Acuity Law wins Legal Team of the Year at the Wales Dealmakers Awards 2018
Key Contact: Steve Berry
Acuity Law were among the big winners at the Wales Dealmakers Awards 2018, scooping the coveted Legal Team of the Year title.
The award recognises the strength in depth of the firm’s corporate team which advised on £180m of Welsh deals over the year, including the buyout of Newport Wafer Fab and sale of Harris Pye.
Acuity were also the lead legal advisers on the Deal of the Year – the acquisition of Newport Wafer Fab by Neptune 6 from Infineon Technologies. The acquisition secured the future of one of Wales’s top technology plants, saved 500 jobs, and opened up potential new markets.
Acuity were delighted to accept the award on behalf of its client BikePark Wales for Small Business Deal of the Year. BCF Ventures invested in Bike Park Wales, with support from AIB Bank, helping to fund ambitious growth plans for the site near Merthyr Tydfil.
Acuity were shortlisted in a number of other categories, including Steve Berry for Dealmaker of the Year and Jon Lawley for Young Dealmaker of the Year.
Other deals advised on by Acuity were shortlisted for Deal of the Year, including the sale of Hamilton Heating, Fraser Simpson and FSN Doors to Brickability Group, the sale of Harris Pye Engineering to Joulon and the sale of a majority shareholding in Wealthify to Aviva.
Acuity client Brickability scooped the award for Corporate Acquirer of the Year. It acquired two groups which will boost its revenue by about 50 per cent, broaden its product range and extend its supply network.
Two of Acuity’s international deals were shortlisted for International Deal of the Year – the sale of Harris Pye Engineering to Joulon and the acquisition of Newport Wafer by Neptune 6 from Infineon Technologies.
The investment in Middletons by Development Bank of Wales and Wealth Club, advised on by Acuity, was also shortlisted for Small Business Deal of the Year.
A record number of entries for the various award categories were made this year, setting the bar for the transactions shortlisted much higher.
Wales Business Insider editor Douglas Friedli said: “We’ve had a very strong year for buyouts, acquisitions and funding deals in Wales.”
