Forster Chase a City-based corporate finance, business advisory and executive search firm, has appointed two new partners – Adam Harris and Francis Martin, CBE.Executive Chairman Benny Higgins says: “We are delighted that Francis and Adam have joined our business, bringing their leadership, foresight and experience to help our firm and our clients achieve their growth objectives and goals. We look forward to working with Francis and Adam who not only add further depth to our corporate finance, strategic and transformation expertise in the partnership but also broaden the level and range of services which we offer as we continue to deliver the smart, entrepreneurial growth solutions our clients expect from us.”
Harris brings to Forster Chase a wealth of experience in corporate finance and private equity, having completed an extensive number of deals over many years as an investor and an adviser. He has been at the forefront of acquiring, growing, managing and selling multiple organisations from start-ups to multinationals across a broad spectrum of sectors. Harris draws upon his vast network of private equity and venture capital as well as key corporation contacts. He was formerly a partner in a European private equity fund. Prior to that he started his career with JP Morgan and has a degree in physiology from the University of Oxford.
With 24 years’ experience as a Partner and Managing Partner in BDO Northern Ireland where he led the corporate finance and business advisory practice, Martin brings to Forster Chase extensive senior level experience and contacts working at the highest levels of business nationally and internationally. Providing board level advice to clients, ranging from SMEs to multinationals across a broad range of sectors, he focuses on mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, valuations and financing, post-merger integration, exit planning, strategy, transformation, growth, and value creation. In addition, Martin has undertaken several prestigious and high profile non-executive roles, including being President of British Chambers of Commerce, one of the most respected and influential business organisations in the UK. He was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in June 2019 for Services to UK Business.
Harris says: “I am excited to join an organisation that has an exceptional reputation with an entrepreneurial ethos at an exciting time in the firm’s growth. I look forward to drawing on my breadth and depth of experience to add real value to our clients and to driving the business forward with a likeminded team of individuals.”
Martin says: “I am delighted to join such an entrepreneurial, dynamic and energetic team and to be working with some of the brightest and best in the industry. I look forward to contributing to the continued growth and success of the firm and to our clients’ growth by leveraging my many years of experience helping businesses grow and to maximise their value.”
