Big 4 accountancy firm advises on Northern deals worth £6.4 billion in first half of 2021

The North Strategy and Transactions teams at Big 4 accountancy firm, EY, acted on over 20 completed deals worth a total of around £6.4 billion, in the first six months of 2021.

In the North-west, highlights for the firm including the IPOs for Victorian Plumbing and MADE.com, as well as a number of acquisitions and investments, including NorthEdge’s investment in Stockport-based software distributor, Distology.

The Big 4 firm has highlighted the success of the region’s retail, ecommerce and digital sectors, despite the challenging global economic conditions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mark Clephan, Corporate Finance Partner at EY in the North, said:

The first six months of the year have demonstrated our continued success in advising on some of the region’s most significant deals. In Q1, we had a strong start to the year which has only been amplified further during Q2, advising on deals across the technology and e-commerce sectors.

“Looking forward, I expect deal volumes to remain high throughout 2021, as the economy continues to recover and grow. This more positive outlook, fuelled by COVID-19 restrictions lifting and the progress of the vaccine roll-out, will give a boost to regional economy, presenting further opportunities for the deals market.

Steven Kingham, Partner and Head of Transaction Services for EY in the North West, said:

Throughout the first six months of the year, we have seen a continued structural channel shift across the retail sector, which has been accelerated by the pandemic. The IPOs of both MADE.com and Victorian Plumbing demonstrate the success of online retailers as consumers increasingly opt for digital shopping experiences.  

“We are building a strong reputation in the market as the go-to team across the region for deals across technology and e-commerce.

“Our pipeline of work for the remainder of this year and well into 2022 is looking extremely positive, testament to the strength of the regional economy and its business community. These buoyant levels of deal activity mean we are looking to strengthen our own team, so we are best placed to serve the needs of our clients.”