management buy-outs - making the transition from manager to owner 

 

Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons is pleased to announce its forthcoming management buy-out seminar, which is taking place at the firm's offices in Oxford on Wednesday 12 March 2008.  The event is being run by the firm's Corporate team in conjunction with Oxford-based chartered accountants and business advisers, Critchleys.

 

Becoming involved in a management buy-out (MBO) is potentially one of the most important personal and business decisions an individual can ever make.  An MBO is a complicated process but this can be made easier with the right preparation and good advice. 

 

The seminar is designed to be a short but carefully considered guide for those who are interested in management buy-outs.  The key individuals who are providing presentations at the seminar, a mix of corporate advisers, bankers, lawyers and venture capitalists, will explain their particular roles and how they are able to provide guidance through the process of an MBO.  There will also be two case studies presented at the seminar from individuals who have first-hand experience of undertaking MBOs.

 

The seminar will be of particular interest to directors and senior managers considering buying the business they currently run.  Some of the key points that will be covered in the seminar include:

 

• the financial commitment expected of an MBO team
• how and when to approach the owners of the business for purchase
• how to raise the finance; from where and what financiers require

 

Comments senior solicitor at Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons, Nicola Fillery: "MBOs are a complex business.  We hope that this seminar and our impressive line-up of presentations will provide attendees with clear advice from a business, legal and financial perspective on how best to go through the process of an MBO."

 

- ENDS -

 

 

Notes to Editors

 

Timing and location:

 

Wednesday 12 March 2008, 7.30 am - 10.15 am

Seacourt Tower, West Way, Oxford, OX2 0FB

 

Seminar programme:

 

7.30 am - breakfast and registration

8.00 am - welcome and introduction (Keith White, corporate finance partner, Critchleys)

8.05 am - the role of the corporate adviser (Justin Ray, corporate finance partner, Critchleys)

8.25 am - the role of the banker (Jim Heppell, associate director of commercial banking, RBS Natwest)

8.45 am - the role of the legal adviser (Nicola Fillery, senior solicitor, Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons)

9.05 am - the role of the equity partner (Richard Hepper, director, Oxford Capital Partners)

9.25 am - case studies

10.05 am - question and answer session

10.15 am - coffee/finish

 

Contact:

 

If you have any queries, please call Sarah Turner on 01865 253 275 or email sarah.turner@bllaw.co.uk  

 

Seminar presenters:

 

Keith White, FCA, partner, Critchleys

Keith is a high-calibre corporate finance professional. His extensive experience and contacts make him ideally placed to provide advice, and successfully close deals. Keith’s expertise covers venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, refinancing and advising clients on the merits of PLUS markets and AIM listing. He is particularly skilled in maximising the return to shareholders on disposal. Keith is a member of a prestigious team which assess companies for venture capital funding under Warwick University’s Connect scheme. He is also a member of Enterprise 100 and Oxfordshire Investment Opportunity Network (OION), which links investors with start-up companies in the county.

 

Justin Ray, FCA, partner, Critchleys

Justin is well known and respected in the Oxford and Thames Valley professional community and over his Corporate Finance career spanning 12 years he has successfully advised on over 50 transactions worth more than £450 million. Justin is a fellow of the ICAEW and holds the Corporate Finance qualification.

 

Jim Heppell, BSc (Hons) ACIB associate director, structured debt solutions, RBS Natwest

Jim is associate director in the banks structured debt solutions team, a division specialising in providing facilities to support management buy-ins/buy-outs, acquisition finance and equity/debt restructures. He is responsible for leading and co-ordinating transactions across Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. He has 20 years banking experience, including over 10 years involvement with Corporate and Commercial businesses. During this period, Jim has built up a good knowledge of a wide range of industries, as well as the many common risks and opportunities faced by businesses and their owners.

 

Nicola Fillery, senior solicitor, Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons

Nicola joined the firm after working with KLegal and Finers Stephens Innocent in London. Nicola specialises in corporate work of all kinds, including acquisitions and disposals of companies, and private equity transactions. She spent a number of years working in private equity with KLegal advising both investors and management teams, from initial funding rounds through to exits, including trade sales and IPOs. Nicola also has extensive experience in admitting companies to regulated stock exchanges, including PLUS and AIM.

 

Richard Hepper, FCA and MA (Hons), director, Oxford Capital Partners

Richard is a director at Oxford Capital Partners.. Prior to joining Oxford Capital Partners, Richard was a Director at Enterprise Ventures, a specialist early stage venture capital investor. He began his career with Deloitte where he qualified as a chartered accountant, and subsequently worked with technology consultants Arthur D Little across Europe. He later gained valuable experience as a technology investor with 3i plc. Richard is a graduate of Cambridge University, where he studied economics.

 

Rob Townsend, managing director, BSpoke Global Newtorks (BGN)

Rob Townsend’s key skills lie in sales and business strategy. Throughout his career he has been successful in securing significant blue chip clients and is responsible for winning all F1 contracts held by BGN. He has held senior positions at Alcatel and Rank Xerox and is currently joint managing director of BGN.