Case Study: Hiring a VP into a UK Public M&A Advisory Team

Brief

A leading elite boutique investment bank identified a critical gap within its UK M&A franchise following several internal rotations out of their team.

The bank needed to strengthen its execution bench with a Vice President capable of operating across generalist M&A while bringing deep familiarity with UK takeover code processes and public company advisory work. Beyond technical expertise, leadership required someone who could immediately support MDs on complex live situations, provide credibility with clients and counterparties, and mentor a growing junior team.

The challenge was to identify a candidate with the right blend of technical execution capability, regulatory expertise, and client exposure within a highly competitive talent market for public M&A professionals in London. The talent pool with fluency across all three areas is between 30 - 40 bankers.

Approach

Croft & Co partnered closely with the bank’s senior leadership to define a highly specific candidate profile. The focus was on individuals with:

• Proven experience advising on UK public M&A transactions and not just broking work
• Strong familiarity with takeover code processes and necessary timelines
• Broad generalist M&A execution capability across sectors
• The ability to operate confidently with senior clients and internal stakeholders. The ability to provide "white glove" levels of service was essential.

Given the sensitivity of the search and the competitive nature of the London advisory market, the process was conducted through a targeted and discreet market mapping exercise across leading integrated investment banks and elite advisory boutiques.

Our approach prioritised candidates who had been directly involved in takeover code situations, including public bids, defence mandates, and scheme of arrangement processes under the oversight of the UK Takeover Panel.

Throughout the process, we worked with the client to position the role as more than a standard VP opportunity. The mandate was framed as a chance to join a rebuilding advisory franchise with strong deal flow and clear exposure to senior leadership, offering the successful candidate significant responsibility on high-profile 'Front of the FT' UK public transactions.

This positioning proved critical in attracting candidates who might not otherwise have considered a move in a competitive market.

Results

The bank successfully hired a Vice President with strong public M&A credentials and extensive experience advising on transactions governed by the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers.

The hire quickly strengthened the team’s execution capability across active mandates, providing immediate support to senior bankers on complex public transactions. Their experience navigating takeover code requirements and coordinating with advisers, regulators, and counterparties proved particularly valuable during live deal situations.

Internally, the appointment helped stabilise the advisory team, providing junior bankers with a credible senior execution lead while allowing Managing Directors to focus on origination and client coverage.

Externally, the strengthened bench reassured clients that the bank retained the expertise and capacity to deliver on sophisticated UK public M&A mandates.

By moving decisively and focusing on a tightly defined talent pool, the bank successfully reinforced its advisory capability and positioned itself more competitively within the London public M&A market.

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