Accountancy Firm of the Year
sponsored by:
ansarada
The judges of this award will be looking for evidence of a firm that has worked on a range of outstanding deals. The winner will excel at strategic input, quality of financial modelling and speed of execution.
 
Alternative Finance Provider of the Year
sponsored by:
businessxl
This award will recognise the achievements of an alternative finance provider that has proved itself to be pivotal to the dealmaking process. The winning firm will be able to provide a range of facilities (factoring, invoice finance and asset-based finance) that have supported and helped a business to grow post-deal completion. 
 
Small Deal of the Year (deal value: £2.5 million to £50 million)
sponsored by:
emc
This award will seek to recognise and commend the CEO and management team of a fast growing, UK company that has successfully made a major acquisition or completed a notable exit during the past 12 months. The judges will assess either the viability and the prudence of the financing package for an acquisition, or the sale price achieved for an exit. They will also examine the operational and strategic synergies created by the deal.
 
Finance Specialist of the Year
sponsored by:
growthbusiness
The judges will seek to identify a finance specialist that has shown itself time and again to be the difference between the success or failure of a deal (mergers, acquisitions, buy-outs, turnarounds, refinancing and fundraising). The winner will have shown incisiveness, an ability to work with a number of parties and an appreciation of how to balance risk taking with prudence when necessary. 
 
Corporate Finance Boutique of the Year
sponsored by:
lloyds
The judges will recognise and salute the firm that has repeatedly delivered high-quality, pragmatic advice on quality deals. The winner will be gaining a reputation for its expertise and demonstrating an ability to punch above its weight.
 
Dealmaker of the Year
sponsored by:
m&a
This award is open to CEOs, venture capitalists and corporate finance specialists who have shown exceptional innovation, skill and commercial awareness on an acquisition, buy-out or merger. The judges will also be looking for evidence of a dealmaker who knows how to add long-term value to a business.
 
Due Diligence Specialist of the Year
sponsored by:
millnet
The judges will be looking for a firm that consistently provides quality advice on complex M&A transactions. The winner will have a strong record of assessing financial, commercial, regulatory and technological criteria for UK and cross-border M&A deals.
 
Law Firm of the Year
sponsored by:
plus
The judges will be looking for a firm that provides efficient, high-quality advice on deals. The winner will have demonstrated excellent sector expertise and consistency, as well as consummate negotiating skills.
 
Large Deal of the Year (deal value: £50 million to £500 million)
sponsored by:
simcocks
For this category, the judges will identify an ambitious UK company that has completed a transformational acquisition or negotiated a commendable exit during the past 12 months. The judges will scrutinise either the robustness of the financing package for an acquisition, or the value of the sale price negotiated for an exit. They will also assess the business case for the deal in advancing the long-term plans of the acquirer.
 

Buy-out of the Year
sponsored by:
walbrook

This award will recognise the most transformational buy-out during the past 12 months (MBO, BIMBO, MBI or switching from public to private company). The judges will assess how the deal intends to progress the ambitions of the business, how stakeholders were managed and how funds were raised to complete the deal.