26 January 2005, London - Close Brothers Corporate Finance (CBCF) has announced that it has appointed over 40 corporate finance professionals at all levels over the past twelve months to expand its teams across Europe in order to meet growing demand, particularly for corporate restructuring and debt advisory services. Close Brothers Corporate Finance now has over 70 professionals based in London and around 180 across Europe and is planning to continue to recruit additional high calibre professionals.
The appointments come as Close Brothers Corporate Finance is named Corporate Restructuring House of the Year by Acquisitions Monthly for closing more European restructuring deals than any other firm. The team has worked on over 30 transactions, advising companies and creditors on restructurings such as British Energy, EM.TV, Henlys, Parmalat, Queens Moat Houses and Rhodia.
At the end of 2004 Close Brothers Corporate Finance was named European Restructuring House of the Year by IFR and credited as the top European corporate finance adviser in the leisure sector by deal value, for the first nine months by MergerMarket. The review placed it top of the pan-European leisure sector with five deals worth a total of £4.4 billion for deals which included Phoenix Equity Partners sale of Tootsies Holdings to Urban Dining; the acquisition of the outstanding shares and junior term debt in Queens Moat Houses; the sale of Clubhaus to Legal & General Ventures; the sale of Yates Group to GI Partners; and advising Enterprise Inns on the financing for its acquisition of the Unique Pub Company.
Richard Grainger, Chief Executive of CBCF said:
"We are seeing a continued upsurge in activity both in the UK and throughout our European network. These appointments reflect this demand for best advice and we anticipate continued expansion throughout 2005. I am also delighted that we have been recognised by a number of leading industry bodies for our work from debt advisory services and corporate restructuring to M&A advice across Europe."
For further information please contact:
Justin Clark
Close Brothers Corporate Finance
020 7655 3100