What first drew you towards corporate finance?

I studied economics and accounting at university, during which time I realised I wanted to work with entrepreneurs. I was good with numbers, but I think my major strength is with people – I loved hearing the stories of how entrepreneurs have built up their businesses, as well as helping them realise their plans and ambitions for the future. 

I graduated in 2020, to discover that all the graduate schemes I’d applied for were put on hold because of COVID-19, so I turned to LinkedIn looking to have some conversations. I spoke with a few people, including tax advisers and wealth managers, before speaking to Simon Woodcock and Hamish Martin, who were setting up LAVA at the time.

I ended up joining LAVA’s brand new London office in September 2020, just days before the company went live. It really was a leap into the unknown, but it offered the opportunity to gain M&A experience I wouldn’t get anywhere else. The amount of face time with clients and the chance to feed into building the business and shaping the role was utterly unique and I jumped at it. 

What is your role at LAVA now?

I first joined as an analyst, primarily doing research, before being promoted to associate, and then in October 2023 to M&A executive. Since the launch, I’ve had the opportunity to work on the majority of our deals in some capacity, with my role developing from research to now supporting clients across the entire deal. I also run our research function, as well as spending more time reviewing complex documents and collaborating with our clients to communicate their growth story to the market, including writing management presentations, and working with the team to run a deal through to completion. I love sitting down with clients and mapping out their growth trajectory, particularly if they have a buy-and-build strategy. 

We’re sector agnostic at LAVA, instead pursuing interesting themes, which for me have included work in education and TICC (testing inspections certification and compliance), and I really enjoy the challenge and flexibility of working across all sectors, and the amount you learn from doing so.

What deals have stood out for you?

We acted for surveying firm Survey Solutions on its sale to WestBridge in 2023. The company was quite heavily involved in the housebuilding and construction market, which had its own challenges at the time. RJD Partners had invested in the business in 2019 and was looking to exit – as was the founder – and an ambitious new CEO had been brought on board who saw the opportunity to continue with acquisitions. That strategy would allow it to expand the service line, improve national coverage and enter new customer sectors.

Despite challenges, we were able to clearly articulate the company’s growth prospects, which helped attract interest. I worked closely with a partner and an associate director throughout the deal, although I led the buy-and-build element myself, which was fascinating. It’s important to understand the strategy behind acquisitions. In some industries, acquiring for scale is successful, but this was about creating a full-service offering rather than adding volume.

I was also the principal contact on a deal for AIRDAT, a provider of airport safety systems, training and consultancy services. We had been working with the owner on a sale to a private equity-backed business, during which process we saw the strength of the management team, so we suggested transitioning to an employee ownership trust, which they hadn’t come across before but could immediately see the benefits of, and were keen to pursue. 

What are your hopes for the future? 

I’ve recently completed the exams for my ICAEW Corporate Finance qualification, which was a great opportunity to build a technical base for my skills and also meet likeminded people in the industry. 

I particularly enjoyed the case study element. I’m now looking forward to my continuing progression within LAVA and watching the team grow. We’re already at 12 people and always on the lookout for new talent with fresh perspectives. I’ve been so lucky to have had so much exposure and experience at this stage in my career, and I’d really like to give those same opportunities to other new starters, whether they’re graduating, changing careers, or looking for a new challenge.