How One Key Hire Strengthened an Entire M&A Advisory Team

Brief

Our client’s infrastructure M&A team was operating at full tilt in a market where domestic private equity deal value hit £63 billion in 2024, just shy of the 2021 peak, signaling strong ongoing interest. Rather than pursuing headcount growth, they sought a senior hire with niche infrastructure expertise—someone capable of navigating this lively, capital-rich UK landscape and enhancing the team’s strategic traction.

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Approach

We focused on candidates with a track record in high-profile infrastructure M&A—covering both brownfield and greenfield assets—paired with the ability to mentor junior talent, shape deal strategy, and manage stakeholders under increasing market pressure. In the current environment of elevated interest rates and heightened due diligence scrutiny, we prioritised individuals with both sharp technical acumen and the interpersonal skills to lead through complexity.We partnered closely with the client to refine the interview process, ensuring it measured not only deal execution capability but also resilience, collaborative leadership, and cultural alignment.

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Results

The appointed hire brought immediate value—strengthening origination channels, streamlining deal execution processes, and embedding best practices that improved both speed and accuracy under tight timelines. Their presence increased confidence across the team, from analysts to senior leadership, and positioned the group to capture opportunities in an evolving infrastructure M&A landscape marked by energy transition, digital infrastructure growth, and strategic divestments. This was more than a hire—it was a catalyst for a step-change in the team’s market agility.

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