Get in touch
023 8026 8793
info@meridiancf..com
What does the budget mean for business owners?
Transaction: Company Sale Sector: TMT Completed: October 2024
We are delighted and proud to celebrate a milestone of 30 successful secondment placements over the past 16 years! Since our very first secondee, Lisa Sigalet in 2008, Meridian has had a rolling programme of secondees from local law firms as well as members of key management from the Goodwood Estate. Our secondment scheme was designed to give a fresh perspective on how transactions are formulated from the other side of the table. This unique approach fosters a new style of collaboration and trust between everyone involved, ensuring that lawyers, accountants, bankers, and clients work together seamlessly as one trusted, knowledgeable team to achieve successful outcomes. A huge thank you to our clients and legal partners, Shoosmiths, Trethowans and Moore Barlow, for their continued trust and to each of our secondees who has shown great commitment, resilience, and excellence during their time with us and for trusting us with their career development. Each secondee has added great value to Meridian and returned to their chosen discipline with a wealth of understanding about the world of business, strategy and seeing the bigger picture in terms of deal making. Without exception every secondee has gone on to achieve great things. On that note, we also extend a warm welcome to Honor Hornsby who joins us from law firm Trethowans, who brings with her a strong academic background and a positive, diligent approach to problem-solving. Over the next six months, Honor will gain hands-on experience in corporate finance and investments, working on a wide range of projects. We are very proud to offer this opportunity to the rising stars in the Solent region, to help develop local talent and shape the next generation of professionals. Congratulations to everyone who has been part of our awesome journey, and we look forward to continuing the programme!
Transaction: Company Sale Sector: Services Completed: August 2024
Transaction: Management Buy-Out Sector: Wholesale Trader Completed: August 2024
Meridian’s portfolio company, TMA Data Management, has acquired Dyball Associates, forming a new powerhouse in the energy market. For years, TMA and Dyball have collaborated to deliver comprehensive, end-to-end data management solutions to energy suppliers. Now, as a united force, they are set to drive even greater power through data. We look forward to seeing the incredible innovation and value this partnership will bring to the energy sector!
A little overdue, but please join me in welcoming Toby Uren who is Meridian’s newest full time Team member.
Huge congratulations to Prabin Sunar on winning Young Deal Maker of the Year for the second year in a row at The Business Magazine’s Solent Deals Awards. Prabin is an integral member of the Meridian Team and this award is a true testament to his capabilities of building relationships with clients and intermediaries alike. In addition to his deal-making expertise, Prabin is a dedicated mentor who generously shares his knowledge, guiding and supporting his colleagues as they grow in their careers. We couldn’t be more proud of his achievements and the positive impact he has on our team. Commenting on his win, Prabin says, “Working as both a financial adviser and managing investments gives me extra added perspective on deals, particularly from a long-term strategy viewpoint. I also sit on the Boards of companies, which is another long-term role. You don’t see the immediate results of what you do but it is nice watching things come to fruition later on. It helps you to be patient and appreciate the journey your clients are on. I think I’m proudest of the relationships I have built with people in the firm who have mentored me and with dealmakers in the region.”
The Meridian Team is absolutely over the moon to have been crowned Corporate Finance Team of the Year at the Business Magazine's Solent Deals Awards 2024. This award truly reflects the hard work and collaboration of our entire team, and we couldn’t be prouder of this recognition. It is a true testament to the collective efforts of our talented professionals and the strong relationships we’ve built with such valued partners. We are privileged to work alongside some of the best law firms, banking teams, accountancy practices in the Solent Region, whose expertise and support are integral to the level of service we are proud to provide to each of our clients. We have been incredibly fortunate over the years to have been able to support a diverse range of businesses across the region, helping them navigate their individual paths to success. Whether it’s guiding a start up through its first acquisition or assisting established companies with complex transactions, our clients are always at the heart of what we do and our goal has always been to deliver exceptional results tailored to their needs. Michael Barcia, Meridian Director commented: “Our local presence based in Southampton has always been important to us – it’s why we have never opened another office. We want to stay focused on the Solent region, with most of our deals coming from the area’s business owners and entrepreneurs. We are committed to bringing on our people and training them. Prabin Sunar, who won Young Dealmaker of the Year, is a great example of this. We also benefit from taking lawyers on six-month secondments, which helps us build our relationships with local law firms.” A big thank you to all our clients, colleagues and everyone involved in making this achievement possible. Here’s to many more successful collaborations and continued growth.
Transaction: Restructure Sector: Consultancy Services Completed: March 2024
Please join me in welcoming Kerry Coomer, who joins Meridian on a six-month secondment from national law firm Shoosmiths. Kerry has an impressive academic background, which demonstrates her commitment and talent, having achieved First Class Honours in her Law degree, followed by the completion of her LPC with an MSc achieving a Distinction level classification. Coupling her academic talents, with her enthusiasm and fervent interest in corporate law, we are excited to see her contributions and the significant impact she will make within our team. Meridian is committed to investing in the future of young people. We are a recognised training seat for the Law Society and ICAEW, as well as offering a university placement program. The addition of Kerry to our team further strengthens our commitment to nurturing legal talent and encouraging growth opportunities. Meridian’s secondment programme launched in 2008 and Kerry is our 29th secondee. #meridian #corporatefinance #nextstepthinking #legaltalent #shoosmiths #youngprofessionals
Meridian has had a strong year completing a number of transactions within the qualifying period, with Computer Network Consultants (CNC), being shortlisted for the Small Deal of the Year award. Meridian advised the CNC shareholders on a strategic sale to FluidOne, a PE-backed IT provider, establishing a new division on the South coast of the UK. The transaction exceeded initial valuation expectations through a competitive process led by Meridian. Graham Lind, Founder and Managing Director of CNC, said of the transaction, "Meridian helped CNC with the whole process, allowing us to select the right acquirer and driving a better return for the shareholders. They were supportive throughout the process and put in the extra effort when needed, so we would highly recommend them. The strong growth CNC had experienced over the previous years was recognised as an excellent fit by FluidOne and has given us the ambition to accelerate our growth and deliver quality services to even more local businesses. The FluidOne team saw a great opportunity to continue to build CNC as the trusted local IT provider whilst benefiting from expert overlay in connectivity, mobile, Unified Communications and Cyber from the wider FluidOne group.” The transaction was led by Philip Mettam, Director and Prabin Sunar, Associate Director at Meridian. Legal support was provided by Jeremy Over, Partner at Moore Barlow. Accounting support was provided by Costas Avraam and Chris Piccos of Avraam Associates. Tax support was provided by Cathy Revis, Partner at Fiander Tovell. This transaction demonstrates Meridian’s expertise in facilitating complex transactions involving a range of stakeholders and professionals, incorporating and leveraging the skills of local professionals for seamless execution. Meridian’s ability to consistently deliver outstanding results, combined with their collaborative and strategic approach, cements their reputation as the leading Corporate Finance team in the Solent region.