Gambit toasting 30 years and deals valued at £3bn
LEADING corporate advisory firm Gambit is celebrating 30 years in business, during which time it has acted on deals with a value of more than £3bn.
Set up in Cardiff in 1992, the UK’s oldest independent corporate finance boutique aimed to break the mould of a corporate advisory market dominated by the big four accountancy firms.
Early significant deals it orchestrated included the acquisition of Peters Foods out of the ownership of Grand Metropolitan, IQE’s exit from Shell Ventures and Newport Wafer Fab from Apax Partners.
It has also advised some of the leading firms in Wales including Bluestone, Cardiff City Football Club, Orangebox, Wheelies/Tredz, ACT, Premier Forest, SET and Veezu. Its extensive deal flow has also included orchestrating nine transactions in Europe, the USA and Australia for Biotrace International, as well as multiple disposals to overseas acquirers.
Partner Geraint Rowe said: “We are very much looking forward to building on the impressive history and foundations of the firm.
“Our client-centric values and focus on assisting clients with the creation, enhancement and ultimately realisation, of shareholder value is embedded in the core DNA of Gambit.”
While the last 10 years have been buoyant in fundraising, mergers and acquisitions despite prevailing economic headwinds, there is still significant appetite for private equity, overseas investors and corporate buyers on an acquisition trail.
Founding partner Frank Holmes said: “It has been an amazing journey, full of many exciting highs, some scary lows on the back of world events and the great recession, but the deal-making buzz and “winning is a habit” spirit is very captivating and binds us and our clients tightly together, which makes the difference.”
Partner Wayne Harvey, a former senior partner for Deloitte in Wales, who joined Gambit last, said: “None of this story would be possible without the support of an enviable team which starts with our analysts, all the way through to the deal-doer executives, managers and directors who are fundamental to the deal outcome success rate.”
In recent years the firm has established a debt advisory service headed by partner Jason Evans.
He said: “The debt markets have fundamentally changed since the financial crisis, with a huge array of funding partners and options available to support ambitious businesses.
“It’s been great to pick up a number of national debt advisory awards, which is testament to the team here and the ability to work with fantastic clients , be that locally with the likes of Veezu and Creo Medical or further afield in the shape of The British & Irish Lions and The Rider Firm, amongst others.”
Gambit also has an office in London.