advisory has won Best for Business Advisory Services - Switzerland & Accounting Firm of the Year - Switzerland 45. Distinctive Visions Limited has won Best for Turnaround Implementation 2015 46. Ecobank Nigeria Limited has won Corporate Banking Firm of the Year - Nigeria 47. Equita SIM S.p.A. has won Investment Banking Team of the Year - Italy 48. EthosData has won Most User Friendly Dataroom / Virtual data room Provider of the Year - China / Virtual data room Provider of the Year - India / Virtual data room Provider of the Year - Spain / Virtual data room Rising Star - US 50. EXPEN has won Best Financial Due Diligence Adviser - France 51. Firefly Partners has won Best for Origination Support 2015 - UK 52. FiscalReps has won Best for International Indirect Tax 2015 53. Gareth Jones has won Best Inheritance Barrister 2015 -UK 55. GENI & KEBE has won M&A Law Firm of the Year - Senegal 56. Gilson Gray has won Award for Excellence in Corporate Law – Scotland 57. Gloria James-Civetta & Co has won Criminal Law Firm of the Year - Singapore & Business Law Firm of the Year - Singapore

58. Hadidi & Co has won Best in Alternative Dispute Resolution - Jordan & Best in Corporate Law - Jordon 59. Hines Associates Limited has won UK Leading Dealmaker: Sportscover Underwriting/Hamilton Insurance Group & Best for Insurance Focused M&A 60. Huron Capital Partners LLC has won Best Deal Origination Team - USA 61. Hylands has won International Investment Law Firm of the Year - China 62. ICC Investment & Consulting Services Ltd has won Financial Consultancy Firm of the Year - Cyprus & Award for Innovation in Company Formation - Cyprus 63. IndianOil (Mauritius) Ltd has won Global Leader in Oil – Mauritius 64. International Business Group, Ltd. has won Best US Financial Services Deal of the Year 65. JM Financial Singapore Pte Limited has won Dealmaker of the Year ‘’Altran Acquisition of Foliage Inc.’’ 66. Julius & Creasy has won Civil Law Firm of the Year - Sri Lanka 67. Kafrouni Lawyers has won Best in Risk Management Services - Law Care® & Best Small & Medium Business Advisory Team 2015 - Australia 68. KBS Corporate has won Best Corporate Finance Firm – UK 69. KPMG Brazil has won Best Corporate Finance Practice – Brazil 70. KPMG has won Best Tax Team 2015 - Zambia & Auditors of 2015 - Zambia 71. Lauletta Birnbaum, LLC has won Corporate Boutique Law Firm of the Year - USA 72. Lautenschlager, Romeiro e Iwamizu Advogados law firm has won Recognized Leader in Contracts - Brazil 73. Lee International has won Best for IP Drafting & Prosecution - Korea 74. Lee, Tsai & Partners has won Best for Intellectual Property Transactions 2015 - Taiwan & M&A Law Firm of the Year - Taiwan 75. Lombard Network has won Best for SME Corporate Strategy - Switzerland 76. Lubis Ganie Surowidjojo has won Maritime & Shipping Law Firm of the Year - Indonesia & Sustained Excellence in Antitrust Law – Indonesia 77. Mercal has won Best Marketing Consultancy – Portugal & Independent Management Consultants of the Year – Portugal 78. MIAC Acadametrics has won Best Asset Valuation Service Provider 2015 79. MilleniumAssociates AG has won Best Corporate Finance Advisory Team 2015 - Switzerland & Best M&A Advisory Services - Switzerland 80. Moneysoft has won Best Business Valuation Software Solution 81. Pang & Co. in Association with Loeb & Loeb LLP has won Best for Intellectual Property Transactions 2015 - Taiwan & M&A Law Firm of the Year - Taiwan 82. Parke Lawyers has won Corporate Governance Specialist of the Year - Australia & Best for Commercial Litigation - Australia 83. PCE Investment Banking has won Best in Building Products & Construction M&A - USA 84. Penningtons Manches LLP has won Best for Accelerated M&A 2015 - UK 85. PwC Vietnam has won Dealmakers of the Year - Vietnam & Best Assurance Team 2015 - Vietnam 86. Quilter Cheviot Investment Management has won Best UK Investment Manager 2015 87. Quilter Cheviot Investment Management has won Best for Bespoke Portfolio Structuring 88. RadcliffesLeBrasseur has won Best Turnaround Services 2015 - UK & Award for Innovation in JV Structuring 89. Scancorp has won Best for Strategic Consulting - Australia 90. SecureDocs, Inc. has won Best for Value - SecureDocs Virtual Data Room - USA 91. Sena & Berton Moreno has won IP Law Firm of the Year - Argentina & Best-in-Class for Client Service 92. Simply Factoring Brokers has won Best Independent Factoring Broker 2015 93. Streamsowers & Köhn has won Best in Corporate Governance - Nigeria & Best in Dispute Resolution - Nigeria 94. Synexus has won UK Health Care Deal of the Year: Synexus MBO 95. Verdant Capital has won Best Corporate Finance Firm - South Africa 96. Verity Consulting Limited has won Best Corporate Intelligence and Investigation Services - Hong Kong & Best in Fraud Prevention - Hong Kong 97. Völkl. Rechtsanwälte has won Best in Business Law - Austria & Best in Insurance Law - Austria 98. Yuasa & Hara has won Cross-Border Corporate Law Firm of the Year - Japan & Best in Anti Trust - Japan

M&A awards

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Best Banking Team 2015

Howard Kennedy LLP

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Howard Kennedy is an approachable, commercial, responsive and professional law firm. It provides a wide range of services and has a particular focus on the following industry sectors: Real Estate, Retail and Leisure, Financial Services, Technology, Media & Creative Industries and Sports Individuals. We spoke to Partner and Head of M&A Michael Harris about the firm and its work on the recent takeover of Beales, a UK department store chain currently operating around 30 branches.

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M&A Awards 2015

Name: Howard Kennedy LLP Address: No. 1 London Bridge London SE1 9BG DX 144370 Southwark 4 Telephone: +44 (0)20 3755 6000 Fax: +44 (0)20 3650 7000 Email: michael.harris@howardkennedy.com

As a provider of legal services, combined with specialised sector knowledge, Howard Kennedy serves an international, corporate and personal client base. Clients range from national and international organisations, SMEs and owner managed businesses, family offices, entrepreneurs and their funders, and high-net worth individuals.

Its corporate department is divided into eight dedicated teams – M&A, capital markets, corporate real estate, financial regulation, intellectual property and commercial, business recovery and reconstruction, banking and tax. Michael Harris leads its dedicated M&A practice.

The M&A team works closely with the other corporate teams so that it can provide the right level of skill and experience for many different types of work. For example, Harris has considerable experience of corporate real estate funding and transactions as well as in capital markets.

Perhaps uniquely amongst English law firms, Howard Kennedy, through its subsidiary Howard Kennedy Corporate Services LLP, is authorised by the UK Listing Authority as a sponsor on the London Stock Exchange.

Advising on the takeover of Beales One of the major deals in which Howard Kennedy has recently been involved was English Rose Enterprises’ acquisition of Beale PLC. English Rose is an acquisition vehicle wholly owned by Portnard, which is in turn owned by Andrew and Harold Perloff and their family trusts. The family also owns a majority of AIM listed Panther Securities plc, with Andrew its Chairman.

The deal followed a working relationship with Panther and the Perloff family over several years including a number of public takeovers, the last being of Airsprung Beds plc in 2011. Howard Kennedy’s involvement on the acquisition of Beales started in 2013 when Harris advised on the acquisition of shares and debt in the department store from a third party. Panther Securities was already a major shareholder and had a director representing its interests on the board. During the course of 2014 there were disagreements on the board as to the future path for the company. These disagreements resulted in Panther’s nominated director being removed. Harris and other team members were closely involved in advising on potential courses of action available during this period.

Relationships between the board and its significant shareholder were therefore strained. Beales was in need of financial support and so Portnard made a proposal to give financial assistance combined with, and conditional on, the board recommending a takeover offer by English Rose at a price less than half the then current market price.

“In normal circumstances an offer of that nature would not have much of a chance in being successful,” says Harris, “but the board was compelled to recognise that the proposal was in the best interests of the company and its shareholders, and that view was endorsed by its independent financial adviser, Smith Square Partners.”

Harris and Howard Kennedy’s banking team supported English Rose, and its financial advisers KPMG and Sanlam Securities throughout the transaction and, although the board was recommending the offer there was some unusually difficult discussion as to the exact language to be used. The offer was declared unconditional in March this year.

“A key part of the deal was the financial support to be provided to Beales by Portnard,” says Harris. “We worked with our dedicated banking team to resolve some interesting issues concerning the new debt’s interaction with the existing secured lender as well as advising on financial assistance issues and the need for shareholder approval.

A commercial and responsive service When faced with the array of challenges that can come with any public takeover, Harris maintains that a key feature of Howard Kennedy’s service is to interact with the client from a commercial as well as a legal and time driven perspective. “Time is always critical in takeovers. Responsiveness is the key, and you need to be on the job all the time. It can be 24 hours; it can be 7 days, depending on circumstances. Being available and having the resources within your team is crucial. My focus is to contribute to the deal on a strategic and tactical level.”

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M&A Awards 2015

“Technical knowledge and ability to manage a takeover is a given for lawyers practising in this arena. I wouldn’t expect any lawyer not to know the law or how the process works, so we’re looking to give our client something else and it is this client service that drives us. We always work closely with the clients on the transaction to maximise the chances of a successful outcome however complex the circumstances.”

An empathy for family owned businesses “On the private company side of M&A, Howard Kennedy has developed an empathy with family owned companies,” says Harris. “A sale of a family business is often a unique and often life changing experience for the sellers. The client must be assured he is in safe hands.”

“This is not a purely functional sector. It’s very much a commercial and transactional sector where having an in-depth experience of what happens in deals - public and private - is important. These clients are important to us and we aim to ensure they know that - they are not just a cog in the wheel.”

“As for the team, we are all very conscientious and dedicated. We work hard for long hours and we are always available. We are a pretty tight team, close personally and we support each other.”

With regards to the M&A industry, Howard Kennedy is noticing an uptake in the frequency of deals over the past few years. “We noticed that deals are more frequent than they were 3 or 4 years ago, but still not at the volume leading up to 2008. But there is a real appetite for deals now.”

Advice with a global reach Howard Kennedy is experienced at dealing with the challenges that come with working in different jurisdictions.

“The private company front is where we can be more involved with international issues,” explains Harris. “Having said that, the deal we did immediately prior to Beales was a takeover of Manroy PLC (which manufactures machine guns for helicopters). The bidder was a Belgian entity called Herstall SA. Manroy itself had a US subsidiary and advice was required in connection with that company. During the deal we had an urgent need to provide advice on Tennessee law and were able to do that through our membership of one of our international lawyer groupings, Meritas.”

Looking towards the future Harris sees Howard Kennedy continuing to expand and gaining more recognition in the M&A industry. “I personally feel that in the public arena, we have a very high level of expertise and ability and we’re always very effective. You might say we are punching above our weight, but this can also be an advantage. We deal with larger firms on the other side but our leaner set up means that clients receive a truly partner led service.”

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M&A awards

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Best US Manufacturing Deal - CUI Global Acquisition of Tectrol Inc.

CUI Global Inc

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CUI Global is a publicly traded company dedicated to maximizing shareholder value through the acquisition and development of innovative companies, products, and technologies. From Orbital Gas Systems’ advanced GasPT2 platform targeting the energy sector, to CUI Inc.’s digital power platform serving the networking and telecom space, CUI Global and its subsidiaries have built a diversified portfolio of industry leading technologies that touch many markets.

Our mission is to increase Shareholder value by identifying, acquiring, and commercializing new technologies with integrity and corporate ingenuity. We pride ourselves on operating with a high level of integrity, respect, and philanthropic dedication.

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M&A Awards 2015

Company: CUI Global inc Web: www.cuiglobal.com Address: 20050 SW 112th Avenue Tualatin, OR 97062 Toll Free: (800) 275.4899 Local: (503) 612.2300 Fax: (503) 612.2385

Over the past several years, CUI Global has grown from a $19.0 mm per year regional electronics distribution company with more than $40.0 mm in debt, to where we are today; to wit: a multi-national electronics & energy company with more than $75.0 mm in annual revenues (in FY 2014), more than $15.0 mm in cash, and effectively no debt. As you might imagine, that transition was accomplished through the tireless efforts of the entire CUI Global Team. It was made possible by developing a strategy and creating an environment wherein all employees work together to ensure operational efficiencies, world-class customer service, and a constant vision of the future. This attitude and strategy has allowed us to identify and then quickly take advantage of opportunities presented – often before a slower, less efficient company could or would react – the Tectrol acquisition was just such an opportunity.

The procedures and skills required to consummate this acquisition were the same skills that enabled us to receive the 2013 A.I. Award for acquiring Orbital Gas Systems Ltd. In the UK. Those skills included the operational, financial, and legal skills embodied by Mr. Clough (a lawyer), Mr. McKenzie (COO & President of the Electronics Division), and Mr. Ford (the CFO). Those skills, coupled with the team’s ability to negotiate a very favourable deal, while still meeting the needs of the Seller, resulted in an acquisition that was accretive, increases our presence in the marketplace, and allows us to provide more effective services to our largest customers.

We pride ourselves on staying ahead of our competitors in identifying needs and requirements for both the electronics and energy industry. We have developed a “skate to the puck” mentality that motivates our entire team to be on the lookout for compatible companies, technologies, employees, and customers we can target and acquire to strengthen our team and company and enhance our growth.

In addition, we try to create an environment which fosters customer service throughout the entire organization.

We do that by allowing individual employees to take ownership of both customers and issues, so they can follow a problem through to a conclusion; thus, ensuring that customers concerns and/or issues are always addressed promptly, courteously, and, usually before the issues become problems.

Along with those strategies set forth above, we also pride ourselves on being extremely “nimble” and quick to decide. The management team (Mr. Clough, Mr. McKenzie, and Mr. Ford) have worked together for many years, trust each other and each other’s abilities, and can quickly identify and react to opportunities as they present themselves. These qualities, more than any others, have allowed them to build the business and create the positive environment that continues to pay dividends to CUI Global’s customers, employees, and shareholders.

We are a multi-national company with offices in North America, Asia, and Europe – we don’t have the “luxury” of targeting regional markets. Rather, we develop a strategy which reflects the needs of our two industry’s (electronics & natural gas) as a whole. We then try to address those worldwide needs in a world-class manner by ensuring that our customers receive more than they expect by way of both performance and results.

Receipt of this award is a tremendous milestone for the company and its management team, William Clough (CEO), Matt McKenzie (COO), and Dan Ford (CFO). It is confirmation of the continuing efforts of the company and its team to identify and capitalize on unique opportunities to grow the business through both organic means and acquiring compatible, accretive business units when those opportunities present themselves. It is also validation of the company and its management team’s decision to effectively manage its balance sheet so that when such opportunities arise, the company can and will take full advantage.

Bill Clough

Dan Ford

Matt McKenzie

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UAE Deal of the Year - BRS Ventures & Holdings Limited for Acquisition of Travelex

~ When dreams are pursued, rewards are multi-fold. Not only does the inspired vision become a reality, it also wins appreciation and recognition from various prestigious quarters. BRS Ventures & Holdings Ltd winning the Acquisition International’s ‘UAE Deal of the Year Award’, for acquiring Travelex Holdings Limited, is one such instance where pursuit of a dream is aptly rewarded.

BRS Ventures and Holdings Ltd, Deal Team of the Transaction from left to right: (Vilas Achuthankutty, T. P Pradeep Kumar, Promoth Manghat, Nizamuddin E.A, Rahul Pai)

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M&A Awards 2015

Name: Ramesh Ravindranath Manager-Business Relations| Global Email:ramesh.ravindranath@uaeexchange.com Telephone: +971 2 4945505

BRS Ventures and Holdings Ltd is owned by Dr. B. R. Shetty, the renowned businessman and philanthropist from the Middle East, and his equity partners. Under the able leadership of Dr. B R Shetty, his handful of dynamic lieutenants (five in number) pursued the dream of acquiring Travelex, one of the biggest operators of foreign currency exchange, and the result was its acquisition within a short span of time.

Founded in 1976, Travelex has grown to become the world’s leading Specialist provider of foreign exchange. It does more than 37 million retail transactions each year and operates across the entire value chain of the retail foreign exchange industry across 29 countries. It has a growing network of 1300 ATMs and 1500 stores at both on-airport and off-airport locations around the world, the transaction was complex, throwing up multi-fold challenges each day, needing cautious and deft handling.

For the smooth running of any major deal, there are two main ingredients that are needed. Firstly, the core team that works for a transaction has to be short and apt comprising of the right subject matter experts. Secondly, it is important that the right advisors are chosen for the deal. The choice of the advisors will determine how the deal is consummated. This deal was blessed with the both the right ingredients.

The five member experienced and enterprising professional team (headed by Mr. Promoth Manghat) with expertise in various fields, constituted the deal team. This team navigated through multi-fold challenges and the tight timelines that unfolded as the transaction progressed, with aplomb. The entire deal was completed in a matter of a few months including obtaining approvals from multiple regulators from various countries.

The acquisition task was efficiently handled by the deal team, with assistance from reputed international advisors, including Standard Chartered Bank, Evercore (both as M&A advisors) and Linklaters (Legal advisor).

Also involved in financing the deal were Goldman Sachs (book runner and mandated Lead Arranger of the facility), Qatar National Bank, Doha Bank, Commercial Bank International and National Bank of Fujairah (other Book runners and Mandated Lead Arrangers).

For the successful completion of the deal, the team had to overcome various challenges that included: • Acquisition Vs IPO- the acquisition of Travelex was pursued when Travelex was in the process of launching an IPO. The challenge posted to the acquisition team was to convince Travelex to drop the IPO and go the acquisition route. The deal team through efficient and effective time and content management ensured that the necessary due diligence was completed on time and Travelex was convinced to drop the IPO plans •

Regulatory Hurdles- the deal closure required pre closing change of control approvals from over 10 regulators. In between one of the regulator also wanted a change in the acquisition structure. The deal team along with the advisors ensured that they had the right level of engagement with the regulators and their needs are met.

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Multiple Closures- the deal was concluded at a time when the Travelex was in itself in the midst of acquisition of 2 companies. Both these deals were closed alongside this mother acquisition

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Bond Consent Solicitation- adding to the complexity of the deal was the fact that Travelex has a secured Bond listed in the Irish stock exchange. There was a requirement to seek consent from the bondholders as part of the change of control process. This was also done subsequently and on time.

The financial services industry especially the foreign currency exchange and money transfer industry is facing challenging times in terms of the business growth. The growth especially in the money transfer has been gradual and is perhaps helped only by the weakening of currencies which boost money transfer. This has led to more deals in the industry with more and more companies offering themselves for sale.

Awards like these are a means of recognition to the individual business and the wider industry. For businesses, it is a means of recognising the hard work that they have put in getting the award while for the wider industry it is a means of promoting the knowledge about the industry to a wider audience.

Promoth Manghat, the Head of the Deal Team commented “We are delighted and honoured to be recognized

by AI’s M&A Award 2015 for the acquisition of Travelex under the UAE Deal of the year. This coveted recognition from the prestigious magazine Acquisition International in the form of the ‘UAE Deal of the Year Award’ is a pat on the back for the deal team for a job well done and making the dream come true.”

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Best Global M&A Platform: Intralinks DealspaceÂŽ

IntralinksÂŽ

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Trusted globally for more than 19 years for secure, compliant and fully auditable collaboration, Intralinks lets you safely and easily share documents and files – anytime, anywhere, on any device.

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M&A Awards 2015

Name: Intralinks Web: www.intralinks.com

Intralinks originated secure cloud-based sharing in 1996 and continues to lead across all industries, from M&A to clinical trials to oil & gas. We set you free by giving you absolute control over your most sensitive, high-value content – marrying matchless, bank-grade security to intuitive and elegant user-friendly interfaces.

Since we started, 1.4 billion pages and more than $28 trillion in transactions have passed through our cloud.

Ninety-nine percent of the Fortune 1000 have used Intralinks to do more, without worry. Gartner, an American information technology research and advisory firm, likes us too; they’ve crowned us top supplier of enterprise collaboration and social software solutions.

Intralinks. Potential unlocked.

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Best for Legal Sector M&A - UK

ZebraLC

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ZebraLC has advised in a number of landmark deals within the legal sector. These deals are unprecedented by the fact that new entrants have entered the UK legal market for the first time and generated a growing M&A sector. We spoke to them about their success as well as their strategy behind the smooth running of major deals.

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M&A Awards 2015

Company: ZebraLC Name: Zoe Holland Email: zoeholland@zebralc.co.uk Web Address: www.zebralc.co.uk Address: The Old Coach House, 15 West Grove, Sale, Cheshire M33 3AS

In 2014, Zebra advised on technical & WIP due diligence in Fairpoint Group PLCs £15million acquisition of national law firm Simpson Millar. This was an unprecedented deal for the AIM list company and was a deal highlight of the year. Also in 2014, Zebra advised on technical and carried out the WIP due diligence for private equity firm, North Edge Capital, in the £15million investment into the UKs leading Industrial Disease firm, Roberts Jackson. Other parties within these deals included KPMG, Deloittes and BDO. As accountants, their focus was on financial due diligence.

Carrying out technical and WIP due diligence in new entrant deals such as these was unchartered territory for our company. Moreover, ZebraLC’s unique approach to technical WIP due diligence in M&A within the legal sector did not exist prior to its inception in 2012. These particular deals also required a bespoke approach as both included areas of personal injury, which at the time was in the early stages of regulatory and political change with the advent of LASPO (Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.)

“Understanding and diligencing complex legal matters across a variety of contingent and non-contingent work-types required a particular blend of legal and financial expertise and this is exactly what ZebraLC brought to the evaluation process,” said Tim Ritchie, Head of M&A, Fairpoint Group PLC. From our experience, greater visibility and a deeper understanding of legal business financial profile (including WIP profile), value and operational risk are fundamental to M&A. ZebraLC has managed not only to keep in step with this change, but to anticipate it. Our methodology is unique to us and our clients value our role as part of the due diligence process.

As a small niche business, and also a young one, we have had to stand shoulder to shoulder with international accounting firms. This is fantastic opportunity for us. There is really no-one else in the sector that delivers what we deliver and what we do compliments the role of the accountant. Historically, the assessment of WIP valuation has been firmly set within the remit of accountants. With the onset, for example, of the flourishing personal injury M&A sector, the growth of specialist caseload and technical due diligence to assess WIP, technical capability and operational risk is ever present.

The aim of specialist technical due diligence is to get to the heart of key indicators of WIP value and caseload risk profiling. Highlighting and then assessing trends throughout the caseload is a fundamental part of the process. It requires a combination of technical, financial and commercial skill. The role of an experienced costs expert is also critical to assess retainer and funding risk.

Further, ZebraLC operates within a highly regulated environment and as such carrying out due diligence on SRA regulated law firms requires us to put law firm clients and thus consumer confidentiality at the heart of our approach. Assessing technical capability and WIP means that the team have to assess individual client matters. This was particularly relevant in the new entrant M&A process. Our M&A approach and process adheres to the guidance and rule provided by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

When working on major transactions, understanding the critical path of the due diligence process is fundamental for the smooth running of the deal. ZebraLC manages its due diligence process according to its Project Assurance Plan which takes a measured and risk based approach. As a niche specialist, our ISO 9001 accreditation as a legal sector technical due specialist is also invaluable. Open and structured dialogue with both the client and target is also fundamental to the smooth running of the due diligence.

As for the current climate in our industry, the UK legal sector has seen seismic changes as a result of political, economical and regulatory forces. This has led to unprecedented M&A within the sector, and new entrants such as Fairpoint Group PLC entering the market. Without the advent of ABS (alternative business structures) within the UK legal sector, deals like this would simply not have been possible.

It is a proud moment for us to win this award. It is the culmination of our innovation, tenacity and unique UK legal sector understanding that has got us to this point. Most of all, it is testimony to the talent of our biggest asset; our people.

Furthermore, this award provides businesses like us with an invaluable profile. This is even more so because we are small, unique and niche. Our work comes through reputation and credibility and the exposure to awards like this enables us to shout out to the wider industry. Its about front of mind’ PR coverage.

Internally, this award rewards and recognises the hard work of our people and this is just as valuable to us.

It’s provides a moment to reflect on how far we have come in under 3 years and recognise the value of our unique role within legal sector M&A. Having already had out first enquiry from Perth, Australia, the international reach of the award coverage is exciting and again, provides an opportunity to reach audiences outside for the UK. Carrying out the due diligence for both Fairpoint Group PLC and North Edge Capital was a landmark point in our business journey. It put ZebraLC firmly on the map and as a result other significant due diligence projects are underway. We can’t shout about these deals until they are in the public domain –so watch this space!

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Smart.

WINNER OF THE BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR A VDR SOLUTION 2015

There is an art to due diligence. When you are preparing for a transaction, think Merrill DataSite - the smart, simple, secure virtual data room for your deal.

datasite.com

M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Best for Serious Fraud - UK

~ Following last year’s merger between 187 Fleet Street and 2 Pump Court, Andrew Trollope QC and Richard Christie QC are delighted that Chambers has won the Acquisition International 2015 M&A Award: Best for Serious Fraud. We got in touch with them to find out more.

Company: The Chambers of Andrew Trollope QC and Richard Christie QC 187 Fleet Street Email: chambers@187fleetstreet.com Web Address: www.187fleetstreet.com Address: 187 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2AT Telephone: 020 7430 7430

We are especially proud of winning this award as it comes in the first year of the merger of our 2 sets of Chambers, thus demonstrating the real strength and depth that the merger has brought in the field of Serious Fraud.

Internationally renowned and based in the City of London, 187 Fleet Street’s barristers are widely recognised as advocates of the highest calibre. We provide our corporate and individual clients with expert, first-class legal representation at every stage of criminal, civil and regulatory proceedings. A key strength of chambers lies in the breadth and depth of experience of its members who are regularly instructed in high profile and leading cases.

Chambers has particular expertise in serious fraud and white collar crime, as well as homicide, terrorism, sex offences, revenue cases, money laundering and all forms of serious organised crime. A wealth of experience is also offered in many areas related to the criminal law, and specialist representation is offered in respect of VAT tribunals, professional regulation, health and safety, trading standards and sports law.

We also specialise in Rough Justice appeals and members are regularly instructed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Members of Chambers also prosecute at all levels for the Serious Fraud Office, HM Revenue and Customs, Crown Prosecution Service, Local Authorities and Government Departments. We have a number of Counsel who have been appointed to the Attorney General’s List and we conduct cases on behalf of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department of Work and Pensions and the Health and Safety Executive.

Corporate Crime and Serious Fraud: this includes market rigging in share issues and takeovers, cartels and price fixing, advance fee, high yield investment/ponzi and ‘boiler room’ frauds, fraudulent trading/Phoenix, money laundering/confiscation, MTIC cases involving a wide web of contra trading companies, off shore finance institutions and offshore banking evidence, VAT/excise evasion and revenue cases. MTIC/ diversion cases include: Operations Vitric, Venison, Vex, Carina , Campaign, Domic, Tulipbox and Devout. Other fraud cases include the Cheney pension fraud; the Dome fraud; Ikea fraud/corruption case; SFO prosecution of ‘Lord’ Edward Davenport; SFO Pharmaceutical cartel case; R v Peter Storrie (Harry Redknapp case); Operation Amazon (HMRC’s largest ever case)

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M&A awards

http://www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-m-a-2015

Reinsurance Firm of the Year - Africa

~ Following a recommendation of the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re) was established on 24 February 1976 in Yaounde, Cameroon. An international Agreement was signed by the Plenipotentiaries of 36 member States of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the AfDB with the aim of reducing the outflow of foreign exchange from the continent by retaining a substantial proportion of the reinsurance premiums generated therein.

Company: Africa Re E-mail: info@africa-re.com Address: Head Office African Reinsurance Corporation Africa Re Building Plot 1679 Karimu Kotun Street, Victoria Island PMB 12765 Lagos - Nigeria.

Telephone: (234 - I) 4616820 / 4616828/ 2800724 - 5 Fax: (234 - I) 2800074

That Agreement, known and referred to as the Agreement Establishing the African Reinsurance Corporation confers on Africa Re its current status as well as the legal authority to operate. As at today, Africa Re has 41 member States representing 33.59% of the capital (August 2015) in addition to the AfDB, which is among the single largest shareholders with 8% of the capital (August 2015).

The Agreement also empowers any member State to authorize a national institution, either a bank or an insurance company acting on its behalf, to purchase the shares reserved for the State. In order to allow its cedants to share the Corporation’s fortune and participate more closely in its affairs, one-third of Africa Re’s capital was opened up in 1992 to insurance companies with a majority indigenous shareholding.

A good number of the companies have already subscribed and paid up for the shares allotted to them. To date, more than 100 insurance and reinsurance companies are shareholders of Africa Re with a 33.85 % combined stake (August 2015).

Also, in 2001 it was decided that the Corporation’s capital be opened to non-African investors so as to have the required strategic partners. As a result, Africa Re now has four (4) non-African investors subscribed and paid for a total of 25.39% of the capital (August 2015). They are: - FAIRFAX Financial Holding (Canada), - AXA Africa Holding Ltd (France), - IRB-Brazil Re (the leading Brazilian reinsurer) - PROPARCO (French Financial Development Institution, member of the Groupe Agence Française de Développement) Africa Re is today the leading reinsurance company in Africa and the Middle East as its posted in April 2015 a net profit of US$ 119 million for the full 2014 compared to US$ 85 million in 2013. The performance was driven by strong underwriting profit and steady investment results. This impressive performance was 7.37% above the Corporation’s five-year plan projections.

KEY INFORMATION AS AT 31/12/2014 Standard & Poor’s rating : A – (Strong / Stable Outlook) A.M. Best Company rating : A – (Excellent / Positive Outlook) Paid up Capital : US$ 294 million, Shareholders fund : US$ 737 million Gross Written Premium : US$ 718 million Net profit : US$ 119 million Total Assets : US$ 1.4 Billion

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M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Best Cross-Border Investment Banking Firm - USA

Angle Advisors

~ Proudly named Acquisition International’s Cross-Border Investment Bank of the Year for the second time running, Angle (www.angleadvisors.com) completed its 122nd cross-border M&A transaction during 2014. With a focus on the vehicular industry, including auto, auto after-market, medium and heavy truck, bus, trailer, off-road-vehicle, marine and aerospace, Angle has followed its markets and matched its clients’ needs around the world. Angle’s offices in Detroit, Frankfurt and Shanghai provide M&A advisory services primarily to corporations and private companies (spin-offs and divestitures) as well as PE funds active in the vehicular arena. We got in touch with them to find out more.

Company: Angle Advisors Investment Banking LLC Telephone: +1 800.690.1750 or +1 248.605.9550 Address: 101 Southfield Road, 2nd Floor Birmingham, MI 48009 Attention: Cliff Roesler, Managing Director Web: angleadvisors.com

A strong and continuing run of growth in both passenger car and heavy-truck industry sales has increased activity in Angle’s key market. Recovery in Europe and aggressive expansion of vehicular suppliers based in China and Asia has created a robust market for M&A. All regional markets except South America are showing improving vehicular sales, some smoother than others, but mostly growing. Truck, bus and off-road markets have shifted from slow-growth to more active growth with M&A activity expected to increase and strategic buyers actively looking.

Transactions of note are focused in the automotive market where Angle sold its largest-ever auto supplier in 2014 for over $650 million. This was preceded by a major auto-aftermarket sale where we reached a $310 million closing value. In Europe, Angle assisted with the acquisition of Finnveden Metal Structures from its current owner, FinnvedenBulten AB, adding stamping and magnesium diecasting capabilities to the buyer’s current automotive portfolio. In NAFTA, Angle was especially active in electronics and EMS. And, with Asian buyers, Angle was most active in safety and restraint-related parts, where interest in both passive and active restraint technologies was very high.

As for the trends in the vehicle industry, light-weighting remains the buzz. Light-weighting is impacting everything from iron and aluminum castings to steel applications and forming technologies. The changes and demand in the cast-aluminium component supply base has been most remarkable. The aluminium casting arena continues to be especially active, as interest in foundries remains extremely high.

Plastics makers have also seen tremendous consolidation, with large-tonnage press sizes being in short supply and high-capacity plastics producers looking to secure market share. Several large transactions marked a turn of fortunes in vehicular plastics including US Farathane’s sale to Gores Group, and Grupo Antolin’s acquisition of Magna’s plastics business unit.

Angle’s year was marked by a 17% growth in its staff, a 5th consecutive year of record revenues, and ongoing recognition as the leader in vehicular M&A. Angle will keep driving ahead with ingenuity, smarter and more targeted processes, and the use of our registered “Fireside Chat” M&A process to emphasize the importance of in-language M&A programs for our cross-border M&A practice.

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M&A awards

http://www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-m-a-2015

Best Infrastructure-Focused European Fund Manager

~ Arcus Infrastructure Partners is an independent fund manager specialising in European infrastructure, which currently manages investments in the infrastructure sector with an aggregate enterprise value of €17.5bn.

We spoke to them about their aim to deliver attractive risk adjusted returns and yield over the long term through active management of infrastructure assets throughout Europe.

Company: Arcus Infrastructure Partners LLP Email: info@arcusip.com Address: 6 St Andrew Street London EC4A 3AE Telephone: +44 20 7832 3400 Fax: +44 20 7936 3227

Leadership Senior members of the Arcus Team have been leaders in investing and managing European infrastructure investments since the mid-1990s. Arcus typically seeks control or significant influence to implement value creation strategies that drive growth and enhance performance in the investee companies.

Independence Following a management buyout in 2009, Arcus was formed as an independent fund manager wholly owned by its partners. A strong governance structure underpins the business with all investment decisions made by a high-calibre supervisory board comprising a majority of independent directors.

Experience The Arcus Team has extensive technical expertise in infrastructure investing, with core team members having been responsible for originating, executing and managing in excess of €28bn of infrastructure transactions.

The Arcus Team has strong industry knowledge in ports, rail, airports, roads, energy & power (including renewables), water, utilities and telecommunication sectors. Arcus has invested €2.1bn of equity capital across six investments on behalf of Arcus European Infrastructure Fund 1. In respect of these six assets, Arcus has developed and executed follow-on investments representing EV of more than €2.6bn.

Commitment Arcus is fully aligned with its investors through a significant investment in AEIF1 and a broad distribution of carry across the Team. Arcus has dedicated resources assigned to each investment with clearly delineated responsibilities to deliver the business plan over the period of ownership.

Capital Raising Arcus has recently formed the Arcus European Infrastructure Platform, a flexible investment framework designed to meet the needs of larger institutional investors, looking to deploy significant amounts of capital directly into attractive European infrastructure investments. The Platform will make two to three investments, each with a target equity size of between £300m to £500m. The target size of the Platform is £1bn, of which £600m has already been secured.

Recent Acquisition In March 2015, an Arcus led consortium acquired TdF, the leading French communication infrastructure company with over 5,000 towers for TV and radio broadcast and wireless communications for an enterprise value of €3.6bn. Arcus manages c.€1bn (45%) of the equity.

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M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Antitrust Law Firm of the Year - Mexico & Sustained Excellence in Complex Litigation 2015 - Mexico

~ In Arias, Meurinne y Rodríguez, S.C. we provide original, straightforward and solid solutions to the most complex litigation and consultation problems regarding Tax, Administrative and Constitutional Law trusted to us by our international and national Clientele. We spoke to them about how they provide unique solutions, for unique legal problems.

Company: Arias, Meurinne y Rodríguez, S.C. Email: amyr@amyr.com.mx Web Address: http://amyr.com.mx/ Address: Prol. Paseo de la Reforma 1236 Piso 5 Desarrollo Santa Fe C.P. 05348 Del. Cuajimalpa México, D.F. Telephone: 55-5280-5240

Chambers and Partners1, a leading independent researcher of law firms, has expressed the following about the Firm recently: “What the team is known for is sector knowledge spanning a diversity of tax matters including double tax treaties, litigation and representation of clients before the tax authorities.”

We take pride in providing the best possible service for our clients, with one of our many satisfied clients commenting: “These lawyers particularly stand out for their tax litigation practice. Arias, Meurinne, Orendain y Rodriguez is a competitive player in the market.”

Similarly, our practitioners personally have received some very favourable responses from their clients. Luis Meurinne is praised by sources as a “sophisticated consultant and a very good lawyer.” Similarly, Pedro Arias Garrido is considered by sources to be a “respected litigator who is making a name for himself.”

Furthermore, Acquisition International recognized the Law Firm this year with two coveted awards. For the Tax Awards 2014, we received ‘Sustained Excellence in Tax Litigation-Mexico’ as well as ‘Tax Litigation Law Firm of the Year’. Furthermore, the ACQ Law Awards for 2014 recognised us for ‘Mexico-Tax Litigator of the Year’.

These awards are client and peer reviewed, thus highlight the commitment we deliver to each one of our clients and the perception that the Mexican legal market has of us.

The Law Firm’s Tax, Administrative and Constitutional litigation practice, is built around four partners each of them with at least 20 years of experience in court and who personally develop and implement the best possible legal strategies in order to increase our clients possibilities of success. Since the Firm participates in an average of 500 plus high-profile Tax, Administrative and Constitutional cases every year, some of them making even headline news, we have accumulated the experience to deal with the widest array of problems. We make it our business to understand the business of each of our clients, their goals and needs, tailoring individual solutions for each one of them.

To summarise our business, Arias, Meurinne y Rodríguez, S.C. create unique solutions, for unique legal problems.

1 Chambers and Partners is the leading independent researcher of Law Firms. Their research is based on the confidential opinions given by clients and market sources. http://www.chambersandpartners. com/144/49/editorial/9/1

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http://www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-m-a-2015

Best for Transaction Negotiation 2015 – UK award

Avondale

~ Established in 1991, Avondale provide award winning business sales, acquisitions and strategic growth solutions.

They are the Institute of Directors’ preferred provider of business sales, mergers and acquisitions. Avondale’s strategy team helps ambitious organisations create and execute transformational plans that accelerate growth and value, ensuring confidence, clarity and results are produced. We got in touch with them about how their class leading business sales and acquisitions practice is the perfect complement, increasing market intelligence and strategic options.

Company: Avondale

Kevin Uphill, Chairman of Avondale, states “We are absolutely delighted with this award as well as the “Best Trade Sale – Delos Community” award. It is a real reflection of not only transaction success but in also our technical expertise in negotiating deals at maximum value with optimum structure to achieve if not exceed our clients’ expectations.”

The Delos Community transaction is a clear example of Avondale’s ability to deliver exceptional transactions.

Avondale thought outside of the box when approaching and targeting potential acquirers, thus increasing the number of keen acquirers and negotiated with these parties thus significantly increasingthe transaction value and enabling the Delos Community to extend their service offering increasing the standard of social care provided to the community. The purchaser of Delos Community stated, “Avondale have been highly professional and responsive throughout the due diligence process and we are delighted that the purchase has now been concluded” Anna Lunts, Chief Executive of Creative Support Ltd Providing trusted advice is a key part of Avondale’s culture and also crucial to their success. Their advisors have genuine business acumen and work closely with clients to ensure they achieve, if not exceed their ambitions. The majority of Avondale’s work comes from recommendation, further recognition of their ability to succeed, technical abilities, strong service ethos and principles led approach.

To find out more please contact Avondale on 01737 240888, email av@avondale.co.uk or visit our web site www.avondale-group.co.uk

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M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Sustained Excellence in Accountancy 2015 – Norway & Best for M&A Due Diligence - Norway

BDO

~ BDO is one of the largest providers of professional services in Norway. As a rapidly developing enterprise, we have carved out a name for ourselves as one of the leading professional services companies in the country.

Company: BDO Web: www.bdo.no

We supply a broad range of services within our business areas: audit, tax, customs and excise duties, consulting and corporate services. The full spectrum of our services benefits our customers through a holistic delivery and a clear focus on their specific, individual needs.

As we employ professional experts with extensive experience, we are in a position to deliver services that make a real difference. BDO’s flat structure allows flexible working relationships across boundaries and between different services, and ensures that we always have the resources to handle your requests – regardless of your situation. With offices all over Norway, we enjoy unique proximity to our customers and their local markets.

This is reflected in the quality and flexibility of our working relationships with our clients.

Our client base ranges from small businesses to large listed enterprises, and features representatives from most industries in all parts of the country. We work closely with public sector players and have considerable experience in assisting public sector companies within our business areas. Partner proximity and extensive experience are the distinguishing features of our deliverables across all of our service categories.

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M&A awards

http://www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-m-a-2015

Dutch Boutique Advisory firm of the Year, for the third consecutive year

~

M E R G E R S & AC Q U I S I T I O N S

In only a couple of years, Blacktrace has gained reputation in the M&A field both in the Netherlands and globally, with more than half of all deals being cross-border. This is not a coincidence. From the very start, Blacktrace has aspired to focus its strengths at the global market and be the link between (financial) parties who could not have found each other otherwise. “Our activities in Asia have skyrocketed over the last few years”, says Jaap Smits, founder of Blacktrace. Blacktrace offers corporates, private equity and family-owned businesses top quality assistance in various transactions like acquisitions, divestments, management buy-outs, corporate valuations, capital raising and corporate exits and typical transaction values for these transaction lie between €10 and €200 million. Blacktrace has closed many significant deals over the last few years. To date, our highly experienced team has successfully completed internationally acclaimed transactions totalling more than €1 billion.

From your experience, what procedures are vital in ensuring the smooth running of a major deal?

In running deals, it is absolutely critical to identify and maintain momentum. Looking back at most deals done

by Blacktrace, there were always breakthroughs at a moment you would not expect it and vice versa. Things never go like you expect them to and hence it is important to stay on top of the deal so you can capture momentum when it’s there. Furthermore, the human aspect should not be ignored. One should not forget the fact that behind every firm, every contract, every email, there are people behind them. Small gestures can make or break a deal, especially nearing the end. Looking at our track record and highly satisfied customers, Blacktrace has shown it masters the mix between professional service and a human touch.

Company: Blacktrace Mergers & Acquisitions Name: Jaap Smits Email: jaap.smits@blacktrace.nl Web Address: www.blacktrace.nl Address: Hugo de Grootlaan 11, 5223 LB ’s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands Telephone: + 31 (0) 73 640 95 71

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Could you tell us about the current climate in your industry and how, if at all, this impacted on the deal?

Blacktrace is observing a market that is well on its way to full recovery from the economic downturn. Investors are gaining confidence and firms are back to looking for strategic expansion by means of acquisitions and IPO’s. A stimulating factor in this trend is the low interest rate. Although Blacktrace has performed exceptionally well during the downturn, demand for our services have soared over the last 2 quarters. “Blacktrace has expanded its track record with several high-profile deals in 2014 and 2015 already proves to be a fruitful year, with many projects in the pipeline”, says Jaap Smits.

How does it feel to have won this award and to what do you most owe this success?

Winning this award for three consecutive years is not only a recognition for the successes that Blacktrace has booked for its customers, it also shows us that Blacktrace is starting to become a stable factor in the M&A industry, considering Blacktrace is a relatively young firm.

How important do you believe awards like this to be, both to individual businesses like yourselves and in your wider industry?

Blacktrace attaches great value to awards like the Acquisition International M&A Awards. They concretize firm success into a visible benchmark that enforces credibility towards our current and future clients.

M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Best Brand Consultancy Firm 2015 - UK & Award for Innovation in Post-Deal Rebranding

~ Brand Potential is a brand consultancy providing creative insight, innovation and brand planning to brand owners and private equity, both in the UK and globally. We got in touch with them about their company as well as their unique approach to handling M&A transactions.

Formed in 2010 by 3 hands-on owner-founders, Brand Potential specialises in what we describe as Accelerator Brands: brands on a growth journey, brands needing a change of pace and/or brands working to a particular growth timeline.

We work across all stages of the M&A journey on both buy- and sell-side, helping our clients to find, define and size opportunities to inform deal decisions and support brands on their growth journey. It’s a formula that works particularly well for clients who have a clear commercial timelines and when buying or selling brands.

Whether you are a buyer or seller, confident acquisition requires a view of the future and we believe that having an insight into your consumer and/or your shopper is a crucial part of the due diligence process and that future view.

We combine multiple sources of insight to help identify the untapped potential and possibilities for the brand or business – from stakeholders, opinion leaders, trade partners, and of course from consumers and shoppers.

Company: Brand Potential Name: Kieran Best Email: Kieran.best@hotmail.co.uk Web Address: brand-potential.co.uk Address: Number One, 1 High Street, Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 1LD Telephone: 01753 422 955

Recent transactions includes Bridges Ventures acquisition of 9Bar. We also supported ECI partners in their acquisition and subsequent post deal rebranding of the Rail Discoveries brand.

The Acquisition International M&A Awards are important for businesses like Brand Potential as they act as a great PR vehicle, raising awareness of less publicised contributions to the deal process, such as consumer and brand due diligence. Awards such as this and the publicity it brings help give the work we do context in the wider industry and helps the industry understand the power of consumers.

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M&A awards

http://www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-m-a-2015

Best Business Law Firm - Cameroon

Cabinet Charles Tchuente

~ Cabinet Charles TCHUENTE is amongst the most Reputable Business Law firm in the city of Douala as well as in the Republic of Cameroon. We have a huge firm where Barrister Charles TCHUENTE is the founder and senior partner, and a team of experienced lawyers.

Company: Cabinet Charles TCHUENTE Web: tchuentefirm.com Email: cabinet@tchuentelaw.com Address: 610, vallĂŠe des Ministres (face Maison du Combattant et Clinique Annexe MUNA), BP 876 Douala, Cameroun Telephone : +237 33 08 79 59, or+237 99 50 30 30 Fax : (237) 33 04 92 15

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We can boast of Solid Credentials among International Organization, including the World Bank where Barrister Charles TCHUENTE is a consultant. Our firm was awarded the International Quality Summit Award in the Gold Category by the Business Initiative Directions (BID) in New York on the 25th of May 2015.

It is our ambition is to become a referral Law Firm in Africa.

M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Best for International Financing 2015 - UK

Camden Associates

~ Camden is a corporate finance house with a particular specialty in international financing and a special emphasis on the following sectors: biotech, tech, real estate as well as junior mining and exploration companies.

Company: Camden Associates Address: Camden 27 Hill street London W1J 5LP Telephone.: +44 207 290 9812 Cell Europe: +336 7498 4104

We strive to develop trust with our clients through thorough and detailed consultation. This is what permits us to generate appropriate investment ideas and value-added services.

Ideas are key Our ability to generate original, quality ideas for clients and investors positions us ahead of the competition.

Know your client The more detailed our understanding of our clients’ needs and objectives, the better positioned we are to meet them.

Create shareholder value We are committed to aligning the interests of all parties involved in a transaction which is what creates in the end optimal value creation.

Camden is involved in lasting client relationships.

You will get a different perspective from us. Few investment advisory boutiques focussed on the mid-market can combine advice on international M&A and corporate finance with capital markets expertise.

Whether you are a private or public company, a professional investor, an entrepreneur, our aim is to use our experience, international reach and sector expertise for your benefit. Welcome to Camden.

Listed companies: Camden provides a wide range of services including financing, restructuring, M&A, to domestic and international clients. Camden has acted as advisor on many recent transactions.

Private companies: Camden provides companies with special services tailored to their particular strategic needs: exchange listing, buy out or trade sale. We map the road for internal or external growth, incremental improvement or disruptive moves. We look after small, mid-sized and large industrial companies across a broad spectrum of regions.

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WINNER Best M&A Data Publisher

Comprehensive intelligence on deals, companies and comparables is vital to help you get the full picture, and our information solutions help you find and analyse companies and deals quickly and accurately. Our databases are renowned for their global coverage of companies and deals - complete with historical detail, comparables, multiples and original documents. And they come with excellent customer service.

Find target companies – quickly and accurately Our company reports include detailed activity information, financials, deal histories, corporate structures and numerous search options so you can identify lists of target companies accurately and quickly, and create quick peer analyses. And our coverage is comprehensive too – we have company databases for various individual countries plus we cover 80 million companies in Europe and 150 million globally on our Orbis database. Choose the coverage that’s right for your firm.

Find comparable deals – quickly and accurately Our deal database, Zephyr, has more deals added to it every year than any other product, so it’s perfect for finding comparable deals, even in niche markets. Deal

reports include company financials, links to comparable deals, source documents, multiples and trade

descriptions. You can search for deals using a huge range of criteria including 13 deal types (and over 30 sub deal types), deal financing, methods of payment, region,

Fast, streamlined solutions We link our company and deal data to streamline your research. Our integral analysis options give you instant and flexible peer reports for benchmarking. It’s simple to download data for further analysis and even pull data from our reports directly into Excel via our Add-In, straight into your own models for tailored analysis and with no manual data entry.

We provide the right data to help you create quick analyses. For listed companies our earnings estimates mean you can easily generate trading multiples and calculate current enterprise value.

Free trial We’d like to show you how our products can save you time and help your work more efficiently. Our free trial scheme means you can comprehensively test our products out. We’ll help you get the best from your trial period and show you how you can use our products to create impressive results in very little time.

Benefit from tailored customer service You can be confident of getting high levels of service from us throughout your trial and subscription. Our account managers know your market and will spend time advising you on how to employ our intelligence most effectively for your firm.

stake and values, to build precise searches across more than a million deals.

bvdinfo.com

M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Best for Mid-Market Sell Side M&A - UK

Cavendish Corporate Finance LLP

~ Cavendish Corporate Finance is the UK’s leading independent firm advising exclusively on sell side M&A. Founded in 1988, we have advised on some 500 company sales with an aggregate value in excess of £3 billion.

Company: Cavendish Corporate Finance LLP Email: info@cavendish.com Web: cavendish.com Address: Cavendish Corporate Finance LLP 40 Portland Place London W1B 1NB Telephone: 44 (0) 20 7908 6000 Fax: 44 (0) 20 7908 6006

Our clients include private companies, financial institutions and fully listed public companies with typical transactions falling broadly within the £10 million to £300 million ‘mid-market’ value range.

Cavendish is unique in that it has only ever acted for vendors of businesses and as a result has built up an unrivalled specialist expertise in managing the company sale process. We never face the potential conflicts of interest experienced by most other firms, who advise both purchasers and vendors.

Moreover, Cavendish is a member of M&A International Inc., the world’s leading alliance of specialist mergers and acquisitions advisors and investment banking firms. M&A International Inc. offers the unparalleled, global resources of over 500 M&A professionals operating in every major financial centre of the world.

Furthermore, Cavendish’s expertise and success in selling businesses is acknowledged by our continued success at awards ceremonies.

To address the strong growth of all China related M&A deal activity over the last few years, Cavendish Corporate Finance and its M&A International Inc. partner firm Quam Capital have jointly set up a China Europe M&A Desk.

When you are selling your business, you want the best possible deal structured in the best possible way.

Cavendish is uniquely placed to assist business vendors achieve their aims. We offer: Independent specialist advice Our focus on selling businesses gives us an unrivalled expertise and ensures that we obtain the best price and terms for our clients. Cavendish is an independent partnership meaning we can provide objective advice.

Vendor focus Ensures confidentiality and avoids any conflicts of interest between purchasers and vendors. This allows us to focus on what really matters - managing the sale process to ensure that the best price is achieved for the vendor.

Industry sector expertise Sector dedicated teams provide specialist and informed advice. Senior level partners work on all our deals with regular communication with clients.

Pre-sale support We offer invaluable pre-sale planning advice to enhance the attractiveness of businesses to potential purchasers.

Proven track record We have over 25 years of experience and have successfully completed some 500 company sales, with an aggregate value of over £3 billion.

Global coverage Being part of M&A International Inc., the world’s leading international M&A alliance, gives us valuable local knowledge and access to overseas purchasers.

Wide client base In addition to advising owners of private companies, Cavendish frequently advises major public companies and leading financial institutions. We have worked with nearly all of the major private equity houses in the UK.

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Most Trusted Asset Management Firm of the Year - Kenya

~ Centum Investment Company Limited is East Africa’s largest listed investment company with shares listed in both Nairobi and Uganda Securities Exchanges with over 36,000 shareholders. We spoke to them about their company and their experience in the East-African real estate market.

Company: Centum Investment Company Ltd Email: info@centum.co.ke Address: 5th Floor, International House Mama Ngina Street P.O. Box 10518-00100 Nairobi, Kenya Telephone: (+254) 20 228 6000 /316 303

Centum’s assets under management (As at Sep 2014) were USD 2 Billion. These assets are distributed across various sectors including Real Estate, Power, Financial Services and FMCG. We plan to expand to four other sectors by 2019 including Agribusiness, Healthcare, ICT and education.

Centum’s real estate management process is hinged on developing a real estate solution that addresses a compelling market need - through our Real Estate and Infrastructure subsidiary, Athena Properties Limited.

In Nairobi, our Two Rivers project is located in the diplomatic blue zone in Gigiri. Our vision is to develop a premium world class master planned urban addresses set within a controlled and secure development that will be a number one regional destination & address in East Africa and beyond. In Uganda, our Pearl Marina project is located on the Garuga peninsula in Entebbe. Our vision is to develop a mix of a world class commercial, resort and residential water front development.

Centum has a clear vision to be East Africa’s leading Independent Power Producer Consequently, in the recent past, we have positioned ourselves as a leading developer and sponsor of power assets in the East African region, having locked in a development pipeline of approximately 1,200MW which includes Greenfield Coal Power Plant by our subsidiary, Amu Power Limited and Greenfield Geothermal Development through Akiira Geothermal Limited.

Our focus on the FMCG sector is led by our beverage portfolio companies including; King Beverage Limited, a player in the alcoholic beverage industry that imports and distributes Carlsberg beer in the Kenyan market with a target to become a fully-fledged brewer. The portfolio also includes Kenya Wine Agencies Limited a wine manufacturer, distiller, importer and distributor of alcoholic beverages. Also involved are Almasi Bottlers Limited and Nairobi Bottlers Limited who are both bottlers and distributors of Coca-Cola products as well as NAS Servair, an airport catering facility supplying over 30 International Airlines that fly into and out of JKIA in Nairobi and Moi International Airport in Mombasa.

In the financial services sector, our portfolio is comprised of; Nabo Capital Limited, a wholly owned Centum subsidiary whose business revolves around the management of traditional asset classes such as equities, money markets and fixed-income portfolios as well as alternative asset classes such as real estate, securitizations and private instruments. Also involved are Genesis Kenya Investment Management Limited who provide specialist investment management services to institutional clients within and outside Kenya as well as K-rep Bank Limited, a medium-sized bank serving microfinance customers, retail clients as well as financing small to medium-size business enterprises. The portfolio also includes Platinum Credit Limited, a micro finance Company that provides emergency loans to its customers and Aon Kenya, a leading provider of insurance broking, risk management and human capital consulting solutions Centum has been recognized in various local and international awards like FIRE awards (East Africa’s financial reporting excellence awards) most remarkable being 2013 where Centum had 6 awards including East Africa’s Company of the Year, Think Business award on Centum Bond Issue, COG awards on Corporate Governance and ACQ Global Award.

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M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Sustained Excellence in Dispute Resolution - Malaysia

~ The Chambers Group is constituted by the Chambers of R Sivagnanam & Associates and its Consulting Arm. It is headed by its founder Rutheran Sivagnanam. We spoke to them about the wealth of experience and expertise they provide for their clients.

Company: The Chambers Group Email: chambers@pd.jaring.my Web: www.rsachambers.com Address: 7th Floor Wisma Genting 28 Jalan Sultan Ismail 50250 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Telephone: +603 2732 9530 Fax: +603 2732 9531

The Chambers has its expertise rooted in more than 15 years of history during which time it has overseen some of the largest and most topical infrastructure projects, boardroom tussles, acquisitions and mergers, industrial disputes and defamation proceedings of our time.

On the advisory front they have developed strong government relations which enabled them to mediate the procurement of public-sector contracts, which were supported by various complex funding mechanisms. They have since regionalized and established a network of close associates in Singapore, London, the United States of America and much of the European Union.

Operating from offices in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Singapore and London, they offer their clients a full suite of services which encompass both advisorial support and representation in dispute resolution.

In summary their practice divisions include: i. Dispute Resolution: ii. Corporate Law: iii. Commercial Law: iv. Employment Law: v. Public Sector & EPC Contracts: vi. Capital Markets and Corporate Finance: vii. Construction & Real Estate Joint Ventures: viii. Art & Antiquities: Their track record of past successes have solidified a strong client base which includes leading Malaysian companies, MNCs, PLCs, public institutions and statutory bodies from all sectors of the economy. They have been engaged across southeast Asia, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and Europe where they have sustained the trust of their Client and the ambition of their team.

In 2014 and 2015, the Chambers Group was heavily engaged in various international commodity trades disputes, which required engagement in a number of key arbitral jurisdictions. Their construction law practice also saw action across a number of city centre developments in Malaysia and South East Asian Countries.

In Employment Law, they continued to innovate solutions for collective trade disputes and a wide range of indiÂŹvidual dismissals and especially in fiduciary cases involving the higher income category. They were engaged in on going disputes in the Banking sector where trade union immunity against suits in defamation was being tested. Their general dispute resolution practice was no less engaged as they addressed contentious disputes involving developmental joint ventures and the laws of trust. Their public law practice was tested heavily both in respect of judicial review applications in the field of trade union law and land acquisition.

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~

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M&A Awards 2015

Best for London Corporate Relocation

Citrus Relocation was set up in 2006 to provide a premium one-stop relocation service with a personalised approach.

Our service caters for companies relocating employees, individuals arranging their own moves and private clients who are looking to move independently.

Some of the services we provide include; visa & immigration, temporary accommodation, shipping, orientation look and see, purchase and rental home searches, school search and settling in services.

We work on the principle that at the end of each and every relocation, rental or purchase the client is happy enough to provide a testimonial. 95% of our clients are happy to explain directly to our prospective clients how well they were served without any interaction from us. We are proud to say that in nine years of trading we have never had any customer complaints.

Our strapline ‘Dedicated to providing a positive relocation experience’ explains how we conduct ourselves daily; putting the client at the forefront of our service. Any new enquiries are responded to usually on the same day and it is our ability to create a tailored proposal for each client that we speak to that sets our standards above the competition.

Organisations look to us to ensure a smooth running of relocation facilities for their staff. We are leaned upon to reduce time, pressure, stress and costs for both the employer and assignee. Clear communication is vital as well as careful management of everyone’s expectations. Throughout the whole process we ensure transparency, offering both parties regular updates to outline the progress of the move.

Company: Citrus Relocation Services Limited Name: Sue Myrie, Managing Director Web: www.citrusrelocation.net Address: International House 24 Holborn Viaduct City of London EC1A 2BN Telephone: +44 20 3303 3208

Each stage of the relocation service is process driven; from agreeing the rental or purchase budget through to the location, property, education requirements and any other facilities the assignee may need to help them settle into their new environment. We regularly hold in-depth telephone conversations with the assignee before they even leave for The UK. On that call we establish the potential areas to live, whether the budget will work for those areas, and also the logistics of getting to work and schooling options should the assignee be bringing a family.

To ensure that we are at the forefront of any changes in our sector we often attend networking events with the top estate agents and developers in London, we also participate in workshops, training courses and conferences covering the property sector and regularly receive industry trade publications. We’ve established a strong presence on social media sites including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn which we are continuing to grow. Our standard of working is accredited by The Association of Relocation Professionals (ARP) and also The Property Ombudsman (TPO), both of which are recognised as leading trade bodies within the property industry and Citrus Relocation are members of.

As well as continuing to win new corporate clients we are currently focusing our attention on attracting high net worth private individuals who require premium relocation and property purchasing assistance. The biggest challenge we face is getting our message to the right people so we feel that winning this award gives us credibility in the market place to position ourselves to those looking for a more bespoke service.

We were delighted to win the award as it proves that our efforts in providing a first-class service have been rewarded. Regarding of whether we are taking care of a senior board executive or private entrepreneur our service delivery and management of the process is seen to be consistent, clear and supportive to our clients.

We want to continue increasing our volume of client’s year upon year and continue to prove we offer the best service and value for money in the business. We have a great reputation within the relocation industry and aim to win many more awards in the coming years. To get in touch please contact us on.

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http://www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-m-a-2015

Best Systems-IT DD Provider 2015 - UK & Best for Post-Transaction Technology Services - UK

C ~ CloudOrigin

CloudOrigin provides award winning strategy, advisory and implementation services to end-users and providers to take advantage of this fundamental change in the business model of information technology brought about by cloud computing. This spans technology providers – from datacenter managers to Software as a Service firms – as well as intensive technology users across public and private sectors. We got in touch with them to find out more.

Based in London but operating globally, we have decades of experience designing, delivering and managing the most advanced business services, software solutions and infrastructure platforms worldwide.

Our reputation has grown in the Private Equity and Venture Capital community keen to clearly understand technology trends in terms of market demand. We are equally pleased to have enabled first round funding for new startups as we are to have advised on multi-billion dollar acquisitions. In 2014 alone we advised on potential deals with total enterprise value exceeding $7.5 billion.

We have been privileged to advise a range of global and European investors including Apax Partners, CVC, BC Partners, Darwin, Deutsche Private Equity, GMT, Hellman & Friedman, HgCapital, LDC, MMC Ventures, SEP, Summit Partners, Vitruvian Partners and VSS. In turn we provide technology, operational, commercial, digital marketing, alliance, M&A strategy and governance to many of Europe’s fastest growing technology providers spanning e-commerce, gaming, business process outsourcing, Software as a Service (‘SaaS’) and cloud hosting.

Company: CloudOrigin London office: Exchange Building, London, UK Telephone: +44 203 642 5715 Email: Info@CloudOrigin.com Web: www.CloudOrigin.com Twitter: @CloudOrigin

We firmly believe this year’s awards reflect the range of our pre and post-transaction work and the quality of deals, clients and target firms we have had the privilege to assist.

Industry climate We have also witnessed increased interest from trade acquirers whether expanding their offerings for example advising IT-ernity the leading Netherlands cloud, hosting and managed service provider to acquire CloudVPS the OpenStack specialist, or cross-border expansion advising Swiss FinTech provider CREALOGIX to acquire MBA Systems in UK. In 2015 we have seen dramatic increase in range of M&A and Investment deals across EMEA in developed and developing markets, resurgence in interest in datacenter and managed hosting segment albeit with investors demanding clear business models and credible growth plans, and continued rapid global expansion of SaaS providers.

Our Three Core Due Diligence Principles Firstly, put the business impact of technology foremost, and speak in a language that investors will understand. Secondly, build trust with the target to prove that we really understand the innovation and service delivery processes at the heart of their firm and the challenges they will encounter at each stage of evolution.

Thirdly, give pragmatic actionable advice rather than simply flagging issues.

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M&A Awards 2015

Best IP Training Firm 2015

~ Coller IP combines patent attorney and commercial expertise to deliver intellectual property (IP) management, valuation and monetization services that unlock the potential value of your business. They work at all levels within organisations, from start-ups to multinationals, and with the investor community – in projects around the world. We spoke to them about the importance of understanding the role intangible assets play in a business.

Company: Coller IP Name: Jackie Maguire Email: jackie.maguire@collerip.com Web Address: www.collerip.com Address: 33 Cavendish Square, London, SW1G 0TT Telephone: 01491 820 616

An understanding of Intangible Assets (IA) and Intellectual Property (IP) is often not the first requirement a business owner or senior manager considers! Yet a general understanding of how IA underpins a business throughout is critical, as some 80% of the value of a modern business typically resides in its IA. The ability to recognise exactly what these assets are, and which assets are most valuable to the organisation going forward is vital to future strategic development of the business – it cannot be left to any particular individual or responsible department. It is important that these assets are understood by a critical mass of employees.

It can only take one unguarded conversation or an unexpected external visitor to a desk to reveal some important aspect of company technology or business and a valuable asset may be lost. So alongside pinpointing where and when the IA is created, there needs to be a parallel focus on retention and protection of IA. This also includes company policy e.g. confidentiality, visitors and third party meetings. Without this focus the IA will leak with a resultant loss of competitive position, commercial advantage and value. Training programmes to communicate this understanding are therefore a vital part of any IP strategy – especially at times leading up to M&A and/or events such as flotation and refinancing.

So how does a company director, or even a start-up entrepreneur, go about ensuring that IA is captured and valued? Developing the right culture across the organisation is the key, such that innovative and valuable assets become recognised. The best employee coaching or training programmes are carefully tailored to individual business requirements and carried out on site by IP professionals such as Coller IP who have themselves experienced the challenges of developing a business. It can initially seem a complex area, so time for on-site detailed questioning and explanation is allowed, putting training into the context of the specific operations in that business.

Issues can arise when companies in emerging markets begin trading, as they are doing increasingly, with Western countries that have different IA standards and expectations. There are many aspects involved with the growing internationalisation of IA, including, for example, confidentiality clauses - whether NDAs are enough, for example - and the tricky act of balancing the need for security with the need for open collaboration.

Coller IP’s training programmes have tackled all of these and other IP related issues on-site in 2015 for the benefit of organisations in Europe, Asia and USA. We are thrilled to be awarded “Best IP Training Firm” in recognition of our successes, to go alongside other awards for IP Monetization and Valuation says Jackie Maguire, CEO. “And for the second year running with AI!” Businesses are empowered by knowledge, and understanding IA is a key part of that, whether or not a company has specialist IP advisors. At some level, the whole workforce needs to understand the importance of IA, from the directors to the most junior worker who may be in receipt of company confidential information and/or liaising with suppliers. Marrying the strategic direction of the company to the intangible assets and vice versa will be increasingly important as the business world becomes ever more global.

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Best for Strategic Development - USA & Rising Star: CEO of the Year – USA

~

Conduit Consulting LLC provides Corporate Development services -- spanning Strategy, Transaction, and General Management advice and support -- to companies ranging from large multinational corporations to government agencies to small private enterprises. Our professionals’ client-specific confidential advice on and efforts efficiently leading or managing aspects of strategic cross-border and domestic transactions, have resulted in successful market entry and exit, product pipeline and service capability enhancement, operational performance improvement, profitability growth, increased enterprise value, and more than $3.4 billion realized through IPO, M&A, and private placement transactions.

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M&A Awards 2015

Unlike most deal advisers, Conduit Consulting LLC’s founder and Managing Director Jillian Alexander has extensive buy-side and sell-side experience advising on and managing transactions from conception through integration or separation. Throughout her more than 25 year career, Ms. Alexander has consistently been recognized for her ability to quickly and effectively get deals done that others could not close. Her expertise and the firm’s proven approach affords efficient collaboration with clients and their legal counsel, tax advisers, and investment bankers to ensure private placement, public offering, and commercial contract deals are not only technically complete, but also successfully structured to be financially accretive and meet clients’ strategic goals.

To deliver the best possible service, we put our client’s best interest first and use our value-oriented holistic approach. This ensures appropriate team composition; telling clients (and collaborating deal-team advisors) what they need to know, not just what they want to hear; and customizing work effort, all based on client-specific factors and the nature of the initiative.

Company: Conduit Consulting LLC Name: Jillian Alexander Email: info@conduitconsulting.com Web Address: www.conduitconsulting.com Address: 2530 Wilshire Boulevard Second Floor Santa Monica, CA 90403 USA Telephone: +1 310.260.9765

Furthermore, considerable thought and effort has been given to Conduit Consulting LLC’s organization design, team building, professional development, and values to foster a productive, collaborative, respectful goal-oriented culture which is necessary to build goodwill and establish trust with clients as well as their advisors and other stakeholders.

Similar to other professions like law and medicine, one practices consulting. Consulting requires a unique set of skills and competencies which must be continually developed in addition to industry and business process subject matter expertise. Conduit Consulting selects team members from those who demonstrate ability to not only be successful today, but also whom possess the skills, aptitudes and professionalism to continually enhance and develop new capabilities. In other words, we each read, watch, and listen to many information sources, practice new skills, and discuss our discoveries, so that we can provide clients with relevant advice, breakaway strategies, and appropriate proven-effective and/or state-of-the-art solutions.

Conduit Consulting LLC works with clients throughout the world. We are located in the Los Angeles region, which has the highest concentration of manufacturers in the United States. Some might imagine it is all Entertainment, Media, Aerospace and Defense, and Technology. Other substantial industries are Apparel, Cosmetics, Ceramics, Food Production and Packaging, Hospitality (Restaurants, Hotels), Legal Services, Real Estate Development, Retailing, and Tourism. Many are small companies producing goods or delivering services to many other small businesses as well as much larger ones. Many are owned by founders aged at least 70-years-old whom are not ready to sell their businesses.

From Conduit Consulting LLC’s perspective, we anticipate the current discussions of the federal government substantially increasing both the capital gains tax rate and the minimum wage an employer must pay employees will motivate some U.S. business owners to sell soon rather than having to wind-down their businesses later.

Additionally, existing United States labor laws, tax rates, and reporting requirements are less business-friendly than in many other nations. Add to that California’s labor code, tax rates, reporting requirements, and real property cost, and it is a wonder why more businesses have not merged or relocated for tax inversion or profitability improvement purposes. From our perspective, we see opportunities to help those already doing business here merge or be acquired to gain economies of scale and scope or reorganize and establish nexus elsewhere to reduce tax and regulatory burden. We also see opportunities to help those seeking to acquire a U.S. business as well as those seeking to establish a joint venture, strategic partnership or other alliance.

As for the awards, it is delightfully surprising, gratifying and extremely humbling to be named the Rising Star CEO of the Year – USA, especially so at the same time when Conduit Consulting LLC, the firm I founded, is selected as Best for Strategic Development – USA by Acquisition International voters. Our team takes our client’s best interest to heart and works diligently to devise implementable client-specific strategies and pragmatic due diligence, reorganization and business transformation workplans crafted to complete all work effort with minimal disruptions; build consensus and enthusiasm amongst deal teams and workforce; and successfully execute plans. In addition to advising on and managing client projects, I lead the firm’s asset and practice development, guide professional development, and manage day-to-day operations with a keen eye to ensuring this Management Consultancy has considerable enterprise value and can continue operating under another’s leadership. Yet, these recognitions would not happen without the Conduit Consulting team’s commitment to placing our client’s best interest first, doing what it takes to service our clients well, and our clients trust and taking action.

Looking towards the rest of 2015 and beyond, we look forward to enhancing capabilities and value within a few up-and-coming and established corporate clients owning well-known brands -- devising their growth and acquisition strategies, confidentially sourcing and engaging targets, managing due diligence, orchestrating merger integration and other reorganizations, and mitigating risks while pursuing new opportunities.

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http://www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-m-a-2015

U.S. Systems and Due Diligence Provider of the Year

Corsis LLC

~ Corsis is very pleased to be named the U.S. Systems and Due Diligence Provider of the Year for the third year in a row by Acquisition International. Receiving this award validates the company’s investment in time and resources over the years to build a game-changing model for evaluating information technology operations.

Company: Corsis LLC Address: 18 West 21st Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10010 Telephone: +1 (212) 403-7080 Fax: +1 (917) 591-0687

“As a boutique consulting company focused on a specific set of markets, our reputation for delivering a unique product offering while providing exceptional customer service and support is vital to our success,” said David Barnett, Founder and COO of Corsis. “Being recognized for this award by the industry and our peers is truly an honor.”

The mission at Corsis, throughout its 22 year history, has been to enable businesses to manage their information technology operations up to their full potential. This is done by establishing a consistent, standardized methodology of best practices and key performance indicators. A methodology that not only raises confidence in a company’s IT operations, but produces valuable data for faster and better decision-making.

This outcome is achieved through the use of a custom SaaS application, which is powered by our proprietary Corsis Confidence IndexTM methodology. This powerful Information Technology Business Intelligence tool allows companies to assess their operations against documented best-practices and industry specific KPIs. Our process identifies high and low risk areas of a business and can assist with remediating issues. Notably, this process facilitates a company’s 100-day plan or technology roadmap, delivering oversight of its technology operations and providing a clear, actionable report to management. This unique deliverable empowers long term growth and visibility.

One of the key specialties of the Corsis Confidence Index™ is its applicability to the buy-side or sell-side due diligence process. It was initially developed to provide private equity firms, venture capital companies and other investors with the decision making tools necessary to guide them. Corsis now maintains particular strength not only across the Private Equity and Investment marketplace, but has also built a thriving practice in the Healthcare, eCommerce, Media and Publishing spaces, among several other areas.

“We have seen a significant increase in M&A activity over the past year as investors put added weight on the technology component of their deals. The level of clarity that the Corsis Confidence Index™ provides allows clients to maximize deal value while minimizing risk,” said Barnett.

Through detailed focus and continued innovation, Corsis will continue to build a consulting service that transforms technology from a risk to be feared into an asset that unleashes growth.

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M&A Awards 2015

Best Insurance Procurement Initiatives

Crystal & Company

~ Crystal & Company M&A procurement platform increases private equity returns and allows firms to better ensure compliance with evolving SEC guidelines. We spoke to them to find out more about their unique service.

Company: Crystal & Company Web: www.crystalco.com

Crystal & Company is a leading strategic risk and insurance advisor, addressing clients’ risk management, insurance brokerage, and employee benefits consulting needs. The firm is comprised of more than 400 professionals, each distinguished by their technical expertise and industry-specific knowledge, and driven by their passion for client service. Crystal & Company is headquartered in New York with 10 regional offices throughout the country, placing over $1 billion in premiums annually in the global insurance marketplace.

Established in 1933, the company has sustained its independence through 80 years and three generations of Crystal family ownership and management. Crystal & Company’s Mergers & Acquisitions Group led by Jonathan Gilbert, Senior Managing Director, is dedicated to addressing the changing risks, evolving exposures, regulatory environment, and client demands within the private equity sector.

With increased oversight by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the private equity community has to carefully approach programs leveraging the buying power of portfolio companies. Since insurance often represents one of the highest business expenses outside of payroll, private equity firms are always looking for ways to drive down cost. A common approach to address this has been to develop shared property and liability insurance programs across all portfolio companies. While this approach can be effective at driving down costs, it raises the following concerns: 1. Limits of one company could erode coverage for another company 2. Diverse industry class of portfolio companies makes it difficult to find an equally diverse underwriting appetite 3. Buyers might seek an adjustment to purchase price based on loss of economies of scale and raise concerns over any potentially impaired limits and diminished insurance asset 4. Allocation of costs methodology may not have been disclosed with all shareholders involved Crystal & Company has developed a proprietary approach to create a portal for private equity owned companies to achieve substantial buying power while avoiding issues raised above. They have centralized the placement of insurance through a procurement hub in New York, thereby placing a significant amount of insurance placements with local insurance carriers. This allows the team to work with insurance carriers to deliver competitive premium rates, improved terms and conditions, and increased leverage in contentious claim situations.

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http://www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-m-a-2015

Business Valuation Firm of the Year - Canada

DARTMOUTH PARTNERS LIMITED

~

Dartmouth Partners Limited is a boutique business valuation, litigation support, transaction advisory and corporate finance firm headquartered in Montréal, Canada with additional offices in Chicago, Illinois and Hong Kong.

We got in touch with them to find out more about their company and wealth of experience and expertise.

Dartmouth Partners Limited possesses over thirty years of experience in the valuation of hundreds of privately and publicly-held companies in business valuation, corporate finance and litigation support mandates on a global basis. The firm has frequently participated as a financial advisor to corporate mergers and acquisitions (buy- and sell-side), divestitures and start-up businesses and in sourcing financing throughout North America and internationally.

Dartmouth Partners Limited was founded by Drew Dorweiler, a world-renown business valuation professional, who has testified as an expert witness in more than twenty cases before the Québec Superior Court, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, U.S. District Court, Tax Court of Canada, Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta and arbitration panels in high-profile, complex financial litigation and valuation matters.

Mr. Dorweiler is recognized as one of North America’s pre-eminent valuers of professional sports franchises and properties. His valuation and transaction repertoire includes NHL, MLB, NBA, CFL, English Premier League, European and semi-professional sports teams, arenas, broadcasting and naming rights.

Company: Dartmouth Partners Limited Name: Drew Dorweiler, MBA, CPA •ABV, CBV, ASA, CFE, CBA, CVA, FRICS Email: drewdorweiler@gmail.com Web Address: www.drewdorweiler.com Address: 308 Square Saint-Louis, Montreal, Quebec, CANADA H2X 1A5 Telephone: 1 (514) 962 6896

Mr. Dorweiler has given numerous interviews featured in international television, radio and print media on valuation, financial and sports business matters. In particular, he has worked with Forbes for the past 21 years on many sports business-related articles, including the magazine’s annual valuation rankings of professional sports franchises. Mr. Dorweiler was a co-panelist (along with Steve Ballmer and Leigh Steinberg) in the Forbes “Top 30 Under 30 – Sports” issue (January 2015). http://www.forbes.com/30under30/#/sports Mr. Dorweiler has been featured in several New York Times articles. He also frequently appears on nationwide television and radio broadcasts in Canada on networks such as CTV (Nightly News), Business News Network and TSN (The Sports Network).

Mr. Dorweiler has spoken at myriad conferences and authored many articles in professional publications on business valuation, litigation support and fraud-related topics during the past twenty-six years. Among his numerous presentations are included:  International Technology Transfer Network Convention, Beijing (April 2015)  13th Conference on International Exchange of Professionals, Shenzhen (April 2015)  RICS Summit of the Americas, Toronto (May 2014)  Valuation of Sports and Entertainment Businesses and Personal Property Conference, Capital Normal University, Beijing (January 2014)  Canadian Fraud Conference, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Montréal (September 2013)  NACVA/IBA Annual Consultants’ Conference, San Diego (June 2011)  Annual Connoisseurship Conference, American Society of Appraisers, Montréal (October 2009)  18th Biennial Conference, The Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators, Québec City (September 2008) Mr. Dorweiler was elected to Board of Trustees of The Appraisal Foundation for the 2013-2015 and 20162018 terms (and appointed Chair of the Business Valuation Resource Panel for 2015). He was also previously elected to the Board of Directors of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Business Valuators from 2006-2009 (he was the recipient of the Institute’s Communicator Award in 2012).

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M&A Awards 2015

Best for Electronic Patent Portfolios – USA

~ Steven Geiszler is a partner in the Dallas, Texas office of Dentons. A registered patent attorney, Steven focuses on matters involving U.S. patents and trade secrets. He spends most of his time litigating patent disputes in courts throughout the United States. He also counsels clients regarding their patent portfolios, including ways in which they may better focus patent prosecution (procurement) to protect innovations or guard against competitors.

In particular, Steven uses his litigation experience to help electronics companies tailor their patent portfolios.

Steven also works with transactional attorneys to ensure that intellectual property issues are properly accounted for in M&A deals or similar non-litigation matters. Steven’s technical ability is a boon when explaining a technology client’s business to colleagues without those skills, while relying on his legal background to explain legal issues to those clients without a legal education.

Steven’s client list covers the spectrum from tiny technology start-ups to some of the world’s largest companies. Although intellectual property issues are often assumed to be specific to technology companies, much of Steven’s work involves companies in more traditional fields (e.g., banking and insurance) that discover intellectual property aspects in M&A deals or encounter patent litigation threats from competitors or non-practicing entities. Steven’s office in Dallas includes more than 20 fulltime patent practitioners (many of whom have a PhD) with expertise in a wide array of technologies and industries. Steven is able to draw on this deep resource of experience in Dallas—as well as dozens more patent practitioners in Dentons’ other offices—to assemble a formidable team capable of handling almost any issue or project.

Name: Steven M. Geiszler, Partner Company: Dentons US LLP Email: steven.geiszler@dentons.com Address: 2000 McKinney Avenue, Suite 1900 Dallas, Texas 75201 USA Telephone: (214) 259-0951

Steven’s firm, Dentons, builds on a legacy of legal experience that dates back to 1742 and builds on the strengths of four foundational firms—Salans, Fraser Milner Casgrain (FMC), SNR Denton and McKenna Long & Aldridge. In addition, Dentons has agreed to combine with Chinese law firm 大成 (pronounced “da CHUNG”), which will form the world’s largest law firm, with more than 6,500 lawyers and professionals in 120 locations in more than 50 countries.

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http://www.acquisition-intl.com/2015-m-a-2015

Best for Business Advisory Services - Switzerland & Accounting Firm of the Year - Switzerland

Diener Advisory

~ Diener Advisory is a global award winning independent Management Consulting and Interim Management firm. We help Professional Services Companies to bring all of their Finance and Operations related topics to the next level of organizational effectiveness. We stand for tailor-made and innovative advisory solutions made in Switzerland.

Our record of success includes advising manufacturing companies, manufacturer of speciality chemicals for construction and industry and Big Five professional service and consulting firms. We combine Business Consulting Expertise with Interim Management Skills. This leads to very strong transformation projects. Our approach is multi-level: • We listen to our clients and ask key questions • We carve out the challenge • We define the target stage • We actively manage our client to the solution • We control the transformation

Company: Diener Advisory GmbH Name: Mr. Florian Diener (Dipl.-Kfm / MBA) Email: contact@diener-advisory.com Web Address: www.diener-advisory.com Address: Rathausstrasse 14, CH-6340 Baar, Switzerland Telephone: +41 76 424 33 73

With this field proofed structural approach we help all our clients to inevitably contribute to their success.

Our company mission is definite and consistent since we were founded. A number of our accomplishments include: • Achieving market recognition of the firm’s reliability, professionalism and accountability in all the services we offer.

• Creating a working environment that demands integrity and stimulates entrepreneurial spirit, together with a deep sense of responsibility for our clients.

• Concentrating our energy on maximizing our potential and maintaining our competitive advantage.

• Ensuring long-term growth and consistent profitability.

Our successful track record is the result of the skill, dedication, vision and creativity of our people. They ensure that we continue our mission to excel our expertise.

In Switzerland, we hold an exclusive network of independent management consultants, change management, leadership and finance experts to offer the highest level of quality of advisory services. On a global base we are chosen by International Referral (IR) to be the exclusive Member for Business Advisory Services in Switzerland.

We are more than delighted to win this prestigious international award. It recognises all the hard work and time we have invested to build up and maintain a brand in a highly competitive market. Our brand is our promise: creating utmost value for our clients based on our principle of absolute integrity, diligence and responsibility. We owe this success to all of our clients.

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M&A Awards 2015

Best for Turnaround Implementation 2015

Distinctive Visions Limited

~ Ian Pegler is the CEO of Distinctive Visions Limited and his Corporate Career, on which the business model is based, covers senior positions in Marks & Spencer, Dixons Stores Group and Forte Plc. Our client base is very broad, encompassing FMCG Distribution, Mobile Telecoms M&A, Retail and Distribution, Conference and Banqueting, NHS, Private Equity Healthcare, Exhibitions and of course the iconic brand of Little Chef.

Name: Ian Pegler Company: Distinctive Visions Limited Email: IanDPegler@aol.com Address: 49a High Street Ruislip Ruislip, HA4 7BD United Kingdom

We improve the Sales, Margins, Costs and Profitability of underperforming companies in very short timescales. Having won the award of “Best for Turnaround Implementation” and never having won anything before, the word “astonished “comes to mind, but on reflection it is a fitting tribute to all those people who worked tirelessly in the businesses whose performance was improved so dramatically and in very short timescales. So here’s to them.

The major challenge for achieving our success, in all instances, was to make sure that every day we made progress on improving profitability. An opportunity missed today may be gone forever. So this involved grabbing the low hanging fruit and anything else that will improve things immediately. Do not vassilate.

From our experience, a written plan with clearly defined accountabilities and success criteria, is essential, as is buy-in to the process and predicted outcome. Timely measurement of progress is crucial, daily, weekly and monthly, in order to keep the project on track.

It is important, with a new client, to first of all understand what their requirements are and then gain agreement to the methodology that will be employed to reach the desired result. There must be no ambiguity or woolly thinking as this will only cause grief later on. Communication is really important throughout the process, both internally and externally and this should be a separate strategy.

In engaging Ian Pegler, his colleagues and associates, the client gets an “Holistic” approach to improving the Sales, Margins, Costs and Profit of a business. Restructuring the finances is fine, but only one part of the jigsaw and will give the business a lifeline for a certain period of time. The Holistic approach examines every facet of the company, in detail and ensures they are all aligned to give superior performance in the shortest possible time. Culturally, Distinctive Visions Limited is vibrant, stretching, focused and achieving; but fun is interwoven into the process.

Business is about two things; People and Process. Most practitioners only go for process, because it’s what they know and are comfortable with. After all people can be difficult.

Therefore, what separates us from our competitors is that we have total engagement with the people of the organisation, right from the beginning, because, in that way output can be enhanced by as much as 50%.

Even with the best processes in place if the people won’t or can’t make them happen, then profitability will not be maximised.

Additionally, we also have an innate ability to define what the future could look like and then plan to work towards that reality.

Ian Pegler and Distinctive Visions Limited bring your company “back to full health”.

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Corporate Banking Firm of the Year - Nigeria

Ecobank Nigeria Limited

~ Ecobank Nigeria Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI). ETI, through its subsidiaries and branches, provides a full range of wholesale, retail, investment and transaction banking services and products to governments, financial institutions, multinationals, international organizations, medium, small and micro businesses and individuals across the African footprint. We spoke to Foluke Aboderin, Head of Cor­porate Bank, about the company and their performance over the past 12 months.

Name: Ecobank Nigeria Limited Web Address: www.ecobank.com Address: Ecobank Nigeria Ltd, Plot 21, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria Telephone: 0800 326 2265 (0800 ECOBANK)

ETI is the leading pan-African banking group, with a presence in 36 African countries and international offices in Paris, London, Dubai and Beijing. At year-end 2014, the Group had c.US$24 billion in assets and US$2.1 billion in total equity. ETI is listed on the Lagos, Accra and Abidjan (BRVM) stock exchanges.

Ecobank Nigeria Limited operates on three business platforms namely: Treasury, Domestic Bank and Corporate Bank (CB).

Corporate Bank (CB) provides financial solutions to global, regional, high end local and public corporates, financial institutions and international organizations. Products and services include pan-African lending, trade services, cash management, Internet banking and value chain finance.

SUMMARY OF PERFORMANCE  Currently manages an Asset size of $4billion with Budgeted Revenues of $375million.  Spearheaded a Debut Club Deal of $150million led by Standard Chartered Bank  Won significant mandates from United Nations (Transaction Banking & Cash Management services), INT Towers Limited and I.H.S Nigeria Limited (both as Facility Agent and Mandated Lead Arranger) and Smile Telecommunications as Mandated Lead Arranger.  Became the preferred bank in African regional trade business with over $800mm in regional trades.  Participated to the tune of $900mm in loan syndications and facility arrangements.  Generation of circa $500mm in short and medium term liabilities.  Established of a dedicated Customer Service Centre to provide world class service to Corporate Bank Customers.  Set up portfolio management team with specific focus on ensuring portfolio quality.

MAJOR AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS WON IN 2014/15 The outstanding achievements listed above culminated into various awards for recognition of excellence in 2014 namely:  Best Bank in Corporate Banking in Nigeria – Business Day Awards  Infrastructure financing Bank of the year – Nigerian Telecoms Awards  Investment Bank of the year – Finance Awards.  Best Corporate Bank Nigeria 2015 - Global Banking & Finance Review  Best Nigerian Trade Bank 2014 -Trade Finance Awards  Corporate Banking Firm of the Year 2015 -Acquisition International

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Investment Banking Team of the Year - Italy

Equita SIM S.p.A.

~ Originally founded in 1973 as Euromobiliare, Equita SIM is a pioneer within the Italian Investment Banking industry.

After a period operating as part of Italian and foreign banking groups (Midland Bank and then, since 1994, Credito Emiliano), at the end of 2007 Euromobiliare’s top management completed a management buy-out of the firm with the support of the private equity fund J.C. Flowers. Euromobiliare subsequently changed its name to Equita SIM in 2008.

Company: Equita SIM Email: equita@equitasim.it recruitment@equitasim.it Address: Equita SIM S.p.A. Via Filippo Turati, 9 20121 Milano Tel: +39 02 6204.1 Fax: +39 02 29001208/1202

Today Equita SIM is the largest independent investment bank in Italy, with a unique business model combining outstanding equity research and trading services for domestic and international institutional clients with a high-profile investment banking platform dedicated to M&A, Equity and Debt Capital Markets and Debt Restructuring & Advisory. The Investment Banking Team of Equita SIM, which has been set up in 2008, has grown to now include 20 professionals.

“We are particularly proud of winning this prestigious award,” commented Andrea Vismara, Head of Investment Banking. “It recognizes our efforts in positioning ourselves among key M&A advisors in Italy, in addition to our historical leadership in equity capital markets. In particular, we can boast a leading position among Italian independent investment banks, without neither lending nor principal investing activities nor large international networks.”

Over last 12 months alone Equita SIM emerged as the first-choice advisor to a wide range of clients on M&A transactions, both domestic and cross-border. Our clients include entrepreneurs and small-mid private companies (such as BIP – Business Integration Partners on the sale of a controlling stake to Argos Soditic); Italian financial institutions (such as the cooperative banks shareholders of ICBPI on the latter’s disposal to Advent-Bain Capital-Clessidra); listed companies (eg. Telecom Italia Media on its merger with Telecom Italia); or the independent directors of listed large caps on complex transactions (eg. Finmeccanica’s Independent Directors on the disposal of Ansaldobreda and Ansaldo STS to Hitachi).

Recognition of Equita SIM’s financial advisory services’ quality is finally demonstrated by the impressive number of appointments by Italian public institutions since 2014, such as Fondo Strategico Italiano on its joint venture with Kuwait Investment Authority, Fincantieri on its IPO, the Italian Ministry of the Economy and Finance on the disposal of a minority stake in ENEL and ENAV on its ongoing privatization process.

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Most User Friendly Dataroom Virtual data room Provider of the Year - China Virtual data room Provider of the Year - India Virtual data room Provider of the Year - Spain Virtual data room Rising Star - US Company: EthosData Name: Francisco Lorca Email: Francisco.Lorca@EthosData.Com Web: www.ethosdata.com Address: 1 Knightsbridge Green, London SW1X 7NE Phone: 020 7099 2152

EthosData is a global provider of virtual data room services. EthosData was founded in 2,007 and is now partly owned by Moody’s Analytics (NYSE:MCO). With it simple, fast platform and its professional client service, EthosData has become the data room of choice of many global law firms, investment banks and corporations, working with a diverse set of clients spanning from industry leaders to small boutique start-ups. In the last few years EthosData has been used in some of the most public M&A and IPO transactions worldwide.

“This is the third year in a row that the readers of Acquisition International award our data room service this distinction. We are very proud of this and will keep working hard to provide the best service and the most secure, easiest to use dataroom” says Francisco Lorca, Founder and CEO, EthosData.

Global M&A last year hit a 7 year high with some of the biggest deals happening in almost all the sectors reversing the trend of the past few years. Our expectation is that this strong deal making environment will continue for the next few quarters.

Fuelled by the increasing deal activity worldwide, the virtual data room industry is currently seeing a huge uptake with the pace and demands of each deal altered significantly. The use of virtual data rooms is evolving rapidly.

Our clients are using virtual data rooms much earlier in the life of a transaction and are even using them internally between advisers and sell side clients to prepare documents before initiating discussions with potential investors or bidders. We believe that this shift in the role of virtual data rooms is driven by the positive experiences that advisers and clients have had with the convenience, simplicity and functionality of the main platforms and with their satisfaction and trust in the level of service provided by the virtual data room specialists.

There are only a handful of global professional dataroom providers in the market that provide an acceptable level of security and functionality. In EthosData, we have always believed that to stand out from within that group we have to provide a superior professional service and a platform that is easier and faster than our competitors. Bigger deals and shorter timelines leave the professionals involved extremely busy. Our aim is to save our clients time and to become a part of our client’s deal team to be able to manage their project, being reliable and giving them peace of mind.

Our business grew very strongly in all the regions last year. In some key markets in Europe, Asia and Americas, the EthosData brand has become synonymous to the word Virtual data room. With our global presence, we benefit from operating in different markets to provide a superior dataroom management service, blending our local knowledge with a global reach. Since our inception, we have led the market to transition from paper to virtual datarooms, and our forward-thinking services have set the standard across the global markets. Our early investment together with our capacity to adapt to some key markets like China, India and Spain has made us the leading data room provider and a clear industry reference. Last year, we won the Best Virtual data room Provider of the year for Spain, Asia Pacific and Sustained Excellence in Dataroom services for UK. This year, we are happy to have topped that with multiple awards from AI (Best Virtual data room Provider for India, Spain and China). The awards we received last year also elevated our exposure in some key markets giving us the opportunity to work on some critical high profile transactions on different markets. We are very happy to have our platform recognized by our clients, partners and readers of AI as the “Most User Friendly Dataroom” on a global scale.

Our presence in the US market has grown significantly with our exclusive partnership with The Vintage Group, owned by PR Newswire and one of the top-three providers of full-service regulatory compliance and shareholder services. Vintage’s presence, track record and reputation; together with EthosData’s platform and local service are making us an outstanding, professional and competitive option to the large incumbent providers. Being named “Virtual data room Rising Star - US” is testament to that and only the first step in our growth in the market.

The last 12 months have been great. The next two years will be awesome…

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Best Financial Due Diligence Adviser - France

~ EXPEN is a corporate finance boutique specialized in venture capital and private equity. They advise around 3 deals per month in due diligence and company’s valuation in France and internationally in areas such as investments, M&A and build-ups. We spoke to them about their company and their role alongside top-tier French VC Banexi Ventures’ investment in Netwave – a tech company that helps e-commerce understand its clients’ behaviours.

In Banexi Ventures’ deal, one main issue was to understand and challenge the very innovative business model of the target. That leaded to revenue recognition questions, and also lightened the way value gets captured in such fast moving food chains. In a nutshell, what is always asked to our team can be summed-up as: “how sustainable what we see in the financials will be in the future?”

From a contractual standpoint, we worked with lawyers in charge of capturing the final terms and conditions of the deal, including the part of our work that typically focused on the normative value of cash at the date of the future closing versus the date of the signing.

We believe the market’s drivers, the team’s dynamics and the business model are the 3 main topics to be understood before launching any due diligence process. The context also plays an important role in the way EXPEN operates. We look at issues such as whether the target a competitor of the acquirer, whether the target is running out of cash, and if the fund is pushy on the deal because of its pressure on investment.

Company: EXPEN Name: Olivier Younès, PhD Founding CEO of EXPEN Professor HEC Paris and UC Berkeley Email: o.younes@expen.fr Web Address: www.expen.com Address: 9 rue de la Ville l’Evêque – 75008 Paris, France Telephone: +33 1 40 17 93 04

VCs’ investments are very selective (1% of the studied deals arrive to a closing), and so are corporates’ ones. This emphasizes due diligence’s importance in any financing / acquisition process to mitigate risks and boost value.

We think what separates us from our competitors is based on our proprietary approach to due diligence, as EXPEN’s founders cumulate 20+ years of investment in PE and VC. We thus approach financial due diligence as investors, beyond accounts’ compliance issues. We also developed a lean and simple way to share our conclusions with our clients (regardless the complexity of the deal) leveraging our experience of lectures given at UC Berkeley, at HEC Paris and at the French Private Equity and Venture Capital Association on such topics.

EXPEN’s team is very proud to receive this award, and we are happy to share it with all our clients too! I founded EXPEN 2 years ago, and we have grown to 10 people performing 3 due diligence per month. I think this volume, combined with our highest quality of service, gives us a unique deal exposure which is very valuable to our clients when contemplating whether they should invest or what terms and conditions should they offer or accept.

Looking towards the rest of 2015 and beyond, EXPEN is increasingly developing internationally to follow its clients, especially in the UK and in the US. Considering France, we also are launching a legal due diligence practice (“Commissariat aux comptes”) to value our expertise and bring it on a regular basis to companies that need to have their financials audited for compliance reasons.

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Best for Origination Support 2015 - UK

~ For nearly ten years Firefly Partners have worked with mid-market private equity investors providing origination support, management due diligence and board level appointments. We have a genuine understanding of the unique dynamics of the private equity environment, coupled with deep sector knowledge and extensive networks. Our collaborative approach means we operate as a trusted advisor throughout the lifecycle of the deal process, adding real value to our clients in a highly competitive environment.

Door openers and deal facilitators Behind every great deal is an invisible team helping to open doors, digging deep to get under the skin of management and sourcing the best executives and non-executives. FireFly Partners is that team. We’re the quiet influencers working behind the scenes. Our network and professionalism allows us to access people and businesses that our clients might otherwise not reach, providing much needed knowledge and management solutions giving our clients that all-important angle.

Working with us We develop deep relationships with our clients, frequently engaging on a rolling annual retainer basis, which lets us develop a genuine understanding of our clients’ investment approach, sector focus and house culture.

Name: Rona Posselt Company: FireFly Partners Email: rona@fireflypartners.co.uk Tel: +44(0)1491 683740

As part of our origination support we will complete market mappings of niche sectors identifying the best management, both executive and non-executive, to work with. We are entrusted to approach target businesses on behalf of our clients, acting as the first point of contact with a potential investee CEO. With experience across the spectrum of investments - from owner-managed private businesses to corporate spin-outs, secondaries or MBIs - we are familiar with the often sensitive challenges involved in dealing with management teams going through huge change and cultural upheaval.

Our in-depth understanding of our clients also enables us to subtly market them to management teams, persuading them to engage with our clients, while ensuring the right personal chemistry and cultural fit. We have a reputation for operating with discretion and integrity, providing a flexible, responsive and effective solution, delivering to tight deadlines.

“We are used to working behind the scenes for clients without blowing our trumpet, but we are genuinely delighted to be recognised by Acquisitions International as Best for Origination Support 2015 (UK). We believe we bring the right mix of professional integrity with human understanding and industry insight, which has resulted in excellent long-term partnerships with our clients,” says Rona Posselt, Founder of FireFly Partners.

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Best for International Indirect Tax 2015

FiscalReps

~ FiscalReps is celebrating being voted ‘Best for International Indirect Tax 2015’. In only three years the indirect tax practice has grown from concentrating solely on premium taxes to expanding its fiscal representative and tax settlement services to the fields of VAT and more recently Gambling Taxes. To win this is an accolade which FiscalReps is proud to achieve.

Founded in 2003 by Mike Stalley FCA, FiscalReps has developed to become the leading global indirect tax specialist offering Outsourcing, Technology, Consulting & Training solutions to insurers, banks and online gambling operators. The enviable client list numbers over 300 and includes many of the world’s largest organisations.

Mike was joined in 2012 by Peter Hewitt FTII, a renowned VAT specialist with over 30 years’ experience within HMRC and a Big 4 accountancy practice. The VAT compliance service offering was launched immediately and many existing and new clients signed up. Over the course of his long career, Peter has advised clients in almost every industry. He now specialises in insurance, banking, gambling, and real estate, but is able to assist clients in any industry particularly in relation to VAT compliance.

Company: Fiscal Reps Limited Web: www.fiscalreps.com Address:200 Fowler Avenue Farnborough Business Park Farnborough Hampshire GU14 7JP UK Telephone: +44 (0)20 7036 8070

It is not simply VAT in the UK, but all over the world. Although FiscalReps is based in Farnborough the 40-strong team is able to submit returns for clients in over 50 different countries, and more are being added all the time as demand grows. Unlike most of the competition, almost all of the submissions are made from Farnborough. Where it is necessary to have a local presence FiscalReps will set up a company and engage a reliable associate to act on its clients’ behalf. This model has worked well in the field of premium taxes and continues in relation to other indirect taxes.

There is a marked team culture in the Farnborough office, which is often remarked upon by clients who visit us. Although heads are often down there is constant cross-referencing between “country specialists” and client handlers, to ensure that the best possible knowledge is accessed. The staff of 40 includes nationals of many different countries, including France, Germany, Spain and Italy as well as some farther flung places.

This is part of the secret of our success – we can talk to the local tax authorities not just in their own language but as part of their culture, and we find this helps.

There is also a culture of cooperation with the tax authorities. Tax avoidance is not something which is offered

by FiscalReps, because it is essential that we maintain good relationships to give our clients peace of mind that their tax affairs are settled to the satisfaction of the overseas tax men and women.

In each of its 11 years FiscalReps has grown to become the leading authority in premium tax compliance.

In less than 3 years a thriving VAT consulting practice has been built. The company competes with the Big 4 accountancy firms and is well equipped to stand shoulder to shoulder with these tax giants and drive the market forward.

Using established processes and a knowledgeable team, FiscalReps’ tax offerings to the market will continue to grow in the future.

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Best Inheritance Barrister 2015 -UK

Gareth Jones

~ Gareth Jones is a leading barrister practicing principally in the fields of Wills, Trusts, Probate, Inheritance, Land and Banking.

Name: Gareth Jones Email: gareth.jones@civitaslaw.com Address: Civitas - Civil and Public Law Barristers Global Reach Celtic Gateway Cardiff Bay CF11 0SN Telephone: 0845 0713 007

Chancery, Business & Consumer Gareth is recognised in the Legal 500 as a specialist Trusts barrister, and is the only barrister thus recognised in Wales. His interest in trusts extends to all aspects of this topic ranging from Express Trusts (including Will Trusts) to those such as constructive and resulting trusts arising informally, for example out of cohabiting relationships and under the Trust of Land and Trustees Act 1996. He combines this with other traditional areas of Chancery, especially Land based actions such as boundary and easement disputes and Landlord and Tenant. Gareth has appeared several times before the Land Registry Adjudicator. He also includes banking and guarantees in his practice and has an increasing engagement in personal insolvency.

Elderly clients and their protection also feature in his practice, and in particular, the setting aside of transactions for Undue Influence and Unconscionable Bargain.

Perhaps the fastest growing area of his practice is Contentious Probate, including, but in no sense limited to, Inheritance Act claims. Administration of Estates, including insolvent estates, also features in his practice, and removal of awkward and recalcitrant Trustees and Executors is something of a speciality.

Although based in Cardiff, Gareth will happily travel and has conducted many cases in North Wales whilst he also has a growing practice in the South East of England and is often before the Chancery Division in London.

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M&A Law Firm of the Year - Senegal

GENI & KEBE

~ Since its beginning in 1912, GENI & KEBE has provided legal services to a great number of companies, institutions and individuals. As our clients have grown, so have we. Today, we have offices in three main cities of Senegal, which makes us, apart from being the oldest law firm of the country, the largest one, in addition to our wide network of alliances in the African continent.

Company: GENI & KEBE Web: www.gsklaw.sn Tel: +221 338 211 916

This is why our services are highly sought after by clients from many countries across the world including the top law firms in New York, London, Paris, Dubai and from across Asia in their transactions throughout Senegal and the Francophone Africa Region.

GENI & KEBE’s Commercial and Corporate Department stands out in Francophone Africa Region for the quality of services and advices provided over almost a century, to many TNCs, SMEs, and individuals. We provide for a wide spectrum of law including corporate, mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance, employment, TMT, insurance, natural resources, real estate, aerospace and maritime, etc. All of these combined position us as one of the most diligent firms in the Francophone Africa Region. Furthermore, Chambers Global Client’s Guides praises GENI & KEBE Commercial and Corporate Department for its “high quality advice and ability to handle pan-African corporate transactions”.

GENI & KEBE Dispute Resolution & ADR Department is widely known for its strong litigation expertise in Senegal and the Francophone Africa Region. Our litigators are all qualified with the Senegalese Bar Association and handle all types of cases before Senegalese Courts, ECOWAS Courts and international courts. They have also an extensive experience in mediation and arbitration.

Our growth and increasing global presence, which have strengthened over the last twenty five years, are due to our long-standing expertise in many fields of law and the synergy of our wide network in Africa backed by highly qualified professionals who have performed work experiences in many foreign jurisdictions particularly in United Kingdom, Switzerland and France. GENI & KEBE is praised by many corporate counsels and lawyers practicing in leading law firms in Europe, Americas, the Middle East and Asia for its capacity to bring together professionals in an interdisciplinary network that creates a synergy to better service their clients globally.

The firm has recently led and coordinated the defence of a UK global investment bank in a civil action lodged by a Senegalese oil public company before the Senegalese Courts. The success of the case was attributed by the rigorous effort and cooperation among the defence involving lawyers and corporate counsels from Abidjan, Dakar, Johannesburg, London and Paris.

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Award for Excellence in Corporate Law – Scotland

~ Gilson Gray is a full service law firm with offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow. One of the largest law firm launches in Scottish history, Gilson Gray offers specialist legal, property and financial services. We spoke to them about their company and their philosophy on providing their clients with the best possible service.

Name: Glen Gilson, Managing Partner Company: Gilson Gray LLP DD: +44 (0) 131 516 5355 Mobile: +44 (0) 7824 112449 Tel: +44 (0) 131 516 5354 Fax: +44 (0) 131 516 5378 Email: ggilson@gilsongray.co.uk Website: www.gilsongray.co.uk

Our partner led teams include accredited specialists and award winning individuals, committed to providing an excellent client experience. We are reliable, honest, strong and approachable. We understand that clients want their lawyers and advisors to have a ‘can do’ approach as informed specialists in their field. We believe that our clients deserve straight talking, friendly advisors that understand and care about their objectives.

Many of our lawyers are dual qualified in both Scottish and English law. Furthermore, we provide the same full service and technical expertise as any of the largest law firms in Scotland. However, we believe that we offer a more cost effective solution.

Our services include; Corporate Law, Banking Law, Business Restructuring & Recovery, Commercial Litigation, Commercial Property/ Real Estate Law, Debt Recovery, Employment Law, Renewable Energy Law, Estate Agency and Letting, Financial Services (including investment, mortgages, protection, pension and tax planning), Insolvency, International Arbitration, Family Law, Private Client Law, Private Litigation, Residential Conveyancing and Solicitor Advocacy.

Since launch Gilson Gray has developed a significant market presence with numerous appointments across both office locations.

In addition, Gilson Gray recently acquired two financial advisory businesses in the East and West of Scotland, taking assets under management to a little short of £100M.

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Criminal Law Firm of the Year - Singapore & Business Law Firm of the Year - Singapore

Gloria James-Civetta & Co

~ Gloria James-Civetta & Co (“GJC Law”), is an established Singapore Law Firm, with legal expertise in Asia-Pacific, UK and European Markets, including local and expat cross-border Divorces, Family Law Matters, Estate Law, Corporate Law, Employment Law, Civil and Commercial Law, Criminal Law (white and blue collar crimes), and other litigation and solicitor’s work matters.

Company: Gloria James-Civetta & Co Web: www.gjclaw.com.sg Address: #03-02, 25 North Bridge Rd, Singapore 179104 Phone:+65 6337 0469

GJC Law has affiliate offices in London, Malaga, Madrid and Rotterdam.

At Gloria James-Civetta & Co, our mission is to serve our client`s immediate and necessary legal needs, understand their short & long term goals and needs thoroughly, whilst offering them effective advice and assistance.

Our clients are presented with efficient legal solutions, in a cost conscious and individualised manner which they deserve. We help and guide our clients to understand the bigger picture.

Our founder Gloria James-Civetta has 18yrs of legal experience. She is an advocate and solicitor, a barrister, a mediator and collaborative practice lawyer.

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Best in Alternative Dispute Resolution - Jordan & Best in Corporate Law - Jordon

Hadidi & Co

~ In a world with rapidly growing communication and knowledge exceeding regional geographic boundaries, legal services and the manner, as well as the accuracy, by which they are delivered to clients, are becoming more and more challenging. For almost a decade, our firm has inspired from our clients’ needs and developed its abilities to meet the challenges in delivering proper legal services.

Company: Hadidi & Co Web: www.hadidilaw.com Address: Hadidi & Co, Marouf Al Rasafi St 12, 11194, Jordan Phone:+962 6 565 4444

Our firm deals with such challenges through its integrated team of lawyers who are keen to provide the best expected legal services. We utilize the wealth of our firm’s experience, its network connections, knowledge and resources to promptly and efficiently serve our clients’ needs. While achieving that, our firm commits itself to both quality and justice and respects its commitments to the surrounding people, communities and resources.

Our firm believes in the straightforwardness and the easy dealing with its clients, simultaneously providing them with the most practical and innovative legal solutions. Of course, the firm always looks forward to reflect the most up to date standards of legal accountability, and in order to achieve that we apply all up to date technological tools to ensure the proper delivery of the best legal services to our clients.

Further, and unlike several firms, our firm has an innovative approach in advising its clients, and that forms a part of our firm’s culture. The broad range of legal expertise the firm has, creates an atmosphere of innovation amongst our legal consultants and lawyers and we consider that as strength in attracting clients to our firm.

Further, the combination between the industry knowledge and the legal requirements enable our teams to better support our clients.

We would like to emphasis in this context that our firm pays special attention to numerous variables, amongst which are professional standards, levels of training, styles of practice, cultural norms as well as office hours.

The firm focuses on its people and their proficiency through enriching their knowledge. We trust that shall ultimately be reflected on the quality of legal services provided by the firm. Therefore, we concentrate on the way by which the work is handled in order to assure the right allocation of the suitable and qualified legal consultants for each specific assignment.

Left to mention that our firm recognizes its ethical responsibility and respects the rules of professional responsibility, adopted by the Jordanian Bar Association, and we consider them as a threshold for all of us to start from.

Finally, our firm is keen to provide the best legal services to our clients and to maintain the good quality of work within a highly competitive and high speed business environment.

We believe that the assessment of our success is measured through the long lasting prosperous relationship with our clients.

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UK Leading Dealmaker: Sportscover Underwriting/Hamilton Insurance Group & Best for Insurance Focused M&A

Hines Associates Limited

~ Based in Knightsbridge, Hines is involved in many of the cross border financial services opportunities that route through London. Their corporate finance advice is targeted at entrepreneurial managers and shareholders wishing to grow global businesses via a London platform or those UK financial services businesses looking to expand internationally. During 2014 80% of their deals were cross-border. We spoke to them to find out more.

Name: Richard Hines Company: Hines Associates Limited Address: 64 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7JF Telephone: +44 20 75 90 30 72 (office); +44 77 11 41 67 47 (mobile) Email: richard@hinesassociates.com Web: www.hinesassociates.com

Founded in 2002 by a team that had previously worked for Citigroup’s European investment bank, Hines focuses on mergers and acquisitions in the financial services sector. They have deep sector expertise as a product of many years’ experience within financial services.

The global banking crisis and the advent of new, more focused business models create opportunities to marry capital, people and business infrastructure in new ways to disrupt the status quo. Examples include the growth in the shadow banking systems and the insurance linked securities market, the advent of hedge fund reinsurers, the imminent spin-off of parts of investment banks, the arrival of the Chinese and the disruption caused by agile systems. Hines is at the centre of this disruption and sees huge opportunity to work with capital providers and management teams to create new businesses.

They foresee the end of the consolidation phase within European financial services and the emergence of new, fast growing businesses in all parts of the financial services market. Far Eastern and Chinese investors will continue to search for asset gathering platforms. Hines regard themselves as ideally placed to help dynamic new businesses succeed at the expense of the established incumbents.

Richard Hines added: “We are delighted to have received this award. The credit goes to our clients and counterparts for having sought to transform their businesses internationally.”

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Best Deal Origination Team - USA

Huron Capital Partners LLC

~ Huron Capital is a private equity firm focused on making investments in companies with at least $5 million of EBITDA, throughout the U.S. and Canada. Their industries of interest include specialty manufacturing, consumer products and services, business services, and healthcare. We spoke to them about how they partner with management teams with the shared goal of growing their business.

Company: Huron Capital Partners Name: Chris Sheeren, Gretchen Perkins, Heather Madland Email: csheeren@huroncapital.com Web Address: www.huroncapital.com Address: 500 Griswold Street, Suite 2700 / Detroit, Michigan / 48226 Telephone: 313-962-5800

We strive to take a leadership role in the middle-market M&A community. Gretchen Perkins is Co-Chair of the ACG’s Public Policy Committee, which educates lawmakers and the public about the positive impacts of middle-market private equity on the U.S. economy. In addition, our CFO David Reynolds is actively involved with other private equity CFOs to strive for common understanding and compliance with evolving governmental regulations and requirements that impact middle-market private equity groups.

With well over 3,000 private equity firms in the U.S. alone, it’s not easy to stand out in the crowd. From a brand perspective, we have invested for years in our “Huron ship” logo and have a registered service mark for ExecFactor, which is our program of partnering with CEOs to make investments in targeted industry sectors.

In addition, we place a premium on one-on-one, face-to-face meetings with business owners and referral sources, with a goal of having at least 700 of these meetings each year.

As for the culture in our company, we have five core values at Huron Capital, which include advancing team goals ahead of individual goals, as well as leading a balanced life and having fun. It’s definitely a team-oriented atmosphere at Huron, where we strive to be both professional and fun. We also do community service projects together, and we have an annual Halloween costume contest. Each of our bios on our web site includes a fun fact that hopefully illustrates that we are more than just investors, and that we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

In terms of our region, we love being based in downtown Detroit! The city is in the midst of an exciting rebirth, and several of our professionals have moved downtown in the past two years. Detroit is nicely situated geographically; we are close to the middle of the country and can travel to most places relatively easily, and are right across the river from Canada, where Huron has acquired four separate platform companies and multiple add-ons.

We are very pleased to receive this award. Marketing and business development is a team sport at Huron Capital. While three of us are solely dedicated to deal origination, everyone in the firm – all 22 of us – are expected to pitch in. This includes attending conferences, speaking on panels, making phone calls to referral sources, preparing collateral materials, and more. Everyone in the firm does their part to help build the Huron Capital brand and make us “top of mind” with sellers.

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International Investment Law Firm of the Year - China

~

Hylands has about 40 partners, over 300 lawyers, paralegals and other professionals. All of them were graduated from prestigious law schools, and many can work in Mandarin, Cantonese, English, French, German, Italian or Japanese. We spoke to them about their diverse range of clients and how they satisfy their multi-dimensional needs.

Company: Hylands Law Firm Beijing 12F Fortune Financial Center, No.5 Dongsanhuan Zhong Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020, China Tel: +86 10 6502 8888 Fax: +86 10 6502 8866/ 6502 8877 Shanghai 1805, Xingye Tower, No. 1028 West Beijing Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai 200041, China Tel: +86 21 5256 9939 Fax: +86 21 5256 9930 Nanjing 9th Floor, East Tower, Deji Plaza, No. 188 Changjiang Road, Nanjing 210018, China Tel: +86 25 8682 7100 Fax: +86 25 8682 7103 Guangzhou Suite 1803, 28 Hua Xia Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510623, China Tel: +86 20 3806 1168 Fax: +86 20 3806 1328 Hangzhou Unit B, 19/F Donghai Chuangyi Centre, 7 Tianmushan Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310007, China Tel: +86 571 8998 6988 Fax: +86 571 8998 6990 Wenzhou 4th Floor, Building I, Wisdom Valley, 789 Station Avenue, Lucheng District, Wenzhou 325000, China Tel: +86 577 8880 0182 Fax: +86 577 8867 6158 Shenyang 1011, Sunwah Hi-Tech Building, 262a Shifu Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang 110003, China Tel: +86 24 2272 0192 Fax: +86 24 2272 0193 Hong Kong 64B, Bank of China Tower, 1 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong, SAR Tel: +852 2521 0880 Fax: +852 2521 0266

Hylands is proud to have advised large numbers of distinguished clients from a wide spectrum of businesses and industrial sectors, such as finance, securities, insurance, investment banking, real estate and construction, metallurgy and steel making, oil and mineral resources, energy, aviation, transportation, infrastructure, household appliances, retail, trade, franchise, advertisement and media, entertainment, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, software, telecommunication, and internet, etc..

We are highly recognized and acclaimed by both clients and legal professionals in the following practice areas: International Trade; Corporate & Investment; Labour & Employment; Real Estate; Dispute Resolution; Intellectual Property; Antitrust; Finance & Capital Markets; Energy, Mining & Infrastructure; Entertainment & Media; Wealth Inheritance. Hylands maintains close cooperative relations with over 150 law firms worldwide in over 100 countries and areas through Terralex, a leading alliance of international lawyers of which Hylands is a member.

It is the ultimate goal of Hylands to satisfy the clients’ multi-dimensional needs in law and help maximize their interests by way of providing quality and efficient legal services and delivering customized legal solutions. With Hylands’ expertise in such areas as M&A, real estate, finance and investment, intellectual property, litigation and arbitration, Hylands pursue an inter-disciplinary approach to sophisticated international business and cross-border transactions to offer our clients a full range of legal services.

Over the past 12 months, we have been focusing on manufacturing, real estate, internet companies, etc. We have worked very hard and were able to conduct multiple deals at the same time with limited resources. We find that we always need to keep in touch with the latest development in the industry and train our people constantly.

In terms of the prevalent trends in our industry, merger and acquisition activities in China were vibrant last year and the robust trend is expected to continue this year, driven by a flurry of restructuring by state-owned enterprises. There were 1,536 M&A deals in China in 2014, with transaction value soaring 73.9 percent from a year earlier to US$339.7 billion. Last year, Chinese companies continued to be the main driver of the regional M&A market as they contributed to 80.7 percent of transaction volume growth in the Asia ex-Japan area.

As for the awards, it’s a great honour to be able to receive this award, and I would like to thank and dedicate my success to our team. Hylands’ International Investment Group has a team of highly experienced lawyers who are graduates from prestigious law schools from China and abroad. Most of them hold master’s or doctor’s degrees in law and all speak fluent English. With knowledge of both Chinese and international laws, we provide a full range of legal services to Chinese clients and foreign clients doing international business, whether for Chinese clients doing business overseas or foreign clients doing business in China.

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Financial Consultancy Firm of the Year - Cyprus & Award for Innovation in Company Formation - Cyprus

ICC Investment & Consulting Services Ltd

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‘ICC Investment & Consulting Services Ltd’ was established in 2000 with a view to providing specialised financial services and assisting clients to maximise their effectiveness and profitability. We spoke to them about their company as well as their client-centric services.

Company: ICC Investment & Consulting Services Ltd Web: www.iccgroup.eu

We have a customer- centric business philosophy and most of our new projects are a result of repeat business.

We establish clear communication channels with our clients and manage their expectations carefully aiming to exceed expectations every time. Furthermore, we have extensive experience in our fields and we are results driven.

The main areas of our services include, inter-alia, the following: 1 Strategy Consulting • Financing an re-financing companies • Corporate restructuring with the aim of business growth, cost reduction or both • Investments and mergers & acquisitions 2 Corporate Services & International Tax Planning • Company formation globally • Nominee/ Trust services • Bookkeeping and Audit services’ To keep on top of the changes in our industry, we spend considerable time monitoring and analysing both international as well as local trends. Also in order to keep up with the ever changing business environment we place emphasis on training our partners and staff.

As a company we are focused on two main areas, the first being strategic consulting and especially financial and operational restructuring. The second is International tax planning with tailor made solutions according to the needs of every client.

Our partners have international working experience and they have considerable experience in their respective service lines. In addition, we have strong implementation capability and result orientation philosophy.

To ensure the success of any deal, we believe the following are very important: • Very good understanding of the needs and motives of both the investor and the seller • Clear, analytical and well communicated procedure for the completion of the deal • Flexibility and innovative thinking during the negotiation process • Strong project management skills In terms of our company culture, we are a family business and treat our employees as part of the family. At the same time, we expect our partners and staff to treat our clients in the same way and provide exceptional service.

Our geographical coverage includes Cyprus, Greece, Dubai as well as international clients. Both the Cypriot and Greek economies have suffered due to the severe economic recession. Cyprus has progressed well in the last two years and it is expected to return to growth towards the end of this year. Greece is experiencing a much deeper recession and it seems that it has just narrowly avoided its exit from the Eurozone. The next few years will be very challenging for the country.

As for the award, it is an honour to be recognised and we believe that our success is due to the hard work and professionalism of our partners and staff.

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M&A Awards 2015

Global Leader in Oil – Mauritius

IndianOil (Mauritius) Ltd

~ IndianOil (Mauritius) Ltd, incorporated as a company in Mauritius in 2001, started its physical operation in 2004 only after commissioning of its state- of- the -Art terminal at Mer Rouge.

We spoke to them about how they initially ventured into aviation and retail business, and have slowly paved their way to the entire spectrum of petroleum marketing in Mauritius and continue to grow from strength to strength.

Over the years, IOML has developed the required resources in terms of equipment, plant, machinery and labour to cater to the increasing needs of the industry. It has not only fulfilled the main objective of the Government in stablizing the market but also has made a visible mark as a responsible player in Petroleum Industry of Mauritius.

For the period of 2014-15, IOML has registered a turnover of Rs.8.84 billion and a profit of Rs181million. In fact, in the top hundred listing of companies in terms of turnover it has been ranked at no.9. With only one petroleum ahead of it in the listing. IOML is the proud leader in the aviation business with about three fourths of the market share. Achieving all these within a decade of physical operation has been no mean feat.

Company: IndianOil (Mauritius) Ltd Name: Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra, Managing Director Email: indianoil@ioml.mu Web Address: www.ioml.mu Address: IndianOil (Mauritius) Ltd, Mer Rouge, Port Louis, Mauritius Telephone: (+) 230 2172710

IndianOil (Mauritius) was established with a vision of making a difference and stabilizing the Oil Market in Mauritius, which it has done commendably. Not only has it brought in competition to the market, it has set itself apart through innovative offerings in terms of services to the customers. It was the first company that started 24 hours operations in its filling stations. It is also the first company in Mauritius to have a fully Solar in Powered Filling Station and also the first to offer a Non-Space Dispensing Unit. It is also the only company in Mauritius, which has an ISO certified laboratory of its own and is the only company, which receives all its products through segregated pipelines, thus maintaining the quality of fuel at all levels.

“Our approach towards our clients has been laid on trust and good business relationship. Often, this business approach opens up to new clients and newer business opportunities. We ensure that this model of business is respected at all levels of the company”. says Mr. Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra, Managing Director.

He further adds, “In Indian Oil (Mauritius), we believe in transparency and openness. It is quite a small team of young professionals at the working level. The basic approach has been to have mutual trust and not to have any glass ceilings. The team is totally aligned to the vision of ’Being in Every Heart & Every Part’ in Mauritius.

Inspired by its parent company Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, societal objectives have always been accorded highest priority”.

“IndianOil (Mauritius) has been moving forward in all its objectives thanks to the support and assistance of all its stakeholders. This award further vindicates our commitment as well as the love and affection best owed upon us by our stake holders. At the same time, this also provides us with moral support and tremendous encouragement to continue with our resolve for servicing our customers better and better”. - Mr. Mohapatra concludes.

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Best US Financial Services Deal of the Year

~ IBG Business is an M&A broker and advisor firm serving business owners and business acquirers.

They provide investment banking services focused on advising, planning and implementing strategies to accomplish business ownership transitions for owners of privately held middle market businesses. Earlier this year, the firm acquired the operating platform of IBG Business Services, Inc. a deal which will further expand and evolve its services. We spoke to them to find out more.

Company: International Business Group, LLC, dba IBG Business Web: ibgbusiness.com Address: 7900 E Union Ave #900, Denver, CO 80237, United States Phone: +1 303-758-4000

IBG Business focuses on the successful transfer of businesses, assets and operations to successor owners.

These are often third party buyers of a company, but may also include intergenerational transfers, management buyouts or joining together of independent firms.

At IBG Business, we strive first to know our clients and understand their objectives. We work to understand the intrinsic values and key attributes of their business, then to educate the client as to realistic expectations and results. Our professional M&A process is designed and customized to present a business in a way that ensures buyers can understand and appreciate the full value it represents to them. Our disciplined approach confidentially identifies and attracts the most appropriate and highest value buyers, then nurtures their interest and motivation through education, communications, and negotiations to deliver the best results the market will allow.

For our deal, it was most challenging to identify the differences between the firms, select the best practices and implement a strategy that would allow us to integrate operating styles and business processes.

To ensure the success of any deal, a clear vision of the major objectives is essential, with commitment and hard work also vital aspects. Some deals cannot be accomplished due to cultural issues or the styles of the principals and to overcome these obstacles, patience and care in communications are fundamental.

Each of IBG’s founding principals is independently recognized as a trusted leader in the profession. They commit to remaining at the forefront by being focused, full- time on investment banking through M&A broker and advisor services. They are active in their business and professional communities, staying abreast of change through industry associations, continuing education and maintaining key certifications. Our founders and associates are committed to providing visionary leadership in our profession and gladly serve in its chief roles to help maintain and uplift the profession.

The track record of IBG Business’s professionals is inspiring. That includes performance in lead advisory roles in over 1,100 successful transactions, respected status as leaders within the professional community and award winning recognition for excellence and visionary leadership. We are able to highlight our “proven performers” track record as a guide to what clients may expect as we perform for them.

The IBG Partners are pleased to have been recognized with the award for Financial Services Deal of Year – USA. We knew it was in the best interests of our clients to accomplish the bringing together of our four businesses into one and acquiring a highly respected M&A operating platform. The process of joining leaders, each of whom brought their own experiences and ways of doing things, to operate as partners was challenging, but invaluable.

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M&A Awards 2015

Dealmaker of the Year ‘’Altran Acquisition of Foliage Inc.’’

JM Financial Singapore Pte Limited

~ JM Financial Singapore Pte Ltd is the Singapore subsidiary of the JM Financial Group, where they focus on investment banking/corporate finance advisory services. Their services include M&A Advisory, Private Equity/Venture Capital fund raising advisory, and Capital Markets work (IPOs/Follow-on offerings/Rights/Take Privates). We spoke to them about their involvement in Altran’s acquisition of Foliage, and how they helped ensure its success.

Company: JM Financial Singapore Pte Limited Web: www.jmfl.com Address: 30 Cecil Street, #21-01/02, Prudential Tower, Singapore 049712 Phone: +65 6422 1888

When working on Altran’s acquisition of Foliage Inc, our wealth of experience and expertise helped ensure its success. Our in-depth understanding of technology services, in particular product development and product engineering services, the extensive work we had done in that space and hence understanding of what international buyers want, helped us close the transaction. Challenges were mainly the time zones of the constituents – Foliage in the US, Altran in France and JM Financial here in Singapore.

Speaking about our involvement in the deal, Timothy Bowe, CEO of Foliage Inc, commented: “We worked with the JM Financial team in Singapore for the strategic sale of Foliage Inc. It was a great experience interacting with the dedicated team of senior professionals, led by Prakash Chellam from their Singapore branch, that they had formed to work on the transaction. We were impressed with their deep understanding of the technology domain and their ability to reach international buyers. The efforts of Prakash and his team made the transaction happen. We wish the firm much success in its endeavours”.

We find that smooth running of any successful deal is that detailed knowledge of the segment helps best position a company and its strengths, and identify a partner likely to conclude the transaction. In addition, early setting of realistic expectations, a direct approach and dedicated detail oriented focus on the deal also helps.

To ensure that we are at the forefront of any changes in our industry, we constantly stay connected to our clients, understand their evolving needs and invest effort in sourcing deals in newer areas, even if more difficult, to help us stay connected.

In our region, emerging markets in the SE Asia/India region constitute an attractive source of opportunities for global investors seeking growth. The challenge is in helping international buyers understand and assimilate the local aspects that come along with the growth.

We appreciate and encourage a detail oriented approach to all our client engagements, place a lot of emphasis on understanding the industry segments in depth, and have a culture of setting realistic expectations.

This helps us in the long run achieve a reputation of being reliable and dedicated. Our team’s direct hands-on inputs from senior experienced resources and a detailed orientation, helps us keep our clients happy. A strong understanding of the industry segment, and a committed hands-on senior resource time on engagements, also helps make a difference.

We feel delighted to receive this award. As mentioned in the words of the founder shareholder of Foliage Inc, this award is testimony to the depth of our understanding of the technology segment, in particular product development and product engineering services, and ability to reach international buyers.

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Civil Law Firm of the Year - Sri Lanka

Julius & Creasy

~ Julius and Creasy is one of the oldest civil law firms in Sri Lanka. Founded in 1879, the firm has established itself on rich tradition and the highest professional principles. Julius and Creasy’s wealth of expertise and experience in a wide range of specialised fields of Law enables it to offer innovative legal and business solutions to a diverse, sophisticated and high-profile clientele.

Company: Julius & Creasy Web: www.juliusandcreasy.com

The firm’s strong reputation for excellence in legal services and professional staff has allowed it to build a vast national and international client base including multinational companies, financial institutions, public and private sector companies and traditional private clientele. Major cross-border assignments for international clients has added to our vast experience and expanded our global reach.

The firm has acted on many occasions as the local legal counsel for the Issuers and the Lead Managers in Bond issues of local financial institutions which are marketed internationally, and advised on the local regulatory aspects in connection therewith and issued Legal Opinons thereon.

Julius & Creasy offers an extensive range of legal services in the fields of Corporate, Commercial, Banking, Insurance, Tax, Property and Construction, Intellectual Property, IT, Telecommunications, Infrastructure, Shipping and Employment Law. The firm has consistently provided sustainable legal solutions in corporate and commercial work, mainly restructuring, capital markets, delisting and capital reductions of corporate entities and due diligence work. Several Mergers and Acquisitions have been handled by the firm which also has a leading Banking and Finance practice facilitating several prominent foreign loans and international syndicated loan transactions. The firm has considerable practice in the field of aviation and has acted as local counsel in many aircraft transactions.

Much of the Intellectual Property work in Sri Lanka is undertaken by Julius & Creasy in relation to Trademarks, Patents, Designs and Copyright. In Shipping, the firm acts as the correspondent and legal representative for several P & I Clubs in Sri Lanka. It is also known for commercial and residential property matters and is regularly involved in the transfer of land, commercial and residential lease agreements, preparation of title reports and condominium property declarations.

As for Infrastructure work, Julius and Creasy has acted in many loan transactions between the Government of Sri Lanka and major international donors and other parties in various infrastructure projects covering water and power supply, petroleum, mining. In the telecommunications sector, the firm has acted as local counsel to the largest IPO in Sri Lanka to date.

Additionally, the firm has a large litigation practice and has been involved in leading litigation and arbitration cases in Sri Lanka recently in both commercial and civil law. The firm provides clients, both local and international with comprehensive dispute resolution expertise including litigation, arbitration and negotiated settlements.

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M&A Awards 2015

Best in Risk Management Services - Law Care® & Best Small & Medium Business Advisory Team 2015 - Australia

Kafrouni Lawyers

~ When doing business in Australia, consider Kafrouni Lawyers as an ideal partner for legal representation and corporate counsel. They are specialist commercial and corporate lawyers based in Brisbane, Australia. They can help lawyers and professional advisors from all over the globe assist their clients start, buy, grow and sell businesses in Australia.

Company: Kafrouni Lawyers Web: www.klaw.com.au Address: 36, Riparian Plaza, 71 Eagle Street, Brisbane QLD 4000, Australia Phone:+61 7 3121 3177

They understand it is difficult to know who you can trust; especially when you are not a local. They are a family business, established in 1999, with a strong commitment to their clients and a real understanding of business. Their family name is on the door and they never forget it.

Global reach is important now and they have it. Their clients are Australian companies doing business locally and abroad and overseas companies doing business in Australia. They are the Australian contributing authors of a major international publication; a country-by-country encyclopaedia of business regulation in more than 55 jurisdictions, including all the major industrial, financial and offshore centres worldwide. They have a global network of lawyers and accountants spanning most of these jurisdictions.

For their overseas clients, they open their network of local advisors; including accountants, business brokers and intermediaries, migration agents, leasing agents, real-estate agents, financial advisors, insurance advisors, patent and trademark attorneys and those providing resident director services, to name a few.

On a day to day basis, they assist their clients with small and medium M&A transaction (up to $150 million), contract advice and negotiations, legal compliance, risk management and dispute resolution.

They also have many accolades as a testament to their commitment to client service and expertise in business law. Kafrouni Lawyers was ranked #15 best law firm in Australia and their founding director, Joe Kafrouni, is accredited by the Queensland Law Society as a business law specialist and has been awarded “Family Business Lawyer of the Year in Australia” by various organisations.

For good measure, their company guarantee is that they will do what they say we will do, when they say they will do it, for the price they quote, will be available to take your calls (or return them) and will speak you in plain, no-nonsense English.

If you or your clients are considering doing business in Australia, and in particular any M&A transaction, don’t hesitate to contact Joe Kafrouni to discuss how his firm can help.

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Best Corporate Finance Firm – UK

KBS Corporate

~ Being recognised as “Best Corporate Finance Firm – UK” comes at a time when Bolton-based KBS Corporate has been undertaking a number of initiatives which are all geared towards expansion of their customer base, increasing brand awareness and further improving services to clients. Ultimately this activity has led to the company achieving a 59% growth in turnover for the financial yearend 2015. We spoke to Director Simon Daniels to find out more.

“The strategies outlined in our business plan included the expansion of a dedicated Corporate Finance division and the strengthening of the current corporate offering, which will aid in delivering sustained growth over the next 3 – 5 years and an immediate drive to increase turnover through increasing both the volume of mandates and the monetary value of each individual project.”

Simon goes on to explain, “Over the past year, KBS Corporate has increased its workforce by 40% in response to a growing client base in addition to an increase in overall productivity through staff training. The buyer identification and research team has since doubled in order to provide a more comprehensive buyer reach whilst also seeing an increase in the amount of client liaison personnel and Information Memorandum writers, all aimed at further improving service levels for the increasing client base.

Company: KBS Corporate Sales Limited Name: Simon Daniels Email: simond@kbscorporate.com Web Address: www.kbscorporate.com Address: Oceanic House, Navigation Park, Waters Meeting Road, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 8SW Telephone: 01204 555081

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“Growth has been largely driven by a 33% increase in transactional activity over the previous year and the completion of a number of high profile company sales which have seen the KBS Corporate fee income record broken four times in this period. This increase can be attributed to significant investment in both people and technology which KBS corporate places a great emphasis on; with the company investing over £200,000 in business intelligence software, presenting a significant resource into providing wider research throughout both the UK and international markets.

“We anticipate that further growth will be fuelled by an increasing market share, driven by operating three distinct brands which provides a full service offering to the company sales market.”

To facilitate this growth, KBS Corporate is planning to more than double its office space at its Greater Manchester headquarters within the next six months with the additional office space allowing the company to add to its expanding workforce and increased marketing expenditure, which will aid future growth.

M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Best Corporate Finance Practice – Brazil

KPMG Brazil

~ KPMG operates as an international network of member firms, offering auditing, tax and advisory services. We work directly with customers, helping them to mitigate risks and to find good business opportunities.

Company: KPMG Address: Rua Arquiteto Olavo Redig de Campos, 105 7th floor – Tower A 04711-904 – São Paulo – SP Brazil Tel: 55 11 2183 3000 Fax: 55 11 2183 3034

The presence of our local member firms is as important as global presence. KPMG’s offices in Brazil are overcoming challenges and achieving excellent results, and are able to provide services to customers in their respective cities, offering a quality standard similar to international standard.

In Brazil, we have approximately 4,000 professionals distributed throughout 12 states and the federal district around the cities of São Paulo (headquarters ), Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Campinas, Campo Grande, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Goiania, Joinville, Londrina, Manaus, Puerto Alegre, Recife, Ribeirão Preto, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Sao Carlos, Sao Jose dos Campos and Uberlândia.

Member firms’ clients include business corporations, governments and public sector agencies and not-forprofit organizations. They look to KPMG for a consistent standard of service based on high order professional capabilities, industry insight and local knowledge.

Sustaining and enhancing the quality of this professional workforce is KPMG’s primary objective. Wherever we operate we want our firms to be no less than the professional employers of choice.

We contribute to the effective functioning of international capital markets and support reforms that strengthen the markets’ credibility and their social responsibility. We believe that similar reform must extend to the professional realm.

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Best Tax Team 2015 - Zambia & Auditors of 2015 - Zambia

KPMG

~ KPMG has been operating in Zambia since 1954. With a presence in Lusaka and Kitwe, their client base consists of Government, major parastatals, listed and quoted companies, donor agencies, non-governmental organisations, SMEs, banks and technology companies. We got in touch with them about how their firm delivers a range of global audit, tax and advisory services geared to industry need.

Company: KPMG Web: www.kpmg.com/ZM

Our goal is to give every one of our clients a 7 Star service experience. In line with one of KPMG’s core values, we took a difficult decision to seek out open and honest feedback from staff on clients on how we can get better.

I say ‘difficult’ because it comes with risks. Incorrectly communicated, feedback can dampen the enthusiasm of a team who have successfully completed a complex assignment. However I’m proud to say it has had the intended result and there is a healthy culture of continuous improvement in our organisation.

I find that to ensure the smooth running of a major deal, there are many measures needed but I believe that key among them are effective communication, a focus on value addition and a personal touch. People are the interfaces between organisations and it’s critical to work towards a relationship of mutual respect and trust from the outset.

M&A is fast paced, can be impacted seriously by regulatory changes and it requires great depth in knowledge.

We invest heavily in CPD, keep channels of communication open with regulators and work closely with international organisations. An example of the latter is a recent collaboration that we had with the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation (IBFD) on Trends in International Taxation: An African Perspective hosted in Livingstone, Zambia between 18-19 June 2015.

This is a fantastic time to work in Zambia and Southern Africa. The ongoing investment in road, rail and power infrastructure will transform the region in the next 10 years. On the local front, international investors have taken note of Zambia’s strong economic growth and political stability over the last 15 years and are driving the next wave of development.

We have a very strong focus on cutting through complexity. We actively encourage our staff to deliver on the KPMG difference which is a global mindset, passionate, value adding and forward thinking. When you combine these attributes you end up with the quality that has brought us this recognition.

As for the award, it is a real honour for the Partners and staff of KPMG Zambia to be recognised for service excellence. This success is attributable to a long term strategy in which we only hire the best, invest in their training and give them the tools and support that they need to deliver at the very limit of their abilities.

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M&A Awards 2015

Corporate Boutique Law Firm of the Year - USA

Lauletta Birnbaum, LLC

~ Lauletta Birnbaum, LLC is a boutique law firm comprised of corporate business lawyers and commercial litigators that previously practiced with some of the largest law firms in the country.

Company: Lauletta Birnbaum, LLC Web: lauletta.com Address: 591 Mantua Blvd., Suite 200, Sewell, NJ 08080 Phone: (856) 232-1600

Most of the Firm’s lawyers have also earned an MBA or have executive level experience, making them particularly well suited to serve as outside general counsel to various companies throughout the United States in various industries. The Firm typically works closely with its client’s executive management team with a goal of providing innovative and cost effective legal services that are tailored to the client’s specific business needs.

Although our clients demand the high-quality legal representation typically found at large law firms, to succeed and thrive in today’s economic environment smart business leaders must take into consideration cost. Our Firm offers business-minded, large firm experienced attorneys at a significantly lower cost structure. Many of our clients were previously represented by large, national law firms prior to engaging with us. After switching to our Firm, these clients were able to enjoy significant savings over the fees previously charged by the large firm.

We also represent multiple U.S. companies expanding into various countries throughout the world as well as foreign companies expanding into the U.S. These services include structure and set-up, M&A activity and international sales.

Specialties General Corporate, M&A, International Business (expansion, structure & sales), Venture Capital & Other Debt and Equity Financings, Software, Data & High Technology, Commercial / Complex Litigation, Real Estate (acquisition, development and leasing)

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Recognized Leader in Contracts - Brazil

~ Lautenschlager, Romeiro e Iwamizu Advogados law firm is committed to building a relationship of trust and partnership with its clients, offering quality legal advice to both domestic and foreign companies. They have offices based in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

The most valuable asset of the firm is its long-standing client relationships, based on trust and cooperation.

Engaged primarily in Sao Paulo, the firm seeks to meet the needs of its clients in other venues and Brazilian states by establishing associations with professionals that share the same work philosophy. The firm also has a broad network of reliable collaborators, such as, for example, professionals specialized in obtaining visas for foreigners, accountants, auditors, translators, experts, engineers, agronomists etc.

Brazil is the largest country in the Latin America region and has a huge market yet to be developed. Even if we are used to assisting different kinds of investors, it is a big challenge to familiarize their activities to the Brazilian law as our law system can be really difficult to non-natives.

Company: Lautenschlager, Romeiro e Iwamizu Advogados Web: www.lrilaw.com.br Address: Av. Paulista, 1337, São Paulo - SP, 01311-200, Brazil Phone:+55 11 3253-5930

Our firm provides legal consulting services related to a wide range of areas of law, including the negotiation and draft of contracts; corporate law matters, corporate governance and compliance; assistance to foreign investors; mergers, acquisitions and legal major projects; due diligence; real estate law. Furthermore, the firm provides legal services in the traditional fields of law such as labour, tax, antitrust and consumer law. We also have solid experience with judicial litigation involving civil and commercial disputes, as well as with commercial arbitration and mediation. The litigation practice encompasses all of the aforesaid fields of law.

Finally, the firm is a member of the Law Exchange International Association, which is an international association of law firms that serve clients doing business in major commercial markets across the globe; it aims at providing a comprehensive and seamless web of legal services to clients. Just as clients demands arise worldwide and instantly, member response and service shall meet quickly and efficiently those demands and challenges of a worldwide marketplace.

We are proud to be named “Recognized Leader in Contracts” since we made several efforts in the past years to continuously develop the “contractual area” of our firm, by training and specializing our professionals. We constantly provide assistance to Brazilian and foreign companies in the drafting, negotiation and risk analysis of corporate contracts in general, local or international, including assistance in issues involving imports and exports and advice on local and international regulations. We have been seeking to attend in the best way possible our clients’ interests, and therefore enable them to carry out their business with safety and comfort in Brazil.

Finally, our professionals are also highly prepared to act in a globalized environment, thanks to their international and multicultural experience, one of our best advantages. Furthermore, given its optimized structure, our firm is also able to deliver appropriate legal solutions based on an adequate cost arrangement. We deem it vital to perfectly know the business and the needs of our client and provide them with all the necessary information to ensure the best deals to our clients.

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Corporate M&A Firm of the Year 2015 – Korea

~ Lee International has more than 50 years of extensive experience and has developed a profound knowledge of the law and practice of Korea. We spoke to them about their company and the USD 45 million deal they were involved in earlier this year. For confidentiality reasons, the names of the parties involved in the deal have been omitted.

Name: Lee International IP & Law Group Web: www.leeinternational.com Address: 14F, Poongsan bldg., 23 Chungjeong-ro Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-013, Korea Telephone: +82-2-2279-3631 Fax: +82-2-2273-4605

During the summer of 2014, Lee International IP & Law Group represented a certain company that operates numerous chains of restaurants in Korea under many different brands (the “Client”) in selling one of its brands (the “Business”) to certain buyers (the “Buyers”).

The deal involved a demerger of the Business from the Client and thereafter, the purchase and sale of shares of the Business among the Client and the Buyers. We handled the entire demerger process and the negotiations for the sale and purchase of the shares of the Business and successfully closed the deal. Along with the Client, we worked closely with the Client’s accounting firm (one of the Big Three accounting firms) and opposing counsel throughout the entire deal.

Based on our experience, we believe effective communication, cooperation and transparency among the parties involved are vital in ensuring the smooth running of a major deal.

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Best for Intellectual Property Transactions 2015 - Taiwan & M&A Law Firm of the Year - Taiwan

Lee, Tsai & Partners

~ Lee, Tsai & Partners are a law group founded on the principle of being reasoned and compassioned, and follow their mission statement of providing the “highest quality of professional service to our clients through our comprehensive knowledge of their industries while dedicating ourselves not only to our clients but also to our community.” We spoke to them about their recent landmark deal with the Beijing City Government.

We assisted Beijing Holding Limited, the wholly owned subsidiary of the Beijing City Government, in various joint venture projects with local Taiwanese companies, including an investment in sewage systems in Taiwan. The investment was a purchase of shares from RICH Group of two BOT sewage system companies, namely, EAST FOREAST DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD. and GREEN FOREAST DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD, and a BOT sewage system operation company FOREST WATER ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING CO., LTD. (“Project Company”).

As for the other parties in the deal, Deloitte & Touche assisted Beijing Holding Limited in the financial audit of the target companies in the above sewage systems project. The seller Rich Group’s legal advisor was ChengYeh Attorneys-at-law, and KPMG was also involved in this transaction.

Company: Lee, Tsai & Partners Name: Chung-Teh Lee Email: lawtec@leetsai.com Web Address: www.leetsai.com Address: Taipei Office: 9th Fl., 218 Tun Hwa S. Rd., Sec. 2, Taipei 106, Taiwan, R.O.C. Tel: 886-2-23785780 Fax: 886-2-23785781 Shanghai Office: 14F-C, No. 567, Weihai Rd., Shanghai 200041, China Tel: 86-21-62882988 Fax: 86-21-62882989 Beijing Office: Tower A Rm. 1501 No. 168, Guang An Men Wai Ave., Xicheng District, Beijing 100055, China Tel: 86-10-83065860 Fax: 86-10-83065861

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One of the main challenges is that a Mainland China company is only allowed to invest in sectors/types of businesses that are approved by the Taiwan government. While a Mainland China company may invest in the BOT project in question, there are still various business activities, e.g. operating a construction work that are required for the establishment of a sewage system, that are off limits. We advised to Beijing Holding Limited to properly structure the deal and assisted them in obtaining the required approval from Taiwan government based on our advised structure.

When working in this region, there were two main aspects we needed to review when completing the deal.

They were: (1) A recent wave of activism against more open free trade arrangements between Mainland China and Taiwan may have in theory caused the government to be more cautious regarding Mainland China investments, but we have not experienced any significant impact to this transaction, and we believe any such impact can be minimized if the transaction is carefully structured to be compliant with the relevant laws and practices.

(2) The Taiwan government recently amended the Company Act to loosen the restrictions on the establishment of companies. This development may stimulate investment in new ventures.

The deal is one of the largest Mainland China investments in Taiwan to date, which made Beijing Holding Limited more confident about continuing to invest in Taiwan; as a matter of fact, we have since been assisting Beijing Holding Limited in other investment projects in Taiwan, including the beverage and fishery industries.

Furthermore, the successful conclusion of the deal demonstrates our expertise in M&A projects, especially in such a highly regulated field such as Mainland China investment in Taiwan.

In terms of the awards, we are honoured to have been recognised. Our dedicated team members and clientswho have continually recommended our services- have been the cornerstone to our success.

M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Best for SME Corporate Strategy - Switzerland

Lombard Network

~ Lombard Network is a team of consultants and consulting companies specialized in supporting small and medium enterprises and their entrepreneurs, thanks to the experience of its management and to the important network of connections with highly qualified international professionals and exponents of the business world.

Company: Lombard Network Address: Via Lucino 3 CH 6932 Breganzona Tel: +41 91 220 70 00 Fax: +41 91 980 39 25

Lombard Network operates through internal consultants and with the support of external companies, with which it shares preferential relations. Our company has developed services especially suited for companies without an adequate management structure.

In particular, Lombard Network caters to the following types of firms: Small and medium enterprises; Family-run businesses; Companies in crisis situation; Fast growing companies.

In terms of providing a strategy for businesses, Lombard Network helps companies to identify, to plan and to set the most effective business strategies aimed at achieving their target, such as market performance and excellent organization.

In coordination with the management of the company, Lombard Network provides strategic advisory services in the following activities: Definition of the short term and medium/long term strategic targets; Definition of the operational strategies for the achievement of the targets; Support for the strategic plan implementation; Analysis of the results and strategic plan updating.

As for corporate finance, Lombard Network provides advisory services aimed at supporting the company management, thanks to the experience of its team of advisors and cooperation with important credit institutes and trust companies.

In particular, Lombard Network operates in four main areas: 1. Fund Raising Research of capital necessary to the business development, either as debt or as equity. Lombard Network acts as financial intermediary between the company and credit institutes and/or equity partners.

2. Projecting, Management and Evaluation Lombard Network provides assistance and support to companies for business plan development, project planning and corporate evaluation, both qualitative (rating calculation) and quantitative (pricing determination).

3. Advisory Advisory in the area of extraordinary financial operations (M&A, debt restructuring, etc.) and capital market (IPOs, bond issuance, securitisations, etc.); Lombard Network support the management during the decision-making process and the implementation of operations.

4. Support Services Lombard Network researches and coordinates advisors which are able to offer services in the following areas: Insurance (support in the selection of the optimal insurance solution); Accounting (support in the administrative actives of the enterprises, in collaboration with accountants, trust companies and auditing companies).

When working in the area of marketing and communications, Lombard Network helps the management of the company in the analysis, planning and implementation of projects aimed at achieving the marketing and communication targets.

In particular, Lombard Network provides advisory services in the following areas: Marketing planning: market research, definition of marketing mission and targets, study of advertising and promotion campaigns; Commercial development: advisory and support for the development of commercial networks and/or for the sale of certain products; Public Relations: coordination and management of relations with major media and development of new relationships.

Moreover, Lombard Network has numerous contacts and relationships with major media (television and press), both national and international. Thanks to this network of relationships consolidated over the years, Lombard Network is able to support the development of company sales, through the definition of an integrated marketing and communication strategy.

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Maritime & Shipping Law Firm of the Year - Indonesia & Sustained Excellence in Antitrust Law – Indonesia

~ Mohamed Idwan (‘Kiki’) Ganie is the Managing Partner of Lubis Ganie Surowidjojo (LGS). He graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Indonesia and holds a PhD in Law from the University of Hamburg. Dr. Ganie is a Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Anti-Trust Lawyers, a member of the Regional Panel of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), and a fellow (FSIarb) of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators. LGS has over a hundred lawyers and experience representing a diverse range of clients, including domestic and multinational corporations, public and private companies, Government instrumentalities and State Owned Enterprises.

Dr. Ganie has more than 30 years of legal experience, and specializes in commercial transactions and commercial litigation, including alternative dispute resolution and has acted as an expert in a number court and arbitration proceedings. His expertise covers general corporate/company law, banking law, finance, bankruptcy and restructuring, mining, investment, acquisitions, infrastructure projects/project finance, antitrust, and shipping/aviation, with a particular focus on corporate governance and compliance.

Dr. Ganie’s international commercial transaction and litigation clients include: Goldman Sachs (US), Temasek Holdings (Singapore), Hutchison Whampoa (Hong Kong) and Mitsui (Japan).

One of the unique aspects that we offer to our clients is the combination of our long-standing commercial law practice and our premier litigation department that has extensive experience in dealing with commercial disputes in the context of alternative dispute resolution as well as litigation in the Indonesian courts. This allows our corporate transaction departments to benefit from such litigation experience to ensure that any transactions handled by the firm are carried out with a view to the potential for future disputes and any existing risks.

Name: Dr. Mohamed Idwan (‘Kiki’) Ganie, Managing Partner Company: Lubis Ganie Surowidjojo Email: ganie@lgslaw.co.id Website: www.lgsonline.com Address: Menara Imperium 30th Floor Jl. H. R. Rasuna Said Kav. 1 Kuningan Jakarta 12980, Indonesia Telephone: +62 21 831-5005, 831-5025 Fax: +62 21 831-5015, 831-5018

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We work closely with our clients to understand their problems, determine their needs, and arrive at practical solutions that are both cost-effective and viable over the long term. We strive to understand a client’s needs and the legal complexities faced by them in Indonesia‘s highly dynamic legal and business landscape, translate this into a solution, and then see the successful outcome. To this end, we approach our clients’ assignments with a pragmatic view that is driven by a deep understanding of their business needs and of the surrounding practicalities of the legal and business landscape that they operate in.

M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Best Marketing Consultancy – Portugal & Independent Management Consultants of the Year – Portugal

~ Founded in 1996, Mercal has always been guided by high professional and ethical patterns, being officially accredited as a management consultancy company and certified by ISO 9001.

We specialize in Strategy and Management Consultancy and International Marketing, M&A for middle-market companies and also deal with solutions for venture capital and equity funds, succession problems of privately owned companies as well as corporate restructuring.

Our clients range from public institutions and funds, to multinational companies, private equity firms, management teams, entrepreneurs and family companies. Our clients include: Aicep, ASM Group, CBE, Gasodata, Iapmei, Inosat, Meiostec, Schneider Electric and Turismo Fundos.

We are very pleased to be recognised by the 2015 Acquisition International M&A Awards as “Best Marketing Consultancy – Portugal” and “Independent Management Consultants of the Year – Portugal”. Our teams deserve it as a reward for their hard work. We believe our success is due to offering the best solutions to our clients, independently of their complexity and multicultural environment, which always brings a challenge and a highly rewarding experience for Mercal.

These awards are an important way to motivate our staff to improve and continue acting with an entrepreneurial spirit in order to offer the best possible service. It is a way to commit ourselves to improving our market position, bring awareness to our brand and set a clear path to aim at excelling in our industry.

Our philosophy is to develop partnership relations with our clients based on trust and qualified work and to be able to promote the business at a national or an international level. We supply pragmatic and cost-effective bespoke solutions to our customers, which enable them to reach their development goals. Above all, we focus on results and offer innovative solutions.

Company: MERCAL – Gestão e Marketing Internacional Email: mercal@mercal.pt Web Address: http://mercal.pt/index.php Address: Campo Grande, nº 35 - 6º A 1700-087 LISBOA, Portugal Telephone: (+351) 21 781 11 40/2/3/4/5

To ensure that we are at the forefront of our industry, our staff participates in an incentive scheme which is very competitive. We make sure that our most competent and highly motivated consultants participate personally in the success of key projects. Moreover, they accompany and advise our clients from the moment the first contact is established, until the transaction is finally closed.

Our principal advantage is based on the fact that strategy consulting is our core business. We also have a solid business network and database in many industries and markets that allow us to benchmark how our clients perform compared to their respective industries.

Consultants in our industry must be open-minded, flexible and customer-focused and face challenges in a friendly and creative way. For us, it is of great importance to show responsibility and accountability to our clients every step of the way.

Due to the economic situation in Portugal, our main focus recently has been on International Marketing and M&A. We have been working for the acquisition of local businesses by foreign companies, capital and debt raising, corporate restructurings and re-financing. As the Portuguese economy is now growing, we expect that the management consultancy business to continue to grow due to strategic expansion and diversification.

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Best Asset Valuation Service Provider 2015

~ MIAC Acadametrics is an independent asset valuation service provider, specialising in behavioural modelling, stress testing and collateral valuation for the financial services industry. We spoke to them about hoe their strong track record is underpinned by their combined international experience and powerful MIAC Analytics™ proprietary software suite. We got in touch with them to learn more about their company and the services they provide.

Company: MIAC Acadametrics (MIAC) Name: David Pickles, Director, Strategy and Development Email: david.pickles@miac-acadametrics.co.uk Web: www.miacanalytics.co.uk Office Telephone: +44 (0)20 3397 4904 Mobile: +44 (0)7851214975

Asset Valuation Our valuations deliver comprehensive loan level analytics and price discovery using transparent methodologies. As a leading global risk management firm, MIAC provides services across the United States*, Europe, and the UK, working with a wide range of organisations involved in managing, holding, buying, or selling these asset classes; inclusive of regulatory and commercial requirements.

MIAC cover the full spectrum of loan types, including performing and non-performing asset categories, for residential (including BTL speciality), commercial and across all consumer finance types, such as credit cards, personal loans, and auto.

Whether your purposes for asset valuation are for NAV calculation of assets owned by a hedge or private equity fund; validation of balance sheet carrying value; or for a strategic review in support of an asset disposition strategy; our independent analysis can help.

Other Core Services: Stress Testing and Loss Forecasting • Loan level forecasts and sub models (PD, LGD & EAD) • Client-defined, regulatory, and/or market defined macroeconomic scenarios • Utilising a robust, internally developed Stress Testing framework.

Collateral and Rental Property Revaluation (UK) MIAC build and operate a suite of granular collateral behaviour tools which are comprehensively used within our valuation and stress testing services on UK assets. The tools are also available to clients as an in-house solution: • Residential House Price Revaluation Index • Rental Index • Rental AVM Risk Management MIAC Analytics™ software suite: • WinOAS™ for cashflow and valuation • Bond Agent™ for applying cash flows to waterfall structures • Vision™ for Asset and Liability Management (ALM) • DataRaptor® for data management and processing

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M&A Awards 2015

Best Corporate Finance Advisory Team 2015 - Switzerland & Best M&A Advisory Services - Switzerland

MilleniumAssociates AG

~ MilleniumAssociates is a leading independent Switzerland and UK-based international M&A advisory firm with a global network of strategic alliances extending its services across Europe as well as to Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and North America.

Company: MilleniumAssociates (UK) Limited Web: www.milleniumassociates.com Address: 23 Berkeley Square London, W1J 6HE United Kingdom Phone: +44 20 3178 20 30 Fax: +44 20 3178 20 29

Owned by its partners and management, we are uniquely positioned to offer independent and non-conflicting advice to our clients through our effective and efficient team of full time experts, backed by a significant and active Global Advisory Board and professional support staff.

The dedicated Entrepreneurs and Corporates practice focuses on providing M&A advice to entrepreneurs and small and mid-cap business leaders across all sectors and all geographies globally.

An additional Financial Services practice focuses on transactions for the global financial services industry, in particular supporting the global wealth, asset management, private banking and private equity sectors in Switzerland and globally. Recently MilleniumAssociates has successfully launched a three year programme named CATCH® enabling participating institutions to manage their client and market focus resegmentation strategies in a friendly, orderly and profitable manner.

Our team of experts provides the full range of M&A and corporate financial advisory services for both entrepreneurial and corporate business owners a well as the global financial services industry. For every transaction we not only provide expert guidance and support throughout the process but work with our clients in identifying and securing the best strategic fit.

Our broad international experience coupled with our network of advisors and partners means we can support any transaction on either the buy or sell side, regardless of geography, sector or size. Our M&A advisory services includes: • Buy and sell M&A advice • M&A strategy & transaction structuring • Research / target sourcing • Preparation & process management • Due diligence & negotiations • Independent business analysis • Business valuations & independent fairness opinions • Independent market assessment • Exit strategies • Privatisations • Regulatory support

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Best Business Valuation Software Solution

Moneysoft

~ The winner of Acquisition International’s Award for Best Business Valuation Software Solution is MoneySoft Business Valuation Specialist.

Business Valuation Specialist was originally created in 1999 in collaboration with Practitioner’s Publishing Company (PPC), a unit of Thomson Reuters. PPC licensed the software and published it under their imprint.

In July 2013, MoneySoft acquired PPC’s rights to Business Valuation Specialist and simultaneously released an enhanced edition the program that they launched as the new MoneySoft Business Valuation Specialist (MBVS).

MBVS provides analysts and valuation professionals with an effective alternative to Excel spreadsheets. This system streamlines the process of reaching an authoritative conclusion of value and creating well-documented business appraisals or valuation reports -- while guiding you around the traps and pitfalls that are baked into spreadsheets and other forms of valuation software.

MBVS is used by professional business appraisers, accountants, business advisors and educators who need a system that goes beyond a fill-in-the-blanks or legacy valuation solutions.

Company: MoneySoft® Business Valuation Specialist™ Web: moneysoft.com Telephone: 800-966-7797 or 602-266-7710

The benefits of MBVS are fourfold: help increase a valuator’s productivity, enable valuators to properly apply valuation theory, help the analyst more sharply focus on the judgment factors that shape the conclusion of value and provide an effective way to communicate the value conclusion to the client and the appropriate value-authority such as the Internal Revenue Service, a Court or an administrative body.

MoneySoft Business Valuation Specialist addresses the essential elements for business valuation: • The normalization of financial statement data to reflect the actual economics of the business; • A rigorous evaluation of the company’s performance and financial position using trend and industry peer analysis; • An analysis of the future earnings and dividend-paying capacity of the business based upon either management’s projections or projections prepared by the valuator. MBVS generates detailed, fully-linked projections of Balance Sheets, Statement of Cash Flows and free cash flows (both levered and debtfree) along with income statements for up to ten years.

• A logical, step-wise application of the Asset, Income and Market valuation approaches to reach conclusions of Enterprise-level and Shareholder-level values.

• An onboard report builder (included) for creating supportable and well-documented standards-based valuation reports or appraisals that are completely customizable and editable.

The ValuSense Advantage™ is what separates the MoneySoft Business Valuation Specialist from other valuation software alternatives. Customer feedback and research has been organized and adapted in Business Valuation Specialist to help you avoid many of the problems found in spreadsheets and other software.

Additional information is available at the company’s website: http://moneysoft.com/business-valuation-software/.

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M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Best for Intellectual Property Transactions 2015 - Taiwan & M&A Law Firm of the Year - Taiwan

Pang & Co. in Association with Loeb & Loeb LLP

~

Serving Hong Kong, Asia and Beyond...

Pang & Co., in association with Loeb & Loeb LLP, is one of the most active law firms in the Hong Kong region within the areas of capital markets and corporate finance. The firm concentrates on capital markets transactions and regulatory advice in Greater China and IPOs in both the Main Board and the Growth Enterprise Market of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, as well as mergers and acquisitions and general corporate and commercial transactions.

Working in association with Loeb & Loeb LLP, a multi-service law firm with five U.S. offices, as well as offices in Beijing and Hong Kong, Pang & Co. is positioned to advise a broad range of foreign and domestic businesses in the Greater China Region on local and cross-jurisdictional transactions. From its offices firm wide, Loeb & Loeb represents Asia-based companies doing business or seeking to expand or raise debt or equity capital in the U.S., Hong Kong and mainland China, as well as U.S. and multinational companies seeking to invest in or expand their businesses in Asia. The firm’s Asia Practice combines the resources of more than 30 attorneys in Hong Kong, Beijing and the U.S. to deliver sophisticated transactional advice, regulatory counseling and litigation services.

Company: Pang & Co., in association with Loeb & Loeb LLP Name: Benny Pang Email: bpang@loeb.com Web Address: www.loeb.com Phone: +852.3923.1111

Over the past year, the Pang & Co. team, working in association with Loeb & Loeb in Hong Kong, acted on behalf of the issuer or underwriters in a number of public offerings on both the Main Board and the GEM Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. These including listings of shares by Chun Sing Engineering Holdings Limited, Earthasia International Holdings Limited, ELL Environmental Holdings Limited, Glory Flame Holdings Limited, and Sinomax Group Limited. The team also handled a number of significant mergers and acquisitions in recent months.

Pang & Co., in association with Loeb & Loeb, has received a number of accolades as a testament to the firm’s premier standing within the market and the industry. Pang & Co. was distinguished as the 2014 “IPO Transactions Law Firm of the Year in Hong Kong” by Corporate INTL magazine in the publication’s annual Global Awards edition. Finance Monthly magazine also named Pang & Co. as the “Securities and Capital Markets Law Firm of the Year – Hong Kong” as part of the publication’s 2014 Finance Monthly Global Awards. In addition, for the second year in a row, Pang & Co. was honored by International Alternative Investment Review (IAIR) magazine with the “Hong Kong Boutique – Excellence in Legal Practice” award.

These accolades reflect the deep market insight and expertise of the dedicated Pang & Co. team, which prides itself on conducting and coordinating client matters expertly, efficiently and expeditiously. Pang & Co.’s strong regional presence in Hong Kong, together with Loeb & Loeb’s office in Beijing and coast-to-coast practice in the United States, allow the firm to bridge cultural, time zone and language barriers to offer seamless access and service to both foreign and domestic clients. Whether the work is inbound or outbound, clients turn to Pang & Co., in association with Loeb & Loeb LLP, for critical business transactions that will extend their global reach.

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Corporate Governance Specialist of the Year - Australia & Best for Commercial Litigation - Australia

Parke Lawyers

~ Parke Lawyers has an astute commercial understanding and industry knowledge that underpins the quality, cost-effective legal services we provide. We value a professional and confidential approach that offers common sense and practical solutions. We show our commitment to our clients through global accreditation for benchmark quality legal best practice.

Company: Parke Lawyers Email: law@pl.com.au Address: 66 MELBOURNE VIC 3001 DX: 134 MELBOURNE Phone: 134 134 Fax: 1300 131 555

Parke Lawyers is an innovative legal practice with Victorian offices in Collins Street, Melbourne, St Kilda Road, Melbourne and in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs of Glen Iris, Hawthorn and Ringwood. Our Sydney offices are in Castlereagh Street, opposite the Downing Centre Local Court and in King William Street, Adelaide. There are visited offices in Brisbane and in Auckland, New Zealand.

The practice has developed a reputation for client focus, attention to detail and delivering results. We are large enough to provide expert advice in a number of practice areas, yet small enough to maintain a personal relationship with all of our clients.

The Parke Lawyers client base ranges from local governments, banks and large companies, through to family-owned businesses and private individuals, many of whom have been loyal clients of the practice for decades.

Parke Lawyers brings together a highly-experienced, well qualified, award-winning team of legal practitioners, with expertise in a number of legal fields. Our lawyers provide personal service, attention to detail and timely advice. When you come to Parke Lawyers we will: • Be readily accessible • Take the time to understand your special circumstances • Honestly appraise your matter • Provide clear, concise advice tailored to your needs, in plain English • Discuss costs with you up-front • Strengthen your case with the assistance of barristers, forensic accountants and other professionals where appropriate Parke Lawyers operates within a business management system designed to ensure delivery of high quality legal services in compliance with ISO 9001 and LAW 9000. The practice has been independently audited by SAI Global and achieved certification in May 2009. This provides a benchmark by which procedures, communications and our responsiveness are measured and annual audits ensure we maintain our standards at the highest level.

LAW 9000-Legal Best Practice incorporates all of the requirements of ISO 9001 and thereby provides an excellent framework of internationally accepted quality business management principles and practices. In addition, the standard addresses issues and activities unique to a legal practice such as: • Matter files • Business planning • Risk management planning • Engagement contracts We have also developed an information security management system (ISMS) to assist in determining how information is processed, stored, transferred, archived and destroyed, thereby ensuring our information technology and data protection policies comply with international standard ISO/IEC 27001:2005.

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M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Best in Building Products & Construction M&A - USA

~ PCE Investment Bankers is a leading financial services firm for middle-market companies, offering clients a full range of investment banking, ESOP, business valuation and advisory services.

PCE’s role centres on guiding clients through the entire M&A process. In each transaction PCE acts as the financial advisor to the company, initiating and overseeing all aspects of the mandate. Their extensive transaction process often results in contacts with buyers and sellers from across the United States and overseas.

They have a built a team of highly credentialed and creative advisors who lead each transaction with the goal of producing the best outcome for each client. In fact, most of PCE’s client relationships often begin years in advance of selling their business, providing clients a strategy to improve the value of their business before they initiate a transaction.

A mainstay of PCE’s success is their established collaborative process. All PCE transactions include senior investment banking professionals. A team approach is applied to managing each transaction in an effort to determine the most advantageous way to negotiate the best terms for clients. Additionally, PCE’s wide network of industry professionals, including attorneys, lenders, and private equity firms, enhances the offering brought to each client engagement.

Company: PCE Investment Bankers Web Address: http://pcecompanies.com/

As for the award, “PCE is honoured to be named Best in Building Products & Construction M&A. Having served clients in the building products and construction industry for nearly 20 years, it is especially rewarding to be recognized in this category,” said Michael Poole of PCE. Mr. Poole explained the complexities associated with selling businesses in the construction industry. “Determining the value of a construction company in an M&A transaction is unlike most other businesses. The numerous variables surrounding construction operations makes predicting a valuation challenging, and sometimes the highest value to the seller requires unique terms and conditions in a sale.” All transactions require a clear understanding and analysis of the companies’ financial records, the companies’ management team and operating processes, as well as the current industry market conditions. However, companies in the building products and construction industry have additional characteristics, including bonding, contracts, bidding, unions and licensing, which require a full understanding and must be considered in the valuation and negotiations of the transaction.

PCE has established relationships with businesses in all sectors of this industry and knows how to provide the right connections at the right time to bring a deal together.

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Best for Accelerated M&A 2015 - UK

~ Penningtons Manches LLP’s corporate practice advises businesses of all sizes as well as management teams, shareholders, investors and lenders. Ranked as a first tier firm by The Legal 500, it includes 20 partners working collaboratively across seven offices in London, the South East and San Francisco. We spoke to them about their business, and their expertise in the M&A industry.

During the last 12 months, the team has acted on a broad spectrum of M&A transactions, experiencing increased workflow from both domestic and international instructions. Providing guidance from initial start up to growth and development transactions, whether by equity or debt funding, acquisition or joint venture, reorganisation, listing or buyout, it aims to help businesses achieve their goals through a combination of high quality legal advice and pragmatism. Current clients range from premier US investment banks to listed corporates on both the FTSE and AIM such as K3, Tate & Lyle and Brightside.

Penningtons Manches also acts for many high growth technology businesses. The launch of its San Francisco office reflects the development of a considerable network of contacts and clients in the area over recent years, many of whom are focused in the technology industry. The new office provides a springboard for its growing reputation as a ‘go to’ firm for US corporates looking to acquire businesses in the UK.

Company: Penningtons Manches LLP Name: Matt Martin Email: matthew.martin@penningtons.co.uk Web Address: www.penningtons.co.uk Telephone: 020 7457 3000

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The corporate team includes a group of experienced accelerated M&A professionals with a strong track-record of advising both listed and private companies. Accelerated M&A often arises in the distressed side of the market. Generally it combines an in-depth knowledge of M&A transactions and restructuring and insolvency advice. Given the very tight timetables that the circumstances necessitate, it is important for specialists to be familiar with what is required to be done in a distressed situation to deliver a very fast acquisition, disposal or investment either with or without an insolvency process.

Partner Matt Martin and his team rose to prominence in this area when acting for All Saints Retail on its £107 million share disposal and investment with Lion Capital. The business was in urgent need of cash and underwent a limited marketing mandate which led to an accelerated process. Last year the team acted for the shareholders of Needle & Thread on the sale of the business out of administration to a newly formed investment vehicle. The ability to meet tight deadlines also made it possible to deliver the takeover of Brightside Group Holdings PLC by Anacap which was undertaken by scheme of arrangement.

M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Dealmakers of the Year - Vietnam & Best Assurance Team 2015 - Vietnam

~ PwC Vietnam is a member of a leading professional service network which is currently operating in more than 157 countries with more than 195,000 employees. We spoke to them about how they collaborate with other PwC offices in the region and around the world to ensure that best-in-class service is consistently delivered to their clients.

Company: PwC Vietnam Web: www.pwc.com/vn Address: Ho Chi Minh City Office: 4th Floor, Saigon Tower, 29 Le Duan St., District 1 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Telephone: +84 8 3823 0796 Hanoi Office: 16th floor, Keangnam Hanoi Landmark 72, Pham Hung Road, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi, Vietnam Telephone: +84 4 3946 2246

Being named “The best assurance team of the year” by Acquisition International – a well-known UK-based international magazine in global corporate conversation is a great honor for us as a firm, which is also an affirmation that we are on the right track to ensure quality as the most strategic objective to be achieved in all our assurance engagements. Quality is the foundation of our reputation and is intrinsic to the way we conduct our audits. Quality is reflected in the rigour of our audit methodology and risk management methods, the candour of our communications with clients’ management and audit committee, and the thoroughness with which we train and coach people.

At PwC Vietnam, we promote a high performance culture. We do not just deliver a rigorous and objective examination consistent with the highest PwC quality standards but also add values to our clients by providing meaningful recommendations to improve internal control system, alerting risks and by having ideas and potential solutions to clients’ business challenges. Our client service protocols, which are instilled to each and every one of our teams, include those like “delivering on promises” and “do not just inform clients of problems – help them find solutions”. We heavily invest time to understand our clients’ expectations, their businesses, ambitions and frustrations so as to mobilise appropriate audit teams who are best suited to deliver the services and solutions to them.

We continuously learn and apply advanced information technologies in our audit programs to serve our clients more effectively and efficiently. Information technology is fundamental to our clients’ businesses and is an important component of our audit effort with specialists in information technology being assigned to this area to ensure our clients get valuable insights.

We commit to delivering quality audit in a cost–effective manner. We undertake work at fees which are fair to both our clients and our firm because this is the best way to ensure quality for the clients. Facing severe competition from other audit firms on fees, we never let the quality being compromised by fee cutting. We aim to achieve sustainable growth and build up longterm relationships with our clients, hence, we have carried out several innovations to achieve audit efficiency including application of smart working tools and techniques.

We are proud of the Award which really encourages us to continue enhancing value to our clients through quality commitment. We would like to thank Acquisition International for such recognition and our clients who have trusted us and recognised our values delivered to them.

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Best UK Investment Manager 2015

Quilter Cheviot Investment Management

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Quilter Cheviot aims to meet the challenges of a dynamic market environment, while providing returns for our clients.

We are able to do this by utilising an investment framework harnessing the skills of our dedicated research team and those of our experienced investment managers.

Company: Quilter Cheviot Investment Management Web: www.quiltercheviot.com

As many investment houses become increasingly categorised as ‘value’, ‘growth’ or ‘alternative’, we believe the best results come from a mix of styles adapted to the market cycle.

Our investment approach is one that always aims to: • Identify future trends – and give due emphasis within portfolios based on forward-looking house views • Mix long-term and shorter-term investment strategies – focusing on both long-term returns expected from asset classes and active shorter-term tactical asset allocation decisions • Have investment committees involving investment managers and research analysts – we believe this approach results in the high quality outputs which investment managers can draw on to identify the most appropriate investment strategy for each individual client Our vision is to be our clients’ most trusted partner – passionate about helping them achieve their investment goals – which means being responsible in all our daily decisions and actions. Quilter Cheviot is dedicated to embedding its Responsible Business policy in order to reach this vision.

Responsible business is business as usual for us. It is about doing the right thing by all of the stakeholders that we come into contact with, whether that is our colleagues, our clients, prospective clients, the intermediaries that we work with, the suppliers that we do business with, the communities we operate within and being cognisant of the impact we have on the environment.

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M&A Awards 2015

Best for Bespoke Portfolio Structuring

Quilter Cheviot Investment Management

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As one of the UK’s largest discretionary investment management firms, Quilter Cheviot provides and manages bespoke investment portfolios for private clients, trusts, charities, pension funds and their professional advisers.

Company: Quilter Cheviot Investment Management Web: www.quiltercheviot.com

With a heritage that can be traced back to 1771, we are: • Passionately committed to our clients – our unbiased approach enables us to build investment portfolios that are tailored to each client’s individual preferences • Market leading – bringing exemplary personal service, the latest research and investment expertise • At the forefront of innovation – constantly seeking out new investment opportunities from across the globe, as well as having led the way in developing professional investment outsourcing solutions for financial advisers • Investing on behalf of over 37,500 clients – across the UK, in Dublin and Jersey, with over £17.5 billion in assets* • Award winning – the standards we have set have been recognised with the award of a Defaqto 5 star rating for our Discretionary Portfolio Service (DPS) and Managed Portfolio Service (MPS) in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 • Part of a FTSE 100 company – as part of Old Mutual Wealth, we are a financially secure partner for our clients, with significant resources available to continuously develop the products and services we offer to them Our unbiased approach enables us to build an investment portfolio that’s tailored to our clients’ individual preferences. We research the global markets to seek the best investment options – aiming to meet your aspirations whether your priority is growth or capital preservation.

Our clients can influence or dictate your investment mandate as much as they wish – but they can rest assured our advice will be free from corporate hindrance. We understand how important it is for our clients to build a relationship with the person responsible for their portfolio.

Our ethos is one of personal service which is demonstrated by longstanding relationships, often spanning generations. Clients can meet with us as and when they need to, leading to a strong sense of understanding and trust.

We have a highly skilled support team – whether it’s research, administration or technology, we have experts in the field supporting our investment managers in delivering a first class service to you, day in, day out.

We have a regional office network which allows our clients to have your investments managed at a local location and choose what works best for them. Our clients benefit from the combined talent of our experienced investment managers and in-depth analysis of our dedicated research teams. We can generate a unique investment process that is: • Agile – to keep ahead of today’s constantly changing markets • Flexible – to incorporate any personal investment requirements Our truly bespoke investment process includes the following features: • Is driven by our close relationship with you • Is structured to build and preserve your wealth over the long term • Balances your level of risk with the security you need from your investments • Allows you to choose your level of involvement in the investment decisions • Is designed to provide you with an investment portfolio that reflects the right balance between enjoyment today and investment for the future

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Best Turnaround Services 2015 - UK & Award for Innovation in JV Structuring

RadcliffesLeBrasseur

~ Acting for one of the UK’s longest standing turnaround funds, RadcliffesLeBrasseur draws on over 15 years experience in the restructuring arena. The firm advises and assists private equity houses, turnaround businesses, investors, lenders and management teams, working with businesses from start-up to exit and everything in-between.

Appreciating that businesses can face difficult periods, these times can be transformed into turning points towards success as opposed to being the beginning of the end. We got in touch with them about their company and how they go the extra mile for their clients.

Contact: Stephen Blair or Sumaira Choudary Email: stephen.blair@rlb-law.com or Sumaira.Choudary@rlb-law.com Web: www.rlb-law.com Address: 85 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1AE Tel: +44 (0)20 7222 7040 Fax: +44(0)20 7222 6208

RadcliffesLeBrasseur advises investors, shareholders and management teams addressing many complex areas of corporate restructuring and recovery; advising on solvent as well as insolvent restructuring, management buy-outs, reorganisations and reconstructions. The firm assists clients navigate the maze of legal ownership, and operational reorganisation. It appreciates its clients’ necessity for speed with the firm’s lawyers frequently operating within challenging timeframes to work with clients in achieving their goals.

Known for going “the extra mile” for its clients, RadcliffesLeBrasseur has a strong reputation for giving sound legal advice and a consistently competitive high-quality service. Legal advice is commercial, focused and delivered in a clear straightforward manner.

RadcliffesLeBrasseur is an award winning law firm offering a comprehensive suite of legal services ranging from corporate, corporate restructuring and turnaround, employment, commercial, commercial property, commercial and regulatory litigation to private, healthcare and mental health.

RadcliffesLeBrasseur boasts a client base across a myriad of sectors including: private equity, investment funds, PLCs, SMEs, entrepreneurs, national institutions, charities, medical defence, NHS and private healthcare bodies, private clients and professions (including doctors, dentists and solicitors). The firm has offices in London, Leeds and Cardiff and as a member of Pragma, the firm has access to a worldwide network of law firms enabling an ability to provide an international service.

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M&A Awards 2015

Best for Strategic Consulting- Australia

~ Scancorp is a boutique advisory firm based in Australia with a 30 year history. The advisory arm of the business, Scan Capital operates under an Australian Financial Services License and specialises in corporate advice, strategic consulting, divestment, mergers and acquisitions. They spoke about some of the deals they worked with this year, and their experience of working in the M&A sector.

Design of a non-bank lending product: Scancorp was approached by a property developer to design a structure that would enable the client to offer vendor finance to accelerate the sale of its properties. To comply with Australia’s highly regulated credit policies, Scancorp designed a product and secured a credit license to enable its client to offer compliant non-bank lending to property buyers.

Acquisition of assets under administration: Scancorp was engaged to secure assets from one of Australia’s leading pool companies. Prior to the target entering administration, Scancorp structured an outsource arrangement that enabled its client to manage operations on behalf of the target. Despite a highly competitive environment, Scancorp developed a Deed of Company Arrangement and ultimately secured control of the assets for its client. Scancorp then ran a tender process to divest of unwanted asset components thereby generating cash to complete the transaction.

Company: Scancorp Email: scancorp@scancorp.com.au Web: www.scancorp.com.au Address: Suite 22, Newstead Commercial Village 76 Doggett Street Newstead QLD 4006 Tel: +61 7 3902 2400 Fax: +61 7 3399 4288 Post: P.O. Box 2721, Fortitude Valley BC QLD 4006

Merger then acquisition: Scancorp was engaged to propose and structure a merger between its client and a leading manufacturer. Scancorp developed the proposition, project managed the merger and led the post-merger integration. Scancorp subsequently developed the acquisition strategy and managed the process to enable its client to complete the acquisition.

Bid management: Scancorp’s client was a family owned transportation company forced to tender for work they had held for over 40 years. The tender run by a multinational company involved highly competitive bids from Australia’s largest carriers. Scancorp’s client was successful in winning the tender, securing around $40M in revenues and winning a contract increase.

As a general principle Scancorp assesses the return it generates on its fees. The completed projects above generated between 6 and 12 times return on Scancorp’s fees.

Examples of current mandates While Scancorp’s history was borne out of M&A and asset divestments, the company is seeing increasing demand for its advisory services.

The company is currently providing a variety of advisory services including:  Acquisition services to companies seeking to purchase businesses to accelerate their growth,  Sales management leadership to private companies to oversee their revenue growth, and  Roll-up of multiple companies within the logistics industry.

Pedigree With over 30 years of experience, Scancorp’s team has collectively executed over $10B in transactions. Much of the team gained its experience with tier-1 advisory, management consulting and corporate firms.

Relevance of the award The Strategic Consulting award from AI is ultimate recognition of Scancorp’s clients. It reflects their entrepreneurial spirit, ambition and the success they have achieved. Scancorp has been delighted to play a part in their journey.

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Best for Value - SecureDocs Virtual Data Room - USA

SecureDocs

~ SecureDocs Virtual Data Room is dedicated to providing a highly-secure, easily-adopted, and affordable software solution for business looking to expedite their deal process. Our easy-to-use platform allows businesses to get their data room up and running, organized, and ready for opportunity quickly, without breaking the bank.

Company: SecureDocs Web: www.securedocs.com Address: SecureDocs, Inc. Headquarters: 7127 Hollister Ave., Suite 25a-320 Goleta, CA 93117

SecureDocs focuses on creating a simple and affordable virtual data room solution that allows users to get their deal room up and running in minutes, no training required. The paradox of creating a product that is both easy to use and highly complex has been a challenge, but one we have willingly accepted. We remain dedicated to the simplicity and usability of our product, and refuse to raise the price or compromise features in order to do so. We are proud to have created an affordable solution that offers a robust feature set with industry-leading security, and can be setup, learned, and running within minutes.

Our virtual data room was intentionally designed to disrupt the market. Developed in Santa Barbara, California by members of the teams that created products like GoToMeeting, GoToMyPC, AppFolio and Rightscale, the SecureDocs team has a long history in the software space. After experiencing our own frustrations around cost and functionality when using other, more traditional data rooms during transactions, we decided to build a solution that was simpler and less expensive than other products on the market.

The SecureDocs Virtual Data Room is purpose built to be simple and straightforward. We know from experience that deals can be complicated enough; your data room shouldn’t be. We have set ourselves apart from our competitors in terms of both cost and usability by creating a product that allows users to securely work with speed and efficiency for a low, flat rate.

Our users are always top of mind at SecureDocs. We focus on providing a high-quality solution that is affordable, but, more importantly, offers features that actually get used. We are constantly pushing our brand forward by challenging ourselves to add additional useable features, and continue to succeed without adding complication to the user experience, helping our clients work more efficiently.

The team at SecureDocs is here to assist all of our clients fully, and is regularly recognized for our superior dedication to customer service. We are committed to providing them with the highest level of service possible at all times. Our support team is available 24/7 to assist with any questions or needs our clients might have.

For buyers, sellers, and facilitators utilizing a virtual data room is vital to running any major deal successfully.

Deals require an exorbitant amount of information that must be shared between internal and external parties.

Virtual data rooms keep critical information organized and secure within a controlled environment. They help facilitate and present pitch materials, as well as simplify and expedite the due diligence process.

As for the award, it is an honor to be recognized for our SecureDocs Virtual Data Room solution. Winning this award further validates our belief that a virtual deal room doesn’t have to be expensive or clunky in order to be highly functional and secure. We’ve been able to achieve this through our dedication to creating a simple, powerful, and affordable solution that is available to any type or size of business.

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M&A Awards 2015

IP Law Firm of the Year - Argentina & Best-in-Class for Client Service

~ Sena & Berton Moreno (“SBM�) is an Argentine Leader Firm involved in M & A operations, both individually and collectively with other law firms. We spoke to them about how the due diligence process is a clockwork, in which harmony and teamwork are needed to bring everything together.

Company: Sena & Berton Moreno Address: Rivadavia 611, 5th Floor C100AAE - City of Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires.

Argentina.

Email: law@sbm.com.ar Tel.: + 54 11 4342-6809 / + 54 11 5796 o 4331-7760 / 1192 / 7358 / 7316 / 4343-0794 Web: www.sbm.com.ar

In all due diligence during a M&A process, IP assets are often left in the background. However, a strategic business vision makes the detailed study of the company IP assets and its risk map is an actual key to maintain the value of intellectual assets, many times higher in value and importance than physical assets.

There are countless mergers and acquisitions over the past 12 months in which SBM has provided its wide expertise, and has protected valuable assets such as IP for its customers. The vast experience that SBM and its members have accumulated, show us that routine teamwork and in a coordinated manner, respecting the role of each actor in the process, ensuring the quality and success of the deal.

In recent times, corporate law firms, with a strong emphasis on IP issues like SBM, have been preparing, adapting internal processes, training its members in managing aspects, and innovating to meet the exciting challenges that the near future growth shall occur in our country and in the rest of the South of Latin America.

We believe that this award, which makes us very proud, is the clear result of the work of a team that knows that the priority, day by day, is to offer to all our customers, whether businesses in general in our country, and law firms and huge companies in the world, a true value proposition. This means the commitment of the partners in every deal with each issue, with a clear business and strategic vision and risk prevention.

Like any recognition of a job well done, this award is a real incentive for partners and for the entire team of Sena & Berton Moreno to continue on the path of permanent improvement, and give to all participants in a deal the necessary tranquility of doing the things according to law. That is our permanent commitment.

Going forward, we compromised to be prepared every day to continue to provide quality services, and remain, as over more than 75 years ago, a base of operations and a secure platform for customers, both in Argentina and the rest the world, to trust us to help them to do more and better business.

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Best Independent Factoring Broker 2015

Simply Factoring Brokers

~ Simply Factoring Brokers are one of the largest independent factoring brokers, and the fastest growing in their industry. We spoke to Steven Adams, Director of Simply Factoring Brokers about the unique services that have laid the foundations for their success.

Company: Simply Factoring Brokers Email: contactus@simplyfactoringbrokers.co.uk Web: www.simplyfactoringbroker.co.uk Phone: 0333 920 8178 Address: Simply Factoring Brokers The Stables, The Estates Office, 25-26 Gold Tops, Newport.

NP20 4PG

One of the things we stress about our company is that we are truly independent. If you look at some invoice financing companies online, you will find that a lot of companies claim they are independent when actually they are being paid enhanced fees or retainers by certain companies and are therefore not actually independent.

Simply Factoring Brokers are 100% independent, and not tied to anyone.

For example, if you go to Barclays, they will only give you a Barclays product and they will tell you that it’s the best thing for you. As an independent company, we can advise our clients if we think that it’s too expensive for them and advise them on a much better option. What we do is make businesses aware of the options that are available to them, and if they enquire, asking whether something is wrong or not best suited to them, we will tell them. It may sound simple, but I can assure you that there are not many companies in the industry that will do that.

The problem within our industry is that up until four or five years ago, the factoring industry wasn’t regulated.

Historically, a lot of the big banks and a lot of the large names in the industry could just come in and do what they wanted. When a lot of people look for invoice finance, they automatically go to the bank and think that it’s the best place to go to. In the same way as taking out a mortgage, going to a bank is not necessarily the best option. The invoice finance industry is massive and people don’t necessarily look to brokers all the time, but they certainly should be doing it at the moment.

The factoring industry is massive but in terms of factoring brokers there are not many that only do invoice finance. Our approach is different because what most other national brokers do is get a lead or an enquiry and they’ll automatically send them out to three or four funders. In the end, the customer tends to get a call from four or five people from different funders, which isn’t actually what a broker should be doing. With us, each individual BDM that works with me manages the process from start to finish. We find out what the business does and match them to one funder.

Our success is also down to the client-centric services we provide. Invoice financing over the past 30 or 40 years has had something of a bad reputation because there are additional fees and disbursements which are basically just extra charges. More often than not, clients in our industry are not told this and do not have it fully explained to them how factoring works from a charging perspective. As a result, customers are going to facilities with funders but they don’t understand how it works. With us, we genuinely sit down and explain to them point by point how the charging structure works, going over everything to ensure that they are 100% clear about the facility.

Furthermore, it also saves the customer time too. Invoice financing is like a mortgage company in that they don’t all specialise in the same area. There are a lot of companies that just specialise in areas like construction or recruitment, and because of our knowledge of the industry we save the customer time and put them in a better facility in general. We find that through this service we get a lot of client referrals, and we have a lot of people referring us to their colleagues and friends as they come in.

I’m pretty adamant that all of these services combined are the reason why our success rates and conversion rates are a lot higher than the industry standard. The industry average is at a 15-20% conversion rate from enquiry to sale. Our success rate is at a 50-60% rate, which is basically down to our unique approach.

Within the next three years, our ambition is to be the biggest independent broker in the country. At the moment, the largest broker is on about 400 deals a year, whereas we did 35 deals last year, 150 this year and we are set to reach about 250 next year. With this in mind, our rates of growth are actually faster than anyone else in the industry and we hope this will see us eventually established as the biggest in our industry.

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M&A Awards 2015

Best in Corporate Governance - Nigeria & Best in Dispute Resolution - Nigeria

Streamsowers & Köhn

~ SSK is a full-service commercial law firm with a strong background in Energy, Project Finance, Corporate Law and Dispute Resolution operating with highly-experienced practitioners headed by specialists who pride themselves on professionalism, efficiency and innovation. The firm serves multinationals and conglomerates, local and international companies, private and public sector organisations in respect of projects and investments in Nigeria.

Company: Streamsowers & Köhn Email: info@sskohn.com Address: 16D Akin Olugbade Street, Victoria Island Lagos Telephone: 234 1 2712276, 271 3846, 461 1820, 461 3582 Fax: 234 1 271 2277

Our work has historically centred on energy & natural resources but we do not narrow our attentions in the M&A field to any particular sector or area of expertise. Because we put our client’s interests in the foreground at all times, any challenges we experience are never out of the ordinary. However, we have been involved in M & A transactions where we have had to advise against our client’s instincts in view of the requirements for the transaction, causing a little friction. We recognise that to exceed expectation, it is sometimes necessary to put the work ahead of the client, who will eventually appreciate the professionalism.

To ensure the success of any deal, companies need to build a team that works well together, utilise a hands-on approach to deal structuring and problem-solving and set up a system that is responsive to changing circumstances. We maintain close contact with the client and liaise appropriately with people and entities on the other side of the deal. The result is that all parties are working for a collective outcome rather than for individual gains.

Our clients’ needs form the cornerstone of our practice. This means that we are keen to discover all their preferences and to exceed their expectations on every instruction.

We ensure that we stay informed by drawing on our relationships across with businesses in the public and private sector and leveraging on our extensive communications with government personnel in the course of our practice to ensure that we are always in the know. Information begets expertise and our expertise means that we are often called upon to work on complex deals which require our nuanced approach to practice.

Working in an emerging economy like Nigeria’s where business is flourishing means that there is a growing requirement for transactional support services and lawyers are in demand. Nevertheless, the novelty of some transaction models in these parts means that adaptability and innovation are key factors which must be brought to bear to help our clients achieve our goals.

We invest a surfeit of time and resources in the work we do and spare no effort to ensure that our clients’ best interests are satisfied. Further, we harp on our innovation in service delivery, striving to adapt to changing circumstances without compromising on our values. To be rewarded for this approach bodes well for the practice of law in Nigeria and we hope to inspire the next generation of lawyers to do the same.

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UK Health Care Deal of the Year: Synexus MBO

~ Synexus, headquartered in Chorley, UK, has a global network of 25 Dedicated Research Centres (DRCs) in eight countries. Via these DRCs Synexus provides a pioneering recruitment solution to the clinical trials industry providing top quality data to its clients from pharma, biotechs and CROs. We got in touch with them to find out more about their company and their reaction to winning UK Health Care Deal of the Year.

Company: Synexus Clinical Research Ltd Name: Christophe Berthoux, CEO Email: Christophe.berthoux@synexus.com Web Address: www.synexus.com Address: Sandringham House, Ackhurst Park, Foxhole Road, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 1NY Telephone: 01257 237 400

Whilst we were owned by private equity, we were looking for new financial backers to support our continued growth, both organic and through acquisitions. We found this with LDC and they will support and enhance our growth strategy and continued geographic footprint expansion.

As leaders in a very fragmented but growing market we have the support from LDC to be one of the consolidator in our industry. This will give us the advantage to explore and expand in the US, Latin America and Asia.

We are very pleased to receive this award for the Healthcare Deal of the Year. I would like to thank my management team and our CFO for their continued support in closing the deal and I would like to extend my thanks to the external advisors who supported us in completing the deal.

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M&A Awards 2015

Best Corporate Finance Firm - South Africa

Verdant Capital

~ Verdant Capital is an independent corporate finance house, operating on a pan-African basis, from its offices in Johannesburg, Ebene and Accra. Verdant Capital provides M&A advice (sell-side and buy-side), private capital raising services (equity and debt), and provides market entry services. We spoke them about their company and the booming M&A industry in Africa.

Name: Ed Higenbottam, Managing Director Company: Verdant Capital Email: ed.higenbottam@verdant-cap.com Address: Mauritius: 3rd Floor, Tower A 1 Cybercity, Ebene 72201 South Africa: Building 4, Albury Office Park, Albury Road, Dunkeld West 2196, Johannesburg Telephone: +27 11 593 3109

Verdant Capital specialises on cross-border transactions within Africa and between Africa and the rest of the World. We are currently working on transactions in 10 different African countries and on transactions with counterparties from around the World. We believe that the volume of intra-Africa transactions will exceed the volumes of transactions in the domestic South African market in the coming years. Verdant Capital is well positioned to assist clients seeking to expand into the rest of Africa, or to operate in Africa on a pan-African basis.

The Verdant Capital approach, involves taking the time to properly prepare for the approach to buyers and investors, which in turn helps maintain competition in the process for longer, and thereby helps to mitigate completion risk and to achieve the best price and terms. Clear targeting of investor groups and specific investors is a critical component of this preparation work.

Key to completing major transactions in the current environment is always prepare a Plan B or back up plan.

Ultimately, managing completion risk includes ensuring you have an additional counterparty waiting in the wings in case the lead or preferred buyer or investor for any reason fails to complete or delays completion.

We have seen an explosion of interest in Africa from breadth of buyer and investor counterparties: strategics from around the World, private equity funds, sovereign and development funds and a variety of debt funds.

Just taking private equity alone the breadth of the pool of funds available is very different to the breadth 5-10 years ago. Now there is a diversity of funds targeting different transaction sizes, from SME funds targeting USD 2 – 5 million deals to large cap only funds targeting transactions of a minimum of USD 100 million; and a full range of generalist funds, as well as sector and regionally focused funds. Having an advisor who can recognise a square peg for a square hole and a round peg for a round hole is critical.

We are grateful to our clients who have placed their trust in us, in most cases in case in critical junctions in the evolution of their respective businesses. Secondly, Verdant Capital values very highly its relationships with its investor clients, and their committed engagement with us and our transactions, in many cases working on multiple transactions with us at any one time. Most of these relationships date back over many years. Finally we are fortunate to have a dedicated team who are prepared to work day and night to achieve the results our clients require. Ultimately Verdant Capital is a service provider to its clients and this service culture is a critical part of our ethos.

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Best Corporate Intelligence and Investigation Services - Hong Kong & Best in Fraud Prevention - Hong Kong

~ Verity Consulting Limited is an independent corporate investigation consultancy based in Hong Kong. Founded in 2009 by Managing Director, Kelvin Ko, it is uniquely positioned to offer investigative solutions with a holistic approach to global and domestic clients, focusing on Hong Kong and Greater China.

When Verity was first established, the focus was on key investigation services serving mainly legal and insurance sectors.

Verity has since aggressively diversified its solutions to more closely match today’s business needs and evolving regulatory framework, with a client base that now spans various industries and business functions around the globe.

Increased international anti-corruption enforcement has been put in place in recent years, forcing global corporations to implement strict measures. The ensuing wave of high profile cases and arrests brought a number of issues to the attention regional firms, forcing them to take action and creating a heavy demand for business investigation services.

Following this significant increase in demand, we quickly seized the opportunity to grow and diversify our service and expand our capabilities to accommodate this demand internally and externally through a network of highly experienced associates.

Company: Verity Consulting Limited Name: Kelvin Ko, Managing Director Email: info@verity.com.hk Web Address: www.verity.com.hk Address: 4109 Hopewell Centre 183 Queen’s Road East Wanchai, Hong Kong Telephone: (852) 2581-9696

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Verity’s growth does not stop here. We continue to invest heavily in our staff development program to help them reach their full potential, both as individuals and together as a team. This includes continuous improvement in skills, knowledge and ethics to ensure credibility high-calibre delivery of our services.

At Verity, we take pride in our proven track record of helping corporations within a wide variety of sectors to successfully prevent and mitigate risk. Looking forward, we will continue to deliver excellence, strive for continuous improvement, create value for our clients and uphold integrity in the business world.

M&A awards

M&A Awards 2015

Best in Business Law - Austria & Best in Insurance Law - Austria

Völkl. Rechtsanwälte

~ Company: Völkl. Rechtsanwälte Email: office@ra-voelkl.at Web Address: http://www.ra-voelkl.at/ Address: Nussdorferstraße 10-12 1090 Vienna, AUSTRIA Telephone: +43 1 317 71 01 +43 1 317 12 58

Established in 1933, Völkl. Rechtsanwälte has established itself as a leading business law firm in its native Austria. The firm is dedicated to keeping up to date with all developments and major changes within its industry and to maintaining fruitful long-term relationships with its clients in order to better understand their needs and place within their respective business environments.

The firm strives to always ensure that it uses the newest and best tools available, as well as constantly honing its skills, an approach that has help cement its status for many years as one of the best regarded and most respected firms in the field of Austrian business law.

Völkl Rechtsanwälte are experts at managing M&A deals, business growth and conflict resolution, and the firm adheres strictly to the idea that strategy is crucial to resolving conflicts successfully. The firm is dedicated to providing clients with advice specifically tailored to their individual needs and also works to the ethos that ‘cultural change is possible and correct’ to enable its clients to grow as businesses with the help of the firm’s expert advice.

In order to integrate themselves with the ever expanding global business law market, many staff members at Völkl Rechtsanwälte speak English and boast international educations, which have provided them with the skills to become experienced advisers to foreign clients embarking on initial market entry into Austria. The firm’s senior partners are all experienced lawyers with numerous specialities, including insurance law, professional liability law and commercial law, providing their customers with a wide range of legal services tailored to suit the specific needs of the client. All of their senior partners come from an academic background and combine specific specialised training with a broader knowledge of business law. Staff at Völkl Rechtsanwälte regularly contribute to academia through giving lectures and publishing academic pieces.

Völkl Rechtsanwälte have won Best in Business Law- Austria and Best in Insurance Law- Austria in 2015. This will be the third year running that this firm has been featured in our awards, having won Business Firm of the Year- Austria and Civil Law Firm of the Year- Austria for two consecutive years in 2013 and 2014.

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Cross-Border Corporate Law Firm of the Year - Japan & Best in Anti Trust - Japan

Yuasa & Hara

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YUASA and HARA is one of oldest international business and patent law firms in Japan since 1902. Our clients are mostly listed international companies from U.S., Europe, China and other parts of the world as well as leading Japanese corporations especially in manufacturing, sales, brand, IT, Chemical and other cutting age technology based industries. We respond to most of their needs in corporate, IP, labour, antimonopoly, immigration, tax and others which are required for our client to make an international investments either in-bound or out-bound.

Company: Yuasa & Hara Web: www.yuasa-hara.co.jp Telephone: +81(3)3270-6641

In terms of client service, our lawyers always make efforts to be good listeners for our client’s needs from the first stage.

It is ideal if the client share a basic scheme and purpose of the deal with our team in early stages of M&A planning.

Y&H keeps a policy in our mind to be a good adviser with creative ideas for our client in M&A especially for manufacturing, service, sales & brand industries as our major clients. Our team of lawyers, patent attorneys and accountants makes a multidisciplinary team on their side.

Our team is not a large sized like a power house M&A team. However, it means that true experts can provide their services in efficient cost and timely attention for our client’s needs.

To ensure the success of any deal, a project management of the deal is a key for specifying its goal and having practical schedule of DD, legal opinion process and drafting contracts by the closing. It can efficiently make a team of client’s M&A staff, lawyers and other services including language translation for international deals.

Recently, even international clients are very keen to save cost for DD and language translation. Y&H is flexible to create any team work with an independent legal language translation service to produce our DD process and report.

Depending on trends of economy in Japan, M&A is changing. Currently, due to good situation of foreign currency market and expecting upward economy for the Olympic Games in 2020, asset purchase including real estate, industrial facilities and labours is hot as in-bound. On the other hand, Japanese law firms including Y&H face difficulties to compete with other international mega firms as transcontinental service. That is a reason why Y&H is a member of TerraLex which is the world-wide business law firm network to seek more opportunities for joint international M&A works.

It is our great honour to have this award. We believe that our highly custom made assistance for M&A work especially in recent technology & IP portfolio oriented projects which were assisted by our team of lawyers, patent attorneys, accountants and tax experts.

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