Leading capital markets and investment firm LGB & Co Limited and Smith Square Partners, a corporate finance advisory firm, have formed a strategic alliance to enable the clients of each firm to gain access to the other’s areas of specialisation and the two firms to benefit from opportunities to work together. Smith Square provides high quality corporate finance advice to public and private companies with particular strength in mergers and acquisitions, while LGB has established a strong reputation for debt and equity capital raising. Accordingly, the alliance will focus on introductions of corporate finance advisory business to Smith Square by LGB, and introductions of capital markets opportunities to LGB by Smith Square.
In conjunction with the strategic alliance, the members of LGB’s corporate finance team currently focused on corporate finance and M&A advisory work will move to Smith Square. Angus Grierson, Managing Director of LGB Corporate Finance, will become a partner of Smith Square. Andrew Hay, Chairman of LGB Corporate Finance, will become a Senior Adviser.
Corporate clients of LGB will be able to access the M&A and corporate finance advisory services of Smith Square, which over ten years has established a successful track record advising on a broad range of transactions including complex, high value situations for blue chip clients. Smith Square’s extensive cross-border experience and public markets advisory capability will extend the range of advisory services available to LGB clients.
LGB’s investment activities headed by Simone Westerhuis, Managing Director of LGB Investments, and its debt and equity capital raising activities will continue as currently, although they will be enhanced by the relationship with Smith Square.
LGB will continue to provide its highly successful MTN programme, designed for the issuance of straight debt for the provision of working capital, longer term investment and expansion capital for growth companies.
In forming the strategic alliance LGB and Smith Square Partners have broadened the services and technical capabilities available to their respective clients. The principals of the two firms also recognise a common heritage, shared culture and mutual connections. They are confident that these will underpin a successful working relationship.
Andrew Boyle, CEO of LGB & Co. Limited, says: “We are delighted that our corporate advisory clients will continue to be able to work with Angus and his team, in addition to having access to the full corporate finance capabilities and resources of Smith Square. We are looking forward to placing our capital markets expertise at the disposal of clients of Smith Square. I believe that this strategic alliance highlights the opportunities for business development through collaboration as we and Smith Square address the requirements of our clients in a world much impacted by Covid-19.”
Grierson says: “The team and I are looking forward to developing the advisory and transaction execution capabilities we have built to date by combining with the strength and resources of Smith Square.”
John Craven, Managing Partner of Smith Square, says: “We have a long-standing relationship with LGB and are pleased that the strategic alliance will enable us to offer a broader portfolio of expertise to the clients of both firms. We are delighted to welcome Angus and his team to Smith Square and look forward to working with them and their clients.”
