Grant Thornton appoints tax partner to support thriving M&A market

Leading business and financial advisory firm Grant Thornton UK LLP has promoted Martin Verrall to transaction tax partner in its South region.

Martin has a wealth of experience at Grant Thornton, joining as a graduate 15 years ago and spending the last decade working in transactions. In recent years, his key responsibilities have been focussed on leading sell side transaction tax.

Based in the firm’s Gatwick office, Martin will lead a team of ten located across the South of the UK, with input from other VAT and employment specialists.

In this position, Martin will continue to provide specialist expertise and advice to business owners when selling their companies. He will also play an important national support role at Grant Thornton by supporting the growth of the sell side transaction tax practice.

Martin’s appointment in July comes at a vibrant time in the South’s economy, as the M&A market continues to thrive following a bumper year for deals activity.

Outside of London, the South typically has the largest number of transactions by volume and value.

This is a continuing trend and Martin will help to support and expand the team moving forwards in order to meet a growing appetite to invest in the region.

Martin Verrall, transaction tax partner at Grant Thornton UK LLP, said: “This is an exciting time to be appointed to partner at Grant Thornton and I’m looking forward to helping further develop what is already an exceptional team. Having been at Grant Thornton my whole career, I can attest to the fact that it is a very people-focused environment that’s committed to each person’s continuous development. The firm invests in talent and our ideas, and my ambition is to now offer the same guidance to the next generation.

“The collaborative culture at Grant Thornton makes it a very rewarding space. One example of this is the close relationship between the corporate finance and tax teams, which enables us to deliver a seamless service that achieves fantastic results. In addition, the hybrid nature of how we work means clients benefit from individual’s strengths and expertise based on their needs, as opposed to who is geographically closest.

Reflecting on the current market in the South of the UK

Martin said: “While businesses are currently facing many challenges, the South is full of creative, vibrant and entrepreneurial companies.  There are a lot of interesting opportunities out there. We have a very active private equity sector in the UK looking to invest in successful Southern businesses. We’ve also witnessed a rise in employee ownership – a valuable ‘alternative’ exit route which gives businesses and owners a viable exit route where ‘traditional’ exit routes such as trade and private equity deals would not be appropriate.

“We all recognise the economic headwinds. This can see with some deal processes taking longer as well as a greater emphasis on deferred consideration such as earnouts. As a result, now more than ever we are encouraging business leaders to spend more time in the planning stage of an exit event so that they have as smooth a process as possible.”

John O’Mahony, tax partner who heads up Grant Thornton UK LLP’s Gatwick office, said: “There’s a really buoyant market in the South for transactions right now which is driving a lot of demand for specialist advice and information. Martin’s role as a transaction tax partner will really help to grow the size and capabilities of the team, ensuring that it is meeting this need and helping the region’s companies achieve their goals.

“This appointment is just one of the many ways we’re continuing to invest in our South tax operations, which in turn benefits a wide range of other crucial M&A and transactions services thanks to the interconnected, synergistic way that we work.”

Alan Richardson, head of South Tax at Grant Thornton UK LLP

“Martin’s appointment is a great example of our commitment to developing what is already a highly talented team. Thanks to his impressive skills and expertise, he’s ideal for not only providing the businesses in the South with first-rate advice and guidance but also in supporting our regional specialists and helping elevate them to the next level.”

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