Simmons is advising Cenkos Securities plc on its recommended all-share merger with finnCap Group plc (the Merger) to create a market-leading full-service advisory firm for growth and investment companies, which was announced earlier today.
The combined group has (on a proforma combined basis) more than 210 retained listed or quoted clients and employs more than 230 colleagues with ambitions to build on strong foundations across equity capital markets, M&A advisory, debt advisory and private growth capital fundraising.
Under the terms of the Merger, Cenkos shareholders and finnCap shareholders will each hold approximately 50% of the entire issued share capital of finnCap Group plc immediately following completion of the Merger. The Merger is to be implemented by means of a court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement.
The combined group will be led by the existing CEOs of Cenkos (Julian Morse) and finnCap (John Farrugia) as Co-CEOs. Lisa Gordon will become Chair of the combined group Board which will comprise equal numbers of finnCap and Cenkos directors.
UK Public M&A partner Mark Curtis and Head of Public Markets and Corporate Finance partner Colin Bole are leading the Simmons team advising Cenkos on the Merger, assisted by Corporate associates Tom Grace and Guy Francis. Competition partner Mark Jephcott and associate David Trapp are advising on anti-trust matters, Incentives partner Tair Hussain is advising on options and incentives arrangements and Regulatory partner Catherine Weeks is advising on FCA regulatory matters.
Commenting on the Merger, Colin Bole said: “We are delighted to be advising Cenkos on its recommended all-share merger with finnCap to create a premium full-service advisory house supporting growth and investment companies. This is an exciting deal for both firms and also for the UK capital markets as a whole”.